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).
Matthew 7:24–27 contains Jesus' famous illustration contrasting two foundations for life. One is lived according to His teaching, the other is not. Foundations matter, both in construction and in the way a person views the world. Those who follow Jesus' teaching are like a wise man who built a house on a rock. Those who ignore Him are like a foolish man who built a house on sand. One will survive the violent storm. The other will fall hard. The same is true of those who face the storms of life.
Matthew 7 is the last of three chapters that record what is now known as the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus commands His hearers not to pronounce shallow or hypocritical judgment. He describes God as a generous Father eager to give good things to His children when they ask. He commands His followers to enter the narrow gate and walk the hard road to life. False prophets can be recognized by their fruit, meaning their actions and choices. At the same time, good deeds are not absolute proof that someone has true faith. To live by Jesus' teaching is like building the house of your life on a solid foundation instead of shifting sand.
