Bible Study series: Matthew 7:15-23. You can prophesy and work miracles in huis name but not know the Lord. “Depart from me! I never knew you!” We can know them by their fruit.
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If you would like to see the Greek, go here:
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In this post, links are provided for further study.
Let’s begin.
Scripture: Matthew 7:15-23
15 Watch out for false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothes but inside are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them from their fruit. They do not pick grapes from thorn bushes, nor figs from the thistles, do they? 17 Thus, every healthy tree produces good fruit, and the unhealthy tree produces rotten fruit. 18 A healthy tree is unable to produce rotten fruit, nor can an unhealthy tree produce good fruit. 19 Every tree not producing good fruit is going to be cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So then indeed you will recognize them by their fruit.
21 Not everyone saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one doing the will of my Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name? And in your name expel demons? And in your name do many miracles?” 23 And then I will declare to them, “I never knew you! Depart from me, you practitioners of lawlessness!” (Matt. 7:15-23)
Comments:
See my post here:
Matt. 7:21-23: “I Never Knew You, Depart from Me!”
See the table under vv. 13-14.
I put these two passages together because the original Greek manuscripts do not have chapter divisions and verse numbers, and the two passages flow nicely into each other. The first section explains the second. And the previous pericope about the narrow gate and restrictive road also clarifies this passage. People have to give up many things, like self-will and self-calling and self-recognition. Then they have to do the will of their Father—his will, not theirs.
Further, Luke produces v. 22 with slightly different wording and places his verse in between the good and bad fruit (6:43-45) and those who obey the teachings of Jesus, so their house is built on the rock, and those who do not obey his teachings, so their house is built on a crumbling foundation (6:47-49): “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46). Therefore, coupling the illustration about fruit trees with the declaration that he never knew false followers is correct in vv. 15-23.
See my post about the Lordship of Jesus:
15:
Jesus selects an image of sheep, which appears often in the Old Testament, and which he picks up on in his teaching. He is the good shepherd (John 10:1-6). These “sheep” are really dressed in the clothing of sheep, but underneath or inside their sheep’s clothing they are vicious or rapacious or greedy wolves. Who can they be? Verses 21-23 will clarify this question.
The imagery is powerful.
16:
The recognition of them is done by fruit inspection. Now Jesus once again launches into clearly and deliberately absurd images, like a man with a beam sticking out of his eye (vv. 1-6) or the earthly father who doesn’t give his son a stone or a snake (vv. 9). Everyone knows that no one picks grapes from a thorn bush or figs from thistles. Yet that’s how stark the doctrinal and moral errors will be.
17-18:
Then Jesus states the truth from opposing angles: the positive and the negation. Every good tree produces good fruit, and every bad tree produces bad fruit. That’s the positive statement, without negation (“no” or “not”). No good tree produces bad fruit, and neither does a decayed tree produce good fruit. The “no” and “neither” are the negation. He covered all his bases and now everything is unambiguous. The test is certain, but not easy or quick (Carson, p. 228).
Carson continues:
Living according to kingdom norms can be feigned for a time, but what one is will eventually reveal itself in what one does. However guarded one’s words, they will finally betray him (cf. 12:33-37; Luke 6:45). Ultimately false prophets tear down faith (2 Tim. 2:18) and promote divisiveness, bitterness (e.g. 1 Tim. 6:4-5); 2 Tim. 2:23), and various kinds of ungodliness (2 Tim. 2:16). Meek discernment and understanding the dire consequences of the false prophets’ teachings are needed. But at the same time, censoriousness over minutiae must be avoided (Carson, p. 228)
That is a good word for some wacky Charismatics (not all Charismatics are wacky, not even close to all) and for those in a “discernment ministry” who apparently don’t know what they are talking about or do inadequate research and bear false witness against some genuine brothers and sisters in Christ.
19:
This verse is about judgment, either here and now or on the last day. There is no “last day” here (but see v. 22), so let’s understand it to be judgment right now. 1 Pet. 4:17-18 says:
For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And
“If the righteous is scarcely saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” (1 Pet. 4:17-18, ESV)
Judgment must begin right now in the household of faith. If we don’t allow God to judge us now, then our judgment on the last day will not be entirely pleasant. We will have to get an extended “teaching” or “dealing” from him.
Everyone Shall Be Judged by Their Works and Words
Bible Basics about the Final Judgment
“fire”: other verses speak of outer darkness (Matt. 8:12; 22:13; 25:30). So some ask: how can the lake of fire, which produces light, coexist with farthest or outer darkness? They cannot. Therefore, some interpreters conclude that punishment in the afterlife takes on different dimensions: fire in one place, and darkness in another. Still another interpretation is possible.
