THE HOLIESTCommentaries on St. Matthew
Tablet Eleven
Chapter 7
<1>In this chapter, the multitudes were present, because it was directed also to them.
"Judge not, that ye be not judged."
"For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again."
"And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?"
"Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?"
"Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." (Matthew 7:1-5)
<2>These verses can best be described by the lesson Esa gave to those who brought the adulteress woman and asked him if they should stone her. The answer was that the one who has no sin should cast the first stone. All dropped their stones and left. <3>Only those who have overcome and cleansed their spirit from all of the sins and false understandings can judge. Otherwise the filthy things within will distort the person's judgment, and he will not judge correctly. He will create more suffering than tranquility and truth. He will be judged and suffer for his misjudgments also.
<4>So, "first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." Only such a people are worthy to judge and lead humanity. Otherwise they will have no choice but to become "hypocrites."
"Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you." (Matthew 7:6)
<5>Be careful to whom you expose yourself (your Soul which is Holy and precious like pearls). If you open it to those who are not Holy (dogs and swine), they will try to destroy it, "lest they trample them under their feet,..."
"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:"
"For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." (Matthew 7:7-8)
<6>The highest way to know is to go to God directly (to expose yourself only to Him). Whoever truly asks, sincerely seeks, and earnestly wants to know ("knock") will be given the truth. The only requirement is an intense desire to find the truth, and to seek to find it. It is promised that whoever has these qualities will succeed. <7>Christ does not say he is going to do it for you but it is up to you to ask, seek, and knock.
"Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?"
"Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?"
"If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" (Matthew 7:9-11)
<8>All the humans are God's children. So if we, who are mostly in our lower natures ("being evil") know how to give good things to our children, then imagine how eager God, who is the most Compassionate, Loving, and Holy, is to give the truth to those who seek it. So ask, seek, and search. <9>It is a promise you will find the truth.
"Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets." (Matthew 7:12)
<10>Do unto others as you expect others to do to you: This is the essence of all spiritual knowledge.
"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:" (Matthew 7:13)
<11>It is easy to be selfish and do to others what we do not expect others to do to us, "wide is the gate, and broad is the way." But that is the way to go to the lower nature and be drown in Maya, "that leadeth to destruction."
"Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth into life, and few there be that find it." (Matthew 7:14)
<12>However, to do to others as we expect others to do to us is a very narrow and hard path, "strait is the gate, and narrow is the way." But that leads to spiritual growth toward Pure Consciousness, "which leadeth into life." However, very few find it in each generation, "and few there be that find it."
<13>Verses 13 and 14 in fact show the very process of creation and The Plan of God. Those who go the easy path of the lower nature will be drowned in the ocean of Maya and will drift away from entering the Kingdom Of Heaven In Heaven (life, Pure Consciousness). <14>But those who choose the narrow and hard path, with His Grace, will find the way and enter into everlasting life (Pure Consciousness). That is why we are here and have this life.
"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." (Matthew 7:15)
<15>Whoever teaches anything else but that the goal of life is to be(come) Divine is a false prophet. It does not matter how they put it, "come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."
"Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?" (Matthew 7:16)
<16>You know them by what they offer to you and what result is produced by that offering, or by what their teaching is and where it leads the followers. Does it lead toward be(com)ing Divine (purity), or toward Maya? If the result of the fruit is Maya, then it is a false teaching.
"Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit." (Matthew 7:17)
<17>To follow a blind teacher results (fruit) in falling in decay with him, "a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit," and to follow a true teacher will lead to growth and the true life, "good tree bringeth forth good fruit."
"A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit."
"Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire." (Matthew 7:18-19)
<18>Those who do not clean inside but assume the responsibility of leading others, have no choice but to be(come) hypocrites and corrupt. Such a people and their system will be destroyed, "every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire." This truth has been shown all throughout history, and in this case it was the Pharisees, scribes, and Sadducees who were destroyed and hewn down.
"Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." (Matthew 7:20)
<19>Therefore, you will know if they are true or false prophets by what their teachings produce, Divine or otherwise.
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21)
<20>You have to surrender yourself to the words revealed through the Prophets and follow them, "doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." The Prophet himself is important only because of what he says. So for those who put more importance on the Prophet himself than on his words which are from God, miss the whole point. They will call him "Lord, Lord," but forget to follow what he said. Such a people will not enter into heaven or the Kingdom Of God In Heaven, because they have not purified themselves by following his teachings and still have big false egos. Whoever has the slightest false ego cannot enter into heaven.
"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?"
"And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matthew 7:22-23)
<21>Many will gain some spiritual powers and misuse them to show their spiritual progress and impress others (use of spiritual powers can also be from three kinds: ignorance, passion, or knowledge). Many also use a name, which is not His Sacred Name, to do these things. But they are not acceptable, "...I never knew you" (Matthew 7:22, 23). <22>In fact, spiritual power will be given to a person to test him to see if he will fail in handling it or will use it for the right purposes. These powers should be used for His Will (establishing the KOHOE).
"Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:"
"And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock." (Matthew 7:24-25)
<23>Whoever opens himself, hears these teachings, and follows them, will enter his higher nature or self (will have no false ego) and will not be affected by the tribulations and changes in the world.
"And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:"
"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." (Matthew 7:26-27)
<24>But those who will not follow these truths and do not do them will stay in their lower natures and will be drowned in Maya. Then they will be affected by all kinds of tribulations and will be carried away deeper and deeper into desires, attachments, attraction of the external world, and greed (winds), and great is their fall.
"And it came to pass, when Esa had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:"
"For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." (Matthew 7:28-29)
<25>Christ finished the essence of his teachings here and people saw the authority in him because he was in truth. <26>Whoever is in truth cannot say anything but the truth, and truth is like a very sharp sword which cuts through the falsifications and prevails strongly, "having authority." <27>But people still thought it was his doctrine and could not see that it is the only doctrine, or the truth. <28>No one will be saved by merely believing in a Savior -- after believing in the Savior he has to do and struggle in the path. Then he might earn His Grace and be saved.
<29>Also there were multitudes ("people") present at the end of this chapter, and Esa taught them mostly in parables and symbols. So in this chapter other people were present besides his disciples. However, chapters 5 and 6 were taught to his disciples only.