Enter by the narrow gate

 

 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. 

 

 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  You will know the by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Therefore by their fruits you will know them. 

 

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."  

 

- Matthew 7:13–21 

 

We are currently reading through the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 - 7).  In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught, "Judge not, that you be not judged.  For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.  Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.  Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!  Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."

 

  "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."  My study Bible comments that the description of the two ways was widespread in Judaism (Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Psalm 1; Proverbs 4:18-19, 12:28, 15:21; Sirach 15:17), and also in early Christian writings, such as the Didache and Barnabas (esp. chapter 18).  St. Luke's version (Luke 13:24-30) has a more eschatological focus, referring to the end of the age.  My study Bible says that because we wrestle against sins and human weaknesses as well as spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12), to enter the Kingdom is the more difficult way.  

 

  "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  You will know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Therefore by their fruits you will know them."  My study Bible notes that because they can easily deceive others, those who put on a show of virtue or religion are more dangerous than those who are evil outright.  So, therefore, we need to be all the more cautious among those who are outwardly virtuous.  We are to observe their fruits.  Note the continuity of the gospel;  Jesus here uses the same words as taught by St. John the Baptist when preaching repentance in preparation for the coming of the Lord:  "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

 

 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."  Here Jesus begins a testimony to His own deity.  He calls Himself Lord.  My study Bible says that this name refers to the divine name "Yahweh" of the Old Testament.  Moreover, He speaks of the will of My Father in heaven, which He fully knows and shares.  In the verse that follows (verse 22), He refers to the final judgment; perfect judgment is only possible for God.

 

  "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."  In these words, Jesus lays out the true test of what it means to be His disciple, to call oneself a Christian.  He often speaks of our faith as creating family.  In chapter 12 of St. Matthew's Gospel, we read that Jesus is told that His mother and brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with Him.  Jesus replies, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers? And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother" (Matthew 12:46-50).  We are understood to be children of God by adoption, as He is eternally-begotten Son.  But here He gives us the thorough grounding in what it means to be His brother or sister or mother, our requirement for belonging in this Kingdom, and there are no shortcuts.  There is one way to enter.  In today's reading, Jesus makes this very clear.  He tells us, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."  "The way" is His way (as in "I am the way, the truth, and the life" - John 14:6).  Indeed, the early Christian movement was called the Way.  Lest we confine the "way" to a method, we need to understand this word in Greek.  It is ὁδὸς/odos, meaning "road" or "path" (in modern Greek it's commonly used to mean "street").  This path, we tread not simply by mental understanding or belief, but by doing something, by living our faith, embodying it throughout our life.  This is what it means to bear good fruit.  This path of faith, this road, is doing the will of Christ's Father in heaven.  He is the way because, as He has put it, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9).  He is that narrow gate that the devil, the evil one, does not want us to find or follow, and tries to obscure.  On its surface the language here sounds extremely restrictive.  But in effect, it's quite personal.  We each have the way we are called, and as contradictory as it may seem, in that path is our true freedom, the way we find who we are called to be and to become.  But this is why we're not to judge, and only God can be the true judge.  As Christians, we're to understand that the devil will throw in our path obstacles to this faith.  We'll have hurdles to overcome, sometimes requiring discipline, separation from things we think we love or can't do without.  Sometimes, like an addict in recovery, we might need to change the company we keep in order to find and stay on that path and limit our obstacles on it.  But He is also the Light, the beam of light we both need to follow, and which shows us the way, His Way.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus has laid out His gospel for us, given us the righteousness of the Kingdom, and its blessings, given us an idea of what it is to dwell in this Kingdom and what it means for us.  He's laid out a kind of roadmap, in which we know we must pay attention to what is ours to focus on, find His way, practice our faith in prayers and almsgiving and fasting not to be seen by others, but knowing we are seen by our Father who sees in secret and is in the secret place.  Let us hold fast to what He teaches on this journey, including His warnings to be alert for false prophets, for we're responsible for the fruits we bear.

 

 

 

 

Enter by the narrow gate

 

 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. 