20:
Jesus caps off this powerful lesson with clear imagery. By their fruit we shall recognize them.
And by the way, “fruit” in Greek is plural, so to be precise, every time fruit appears in this pericope, it could be translated as “fruits” (plural). It’s a multifaceted production of the good or bad trees. Let’s not focus on one side of a person’s walk with God.
21:
In this context, the kingdom of heaven is in the future. We live our lives now, and then at the Second Coming the entire universe changes. The kingdom of God will be fully manifested. And we enter it by being in the kingdom now and by doing the will of Jesus’s Father.
5 The Kingdom of God: Already Here, But Not Yet Fully
This sad Parable of the Ten Maidens says the same thing:
8 But the foolish ones said to the prudent ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our torches are going out.’ 9 But the prudent ones replied, saying, ‘In case there is in no way enough for us and you,’ go instead to the sellers and buy it for yourselves.’ 10 After they departed to buy it, the bridegroom came, and the prepared ones went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was closed. 11 Later on, the remaining maidens also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up to us!’ 12 But in reply, he said, ‘I tell you the truth: I do not know you.’ (Matt. 25:8-12)
Oil can be a symbol of the Holy Spirit, so maybe we should add that the ones whom the Lord did not know in v. 23 did not have the fulness of the Spirit, even though they worked miracles. Never forget that miracle workers arise and do not have the true Holy Spirit, but a counterfeit spirit.
So one main interpretive key of those who will be told to depart is that they did not do the will of the Father. What is that? I offer some ideas, at v. 23. Another criterion for these false followers being rejected is that Jesus never knew them. Personal knowledge–saving knowledge–of him is essential.
“kingdom of heaven”: Matthew substitutes “heaven” (literally heavens or plural) nearly every time (except for 12:28; 19:24; 21:31, 43, where he uses kingdom of God).
Bible Basics about the Kingdom of God
Questions and Answers about Kingdom of God
Basic Definition of Kingdom of God
1 Introducing the Kingdom of God (begin a ten-part series)
Recall that Judas was one of the twelve, and he did these things on his short-term missionary travels:
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, expel demons. (Matthew 10:8)
As they went out, they traveled through every village, preaching the good news and healing everywhere. (Luke 9:6)
Judas practiced lawlessness because he handled the money pouch and pilfered from it, thus breaking the eighth commandment prohibiting theft (John 12:6). So it is possible to be very charismatically gifted and be lawless and not have the fullest and most intimate knowledge and relationship with the Messiah, God’s Son.
Is there any connection between Judas’ charismatic gifting and breaking the moral law and greedy mega-preachers? Let’s see.
22:
“that day”: it refers to judgment day or the day that wraps everything up. “That day” is often used in both the OT and NT of the final day leading to judgment: you can look up the verses online but here are some references: Is. 10:20; Joel 1:15; 3:18; Amos 8:9; 9:11; Zeph. 1:10, 14; Zech. 14:4; Mal. 3:17-18. And in Matthew’s Gospel: 13:24-30, 36, 43, 47-52; 24:30, 51; 25:12, 30, 46.
“in your name”: the phrase means “as his representatives” (Keener, p. 252). They claimed to follow Jesus, but they were not. The phrase may not imply the use of Jesus’s name as a magical formula (Keener), but I say it may indicate this and these seeming disciples probably did use his name as a formula.
“miracles”: It is often translated as “power,” but also “miracle” or “miraculous power.” It means power in action, not static, but kinetic. It moves. Yes, we get our word dynamite from it, but God is never out of control, like dynamite is. Its purpose is to usher in the kingdom of God and repair and restore broken humanity, both in body and soul. For nearly all the references of that word and a developed theology, please click on Miracles, Signs and Wonders.
What Are Signs and Wonders and Miracles?
Then Jesus lists the three power giftings—but only representative giftings or ministry power—that the false followers will claim on that day. They can claim to do more than those three gifts, like healing the sick.
These miraculous claims can be confusing for those of us who believe that miracles still happen today—continuationists, in other words. The opposite are the cessationists or those who believe the gifts, particularly the ones listed in 1 Cor. 12:7-11, have ceased (hence the name cessationists).
See my posts on the gifts in 1 Cor. 12:7-11. Each gift has further links to a fuller article:
Gifts of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 and 12:28
These false prophets or counterfeit followers who do these mighty works should not be seen as Jewish exorcists who circulated around the ancient world (Acts 19:11-17). No, these are certain people who claimed to follow Jesus and penetrated the Christian communities. Keener points out that the Didache (pronounced dih-dah-kay), an early teaching manual or handbook for Christian communities, provided moral tests for circulating prophets (Keener, p. 252). Likewise, Matthew was not against the charismatic gifts, but in fact these verses assume that they exist. Instead, he warns the early communities to watch out for false prophets. If there are false ones, then there were true ones. Therefore, Matthew was not an anti-charismatic, nor does Jesus’s teaching assume this, either.
