What does Matthew 7:24 mean?

Jesus is bringing the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1–2) to a close. He has revealed in the previous verses that He alone will declare who is allowed into His kingdom and who will be turned away (Matthew 7:21–23). The deciding factor will be whether He knows a person and whether they did the will of His Father, which begins with believing in Jesus (John 6:28–29; 14:6).

Christ has made clear that false prophets and false followers will not be welcome, even if they claimed to follow Him—even if they did supposedly-great works in His name. There is a real difference between "these words of mine," as Jesus describes His teaching, and that of the false prophets and religious leaders. Israel's religious leaders modeled obedience to God as outward performance of religious practices in order to be noticed and respected by others (Matthew 5:20). Jesus has emphasized that true righteousness should begin in the heart and be only for the notice of God. In that way, it becomes an expression of true faith in God's Word (Matthew 6:1, 5, 16).

Now Jesus uses yet another word picture to show the difference between those who practice what He has taught and those who continue to follow the false path of the false prophets. Living according to Jesus' teaching, He says, is like a wise man who builds his house on a foundation of rock. The following verses will illustrate the positive effects of building a life—and one's beliefs—on a solid foundation. They will also explain the disaster which comes from poor foundations (Matthew 7:27).