Matthew 7:27 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it."

NIV: The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

NASB: And the rain fell and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and its collapse was great.'

CSB: The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. It collapsed with a great crash."

NLT: When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.'

KJV: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

NKJV: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

Jesus concludes His simple illustration of two houses built on two different foundations. The one built on solid rock stood firm when the storm assaulted it. The one built on a foundation of sand fell hard. The first builder was wise; the second, foolish (Matthew 7:24–26). The point of this teaching is not merely about selecting the right building site for a home. Christ's imagery is meant to explain that only a worldview built on something solid—which is Christ alone (John 14:6)—creates a life that can withstand the natural attacks of human life.

A person who does as Jesus has taught, including His lessons in this Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1–2) is wise. No person, Christian or otherwise, is promised to escape the storms of life. Those who are solidly rooted in Christ, however, will stand strong through them. The person who hears Jesus' words but continues on without doing them is foolish. The same storm will level that person's life. The consequences will be dire—not the least of which is an eternity separated from God (John 3:36).

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.

Jesus began the Sermon on the Mount in chapter 5, discussing the Beatitudes and the idea that inner thoughts are very much part of sin and righteousness. Chapter 6 denounced hypocrisy, modeled prayer, and opposed anxiety. Chapter 7 discusses the proper manner of judgment, including how to gauge the teachings of others. Jesus also warns against spiritual self-deception. He concludes with an analogy about foundations and storms. The crowd's amazement at Christ's teachings leads into the miracles and encounters of chapters 8 and 9.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.

Accessed 11/23/2024 3:14:46 PM