Maybe these verses in Matthew 13 will clarify matters:
47 Again the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet thrown into the sea and gathers all kinds of things. 48 When it is full, they haul it up on to the beach and sit and gather the good things into containers, and they throw the bad things outside. 49 In this way, it shall be at the end of the age. The angels shall go forth and separate the evil people from the middle of the righteous people. 50 And they shall throw them into the fiery oven. In that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matt. 13:47-50)
This short parable may be too broad for the context in vv. 21-23, but there will be false members of the kingdom.
23:
Once again these are challenging and even disturbing words at the last judgment.
So who are these charismatically gifted and miracle-working followers to whom Jesus will declare that he never knew or recognized them? Verse 22 calls them false prophets. In this context, they seem to be leaders in the church or self-proclaimed leaders. They claimed to exercise spiritual gifts, and people who do this regularly, as a ministry, can be marked as leaders. Osborne points out that Judas seems to have performed charismatic gifts when Jesus sent out the twelve (Matt. 10:5-15). But his heart was not with Jesus to the very end (comment on 7:23).
Therefore, it is doubtful that this pericope applies to Average Joe or Jane Christian who never claim to be prophets or miracle-workers in the first place. But beware! Anyone can drift so far from Jesus that they will hear the sobering words at judgment: “Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. I never knew you!” This can also apply to Joe and Jane.
8 Righteousness of the Kingdom
Four-part series on how one should not practice lawlessness, particularly for church leaders:
Warning to Evolving, Progressive Churches: Danger Signs
Warning to Evolving, Progressive Churches: Authority of Scripture
Warning to Evolving, Progressive Churches: Marriage and Sex
Warning to Evolving, Progressive Churches: Judgment Is Coming
I really like Turner’s caution that we should not reject charismatic prophets (antinomianism means denying and disobeying or playing down the law):
One should not conclude from this warning against antinomian prophets that Matthew takes a consistently negative view of prophets and charismatic activities. Jesus himself is the prophet par excellence, and he commission his disciples to prophetic word and deed (Matt. 10:1, 6, 8). Disciples should support such ministry, since reception of the prophets will bring them a reward equivalent to that of the prophets themselves (10:41). Jesus promises to send future prophets (23:34) whose destiny is to share in the persecution that their master and his other disciples would experience (cf. 5:12). Thus Jesus in Matthew repudiates antinomianism, not prophets per se (Deut. 13:1-5; 18:14-22; Didache 7.8). The spiritual gift of charismatic activity is no substitute for the spiritual righteousness. (p. 220)
Osborne:
The point of the whole section is that the saints [you and me, surrendered to Jesus’ Lordship and consecrated to him] must at all times be watchful to make certain their leaders fulfill their calling. This does not mean a critical attitude (so 7:1-5) but it does entail loving concern and spiritual vigilance. Too many charlatans have appeared throughout church history for us to be complacent. Without the ethics and morality of this Sermon, any so-called Christian message is false. (comment on 7:18)
Then Osborne quotes another commentator: “the test of their reality is not how they come on but how they come off; not how they seem but the theological and moral influence of their teaching and life in the community. Thus the prayer at the end of the Lord’s Prayer, ‘deliver us from evil,’ also means ‘deliver us from false prophets and their amoral, immoral, or supermoral messages.’”
I reemphasize: hyper-prosperity teachers who live in houses, say, of 3,000 square meters (about 9,000 sq. ft), more of less, and buy luxury items that their average contributors could never afford, are in danger of practicing lawlessness, namely, the tenth commandment against coveting. Prosperity of food, clothing, and shelter and to pay the bills and enjoy some of life is one thing, but preachers who misrepresent Scripture just to get super-rich are putting their eternal destiny in peril. So they must be careful. I urge everyone to stop giving to their ministries.
GrowApp for Matt. 7:15-23
1. How is your discernment level? Have you fallen prey to false teaching? How did you escape? Or how do you escape if you’re caught in one right now?
2. What kind of fruit should good leaders produce? What does it look like?
RELATED
9. Authoritative Testimony in Matthew’s Gospel
1. Church Fathers and Matthew’s Gospel
2. Archaeology and the Synoptic Gospels
14. Similarities among John’s Gospel and the Synoptic Gospels
1. The Historical Reliability of the Gospels: Introduction to Series
SOURCES
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