Testimonia — Early Christian Bible Commentary

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Matthew 7

1“Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged.

2For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you.

3Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but don’t consider the beam that is in your own eye?

4Or how will you tell your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye,’ and behold, the beam is in your own eye?

5You hypocrite! First remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye.

6“Don’t give that which is holy to the dogs, neither throw your pearls before the pigs, lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

7“Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you.

8For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.

9Or who is there among you who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?

10Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent?

11If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

12Therefore, whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.

13“Enter in by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter in by it.

14How narrow is the gate and the way is restricted that leads to life! There are few who find it.

15“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.

16By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles?

17Even so, every good tree produces good fruit, but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit.

18A good tree can’t produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit.

19Every tree that doesn’t grow good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

20Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

22Many will tell me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?’

23Then I will tell them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.’

24“Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock.

25The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock.

26Everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.

27The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell—and its fall was great.”

28When Jesus had finished saying these things, the multitudes were astonished at his teaching,

29for he taught them with authority, and not like the scribes.

Early Christian commentary

Late 1st century AD (traditionally c. 95–100) | Clement of Rome

Let us therefore, brethren, be of humble mind, laying aside all haughtiness, and pride, and foolishness, and angry feelings; and let us act according to that which is written (for the Holy Spirit saith, “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, neither let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him that glorieth glory in the Lord, in diligently seeking Him, and doing judgment and righteousness”), being especially mindful of the words of the Lord Jesus which He spake, teaching us meekness and long-suffering. For thus He spoke: “Be ye merciful, that ye may obtain mercy; forgive, that it may be forgiven to you; as ye do, so shall it be done unto you; as ye judge, so shall ye be judged; as ye are kind, so shall kindness be shown to you; with what measure ye mete, with the same it shall be measured to you.” By this precept and by these rules let us stablish ourselves, that we walk with all humility in obedience to His holy words. For the holy word saith, “On whom shall I look, but on him that is meek and peaceable, and that trembleth at my words?”

Commentary · First Epistle to the Corinthians, Chapter XIII · Original source · The Writings of the Apostolic Fathers (T. & T. Clark, 1870), edited and translated by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson; independent electronic transcription: David King and the Online Proofreading Team, Project Gutenberg ebook 77576. · Licence · Source revision · Whitespace normalized; source pagination and footnote reference markers removed. English wording unchanged.

c. 153–157 AD (date debated) | Justin Martyr

And with regard to our not swearing at all, and always speaking the truth, He enjoined as follows: "Swear not at all; but let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil." And that we ought to worship God alone, He thus persuaded us: "The greatest commandment is, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve, with all thy heart, and with all thy strength, the Lord God that made thee." And when a certain man came to Him and said, "Good Master," He answered and said, "There is none good but God only, who made all things." And let those who are not found living as He taught, be understood to be no Christians, even though they profess with the lip the precepts of Christ; for not those who make profession, but those who do the works, shall be saved, according to His word: "Not every one who saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. For whosoever heareth me, and doeth my sayings, heareth Him that sent me. And many will say unto me, Lord, Lord, have we not eaten and drunk in Thy name, and done wonders? And then will I say unto them, Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity. Then shall there be wailing and gnashing of teeth, when the righteous shall shine as the sun, and the wicked are sent into everlasting fire. For many shall come in my name, clothed outwardly in sheep's clothing, but inwardly being ravening wolves. By their works ye shall know them. And every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down and cast into the fire." And as to those who are not living pursuant to these His teachings, and are Christians only in name, we demand that all such be punished by you.

Commentary · The First Apology, Chapter 16 · Original source · Justin Martyr; translated by Marcus Dods; T. & T. Clark, Edinburgh, 1870. Historical transcription supplied by Wikisource contributors. · Licence · Source revision · Whitespace normalized; source pagination and footnote reference markers removed. English wording unchanged.

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