 

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  You will know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.   Therefore by their fruits you will know them. 

 

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven." 

 

- Matthew 7:13–21 

 

We are currently reading through the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 - 7).  In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught, "Judge not, that you be not judged.  For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.  Do not give what is holy to dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces. Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!  Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."

 

 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."  My study Bible explains that the description of the two ways was widespread in Judaism (Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Psalm 1; Proverbs 4:18-19, 12:28, 15:21; Wisdom of Sirach 15:17).  It is also found in early Christian writings (Didache, Barnabas).  Luke's version is more eschatological (Luke 13:24-30), as it refers to the end of the age.  Because we wrestle against sins and human weakness as well as spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12), entering the Kingdom is the more difficult way.  

 

 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  You will know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.   Therefore by their fruits you will know them."  Because others can easily be deceived by such behavior, those who put on a show of virtue or religion are more dangerous than those who are evil outright, my study Bible explains.  Therefore, we must be all the more cautious among people who are outwardly virtuous.   Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire:  John the Baptist made the same statement in Matthew 3:10.

 

 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."  Here in this context, Jesus begins speaking of Himself as Lord; this refers to the divine name "Yahweh" of the Old Testament.  He also speaks of the will of My Father, which He fully knows and shares.  Continuing in tomorrow's reading, the following verse will emphasize Christ's judgment.  My study Bible points out that taken together, this forms a three-fold testimony of the deity of Christ.

 

Jesus finishes His preaching in today's reading with a reminder of judgment.  After all that He has taught in the Sermon on the Mount (beginning in chapter 5; see this reading), He is finally revealing His deity  and the judgment to come.  As my study Bible points out, His words echo those of St. John the Baptist, who preached them in the context of repentance in preparation for the Lord.  Here Jesus openly refers to Himself as Lord, sealing His words and teaching in the Sermon on the Mount with that authority.  Let us note that He begins with an encouragement to find the narrow way; this is an emphasis on the uniqueness and particularity of this path He preaches.  Why is it narrow?  Because its counterpart or opposite, the road to destruction, is wide and broad and there are all kinds of ways to go down that road, and many who take it.  He doesn't say that everyone will take His narrow road (we should remember that He's speaking to disciples), but that it's difficult, and so, therefore, few find it.  His next teaching is a warning, against false prophets. He's warning His disciples -- and those to come -- about bad leaders who will take them astray.  We're told that we must be alert and discriminating ourselves.  We, His sheep, might be led astray by ravenous wolves in sheep's clothing.  What a description!  Christ's teaching is vivid and to the point and therefore holds the test of time, for ravenous wolves are greedy only for what they can get, hungry for what they can take from others. But He gives us a way of discernment:  by their fruits you shall know them.  We are all expected to be on a learning curve as we seek to follow Him.  In this context, His theme then turns to hypocrisy and to judgment, which will continue in tomorrow's reading.  As He has emphasized so often in the Sermon on the Mount, He goes back to the heart.  Do we love God?  Do we return God's love for us?  Do we simply mouth the words?  Do our leaders?  The proof is in the pudding, so to speak, as an old adage says.  We will be known by our fruits, and the fruit is the doing of the will of His Father in heaven.  How do we live?  By what do we live?  This is the narrow road He asks us to follow.

 

 

 

 

Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it

 

 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  You will know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Therefore by their fruits you will know them.  

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."

 

- Matthew 7:13–21 

 

We are currently reading through the Sermon on the Mount.  In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught, "Judge not, that you be not judged.  For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.  Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.  Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!  Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."  

 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."  There is a long history of the "two ways" in Judaism and in Christianity that followed.  See in the Hebrew Scriptures Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Psalm 1; Proverbs 4:18-19, 12:28, 15:21; Wisdom of Sirach 15:17.  In early Christian writings both the Didache and the Epistle of Barnabas speak to these two ways.  Luke's version of this statement (Luke 13:24-30) is more eschatological in nature, and refers to the end of the age.  My study Bible comments that, because we wrestle against sins and human weaknesses as well as spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12), to enter the Kingdom is the more difficult way.  

