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What does the Sermon on the Mount teach us?

CHAPTER IV

INVITATION

Matthew 7:13-27: Application of the Entrance Requirements

Argument

In this section the King exhorts the listeners to ask for righteousness from the Father in accordance with the King's doctrine because evil men will attempt to guide them to their destruction.

Two Gates (7:13-14). The exhortation here is that the hearers should respond positively to the King's invitation to receive righteousness from the Father because they will otherwise be destroyed with the great number who only fulfill the requirements of the scribes and Pharisees.

False Prophets (7:15-20). The false prophets (probably the scribes and Pharisees) may be identified by their destructive ministry and so their doctrine should be rejected .

False Professors (7:21-23). The hearers should be careful not to credit a person with authenticity just on the basis of his profession or performance of miracles. Rather, entrance into the kingdom is based on righteousness.

Two Foundations (7:24-27) . The hearers should react positively to the King's Gospel so that they will he unaffected by the false ministry and profession of evil men. The strong foundation refers to the Gospel as presented by the King. The weak foundation is the perverted gospel promoted by the false prophets and professors.

Differing Views of the Argument

Kingdom Law. There is no mention in Dr. Campbell ' s development of a reference to life in the kingdom in these verses. Rather, he determines that this entire section deals with people who hope to enter the kingdom and the requirements for entrance (79).

Interim Law. In general there are no great points of friction between Dr. Toussaint's argument and the argument of this paper in this section. He sees two appeals: "One is to the disciples, exhorting them to live a life characterized by righteousness. The other appeal is to the unrepentant, calling them to entrance into the narrow way leading to life (80)." Such a conclusion tends to support the belief that the sermon, at least in part, deals with an interim law. The disciple aspect is based mostly on the interpretation of verse 14 which understands that "gate" is mentioned for the benefit of false followers and "way" is mentioned for the sake of disciples (81). This may be valid, but it indicates only a secondary teaching.

Meritorious Salvation. This view understands that Matthew 7:12-14 teaches salvation by works:

The following passages teach that eternal fife was offered to the Jews as a reward of works (82).

This passage may be easily adapted to show the way of salvation, that is, accepting Christ as one's personal Savior. However, the context is one of works . . (83)

We respond by again referring the reader earlier arguments.

Entrance Requirements. Dr. Pentecost's argument differs from that of this paper in no essential areas.

Matthew 7:28-29: Response to the Sermon

The response to the sermon was amazement shown towards the authoritarian nature of the King's teaching.