| Matthew 7 | |
|---|---|
 Matthew 6:32–7:27 onCodex Sinaiticus (AD 330–360) | |
| Book | Gospel of Matthew |
| Category | Gospel |
| Christian Bible part | New Testament |
| Order in the Christian part | 1 |
Matthew 7 is the seventh chapter of theGospel of Matthew in theNew Testament. This chapter is the last of the three chapters which comprise theSermon on the Mount.
The original text was written inKoine Greek.This chapter is divided into 29 verses.
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are:[a]
InJohn Wesley's analysis of the Sermon on the Mount,chapter five outlines "the sum of all true religion", allowingchapter six to detail "rules for that right intention which we are to preserve in all our outward actions, unmixed with worldly desires or anxious cares for even thenecessaries of life" and this chapter to provide "cautions against the main hinderances of religion".[1] Within the chapter there are several themes, with verses 1–12 dealing with judging and discernment.[2] Verses 3–5 relate aproverbial saying onthe Mote and the Beam, which has a parallel inLuke 6:37–42.[3] AtMatthew 7:7 Jesus returns to the subject ofprayer, promising that God will respond to prayer. Verses7:13 and14 contain the analogy of the broad and narrow roads, a warning of the ease of slipping intodamnation. Verse7:15 continues the warnings about judgment and adds a caution aboutfalse prophets[4][5][6] by repeating some of the language used byJohn the Baptist inchapter 3.
The chapter ends with theparable of the wise and the foolish builders inMatthew 7:24–27, which has a parallel inLuke 6:46–49.
According to theologianEdward Plumptre, in comparison with the preceding chapters, "this [chapter] deals chiefly with thetemptations incident to the more advanced stages of [Christian] life when lower forms of evil have been overcome – with the temper that judges others, theself-deceit of unconscioushypocrisy, the danger of unreality".[7]