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  You will know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Therefore by their fruits you will know them."  My study Bible comments that, because they can easily deceive others, those who put on a show of virtue or religion are more dangerous than those who are evil outright.  So, therefore, we must be all the more cautious among those who are outwardly virtuous.  Regarding the statement, "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire," John the Baptist said the same in Matthew 3:10.  

 

 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."   This verse coupled with the next (which is not included in today's reading, but will be in tomorrow's lectionary reading) makes a strong testimony to the deity of Christ.  Here, Jesus calls Himself Lord.  This refers to the divine name "Yahweh" of the Old Testament.  He also speaks of the will of My Father, which He fully knows and shares. 

 

 The "two ways," as my study Bible indicates, is an important concept in Christianity, and follows on the strong evidence in the Jewish tradition.  Jesus gives us a vivid and lasting image in encapsulating this idea when He says, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."  That "broad way" might be something our modern Western societies can easily image in the cornucopia of real or imagined spiritual ways that fill up our various media, and all the options that seem to be out there, with new images every day of possible paths to spiritual enlightenment.  There seems to be no end of systems people can invent, combine, or imagine based on the fragmentary ideas of spiritual systems of the past that seem to be offered through what might be euphemistically called multiculturalism.  A real multiculturalism is an idea of pluralism.  That is, cultures well-developed and whole, internally cohesive and sensible.  But what happens with a smorgasbord of choices whose origins are not completely clear and may be obscured by popular myth or cultural references isn't the same.  There is a way in which the thread of faith in Christ can lead us through all kinds of things to come to Him, and many can testify to this.  But those individuals would say the gate is narrow, and the true way is the more difficult -- the broad assortment of pickings from here and there, from one aspect of one thing to another, is a misleading attribute of what does not lead us to the place of true freedom, the Door who is Christ.  In a cacophony of choices, we find misleading answers that can temporarily dazzle, we find cults that offer us indulgence but capture us in a kind of slavery or worship to a human being, and we find destructive ideologies that proclaim to be ideals but offer little in the way of true compassion and the practice of mercy.  What we need to think about is how our choices can in fact reflect a responsible freedom, one that reflects what Christ teaches:  our own capacity for self-discipline and self-knowledge, and the cultivation of acts of mercy which come from a loving heart devoted to God, and putting the Kingdom first before our own selfish desires.  This is the way He gives us, the one which goes through that narrow gate He offers, and leads to His life for us.  For false prophets and bad trees are still with us and they proliferate; but the good tree that bears good fruit is what we will find through His narrow gate.

Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock

 

 And He spoke a parable to them:  "Can the blind lead the blind?  Will they not both fall into the ditch?  A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye.  

"For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.  For every tree is known by its own fruit.  For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.  For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. 

"But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?  Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:  He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.  And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.  But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell.  And the ruin of that house was great."

 

- Luke 6:39-49 

 

Currently we are reading through what is known as the Sermon on the Plain (as Luke tells us that Jesus "stood on a level place").  In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught, "But I say to you who hear:  Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.  To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also.  And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.  Give to everyone who asks of you.  And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.  And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.  But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners love those who love them.  And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners do the same.  And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.  But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High.  For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.  Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.  Judge not, and you shall not be judged.  Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned.  Forgive, and you will be forgiven.  Give, and it will be given to you:  good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.  For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."

 

  And He spoke a parable to them:  "Can the blind lead the blind?  Will they not both fall into the ditch?  A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher."  My study Bible says that Christ does not judge anyone (John 8:15; 12:47).  Therefore, writes St. Cyril of Alexandria, "if the Teacher does not judge, neither must the disciple, for the disciple is guilty of worse sins than those for which he judges others."  

"And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye."  Let us consider here that Christ is directing His teachings to the disciples, among whom are the Twelve, who have been appointed as apostles -- who will be sent out to carry the gospel message.  Therefore, He's preparing them to be teachers, also.  So how will they instruct and correct others unless they have developed their own self-knowledge and correction?

"For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.  For every tree is known by its own fruit.  For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.  For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."   Good fruit is the effects, actions, choices, and initiatives that come out of real discipleship: knowing oneself and correcting faults.  In this way, the inner person is built up and edified in Christ and Christ's teachings, and can therefore produce "good fruit" from the good tree, and a good heart.  How will these future teachers be able to speak and teach others, except through rigorous discipleship themselves?  This teaching is also for every follower of Christ.

 

 "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?  Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:  He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.  And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.  But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell.  And the ruin of that house was great."  My study Bible comments that hearing the gospel alone is not enough, for salvation is based not on hearing alone, nor on faith alone, but also on doing the things spoken by Christ.  These "good things" are akin to the "good fruit" in Christ's earlier metaphor, above.  See James 2:24.

Jesus' final metaphor in today's reading is about building a house upon a rock.  The house we build is the home of our lives.  How do we want to establish our lives?  How do we consider the ways in which our choices will build who we are over the course of the time of our lives?  Jesus gives clear instructions here, that it is His teachings (whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them) which make for the best foundation in life, and won't desert us when times get tough.  These are of no use if we simply give them lip service, or agree to them and don't follow through, or practice worship of Christ without taking His teachings to heart and actually living them -- working through the things we need to change, discard, or incorporate into our lives and the ways that we live them.  It's that actual work of the heart that is difficult, the tough choices to forgo what might look like immediate gain for the long-term considerations of a life in which we seek things of heavenly value, and incorporate those things into our lives.  So what does it really mean to build one's home upon a rock, as Christ's parable describes?  Since this rock we are speaking about is "hearing and doing" the sayings of Christ, we look to His word as something that is abiding and standing the test of time.  He speaks from what is an eternal perspective, of things of value to God and therefore for the salvation of the world.  Therefore, this foundation of the rock is one that is abiding, lasting, and eternal.  This is a rock that transcends everything else that might happen to it and will outlast everything.  Since we live in a world that is now in a state of very quickly changing circumstances (for all kinds of reasons), it becomes, for us, all the more important that we rely on this rock.  That is, on something that will last through all things.  We can put our faith into the latest fad, into chasing the crowd, into listening to all the latest information on whatever problem we can name as well as the theories people espouse for our lives and our future.  But there is one thing that will transcend all of that, and that one thing is the rock of Christ -- to sayings He teaches and our faithful abiding by His words.  This is the one thing that will produce longterm results for positive steps in life that outlast and transcend everything else.  This gives us a kind of stability that does not rely on the changing circumstances of the world, or what is around us, or what others think about us, for it is a foundation built inside of us that we carry around with us.  To rely on God -- to have the heart and spirit of the poor in this sense in which Jesus teaches here in the Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6:20) and in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3) -- sounds like a risky proposition.  But, in fact, what Jesus teaches here is that it is anything but.  It is, in fact, the surest proposition we will encounter, because it gives us an eternal and abiding foundation, one that is eternal, and will last throughout all things and supersede the values that run counter to it.  In this we can trust, and upon this rock we can build our lives.

 

 

Enter by the narrow gate

 

 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  You will know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."

 

- Matthew 7:13-21 

 

We are currently reading through the Sermon on the Mount.  Yesterday, we read that Jesus taught:  "Judge not, that you be not judged.  For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.  Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.   Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  Or what man is there among you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!  Therefore, whatever you want me to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." 

 

"Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."  My study Bible comments that the description of the two ways was widespread in Judaism (Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Psalm 1; Proverbs 4:17-18, 12:28, 15:21; Wisdom of Sirach 15:17). and also in early Christian writings (Didache, Barnabas).   Luke's version of this statement is more eschatological, and refers to the end of the age (Luke 13:24-30).  As we wrestle both against sins and human weaknesses, as well as spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12), to enter the Kingdom is the more difficult way.  

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  You will know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit."  Jesus speaks here of spiritual fruit.  My study Bible says that because they can easily deceive others, those who put on a show of virtue or religion are more dangerous than those who are evil outright.  Therefore, it says, we should be all the more cautious among those who are outwardly virtuous.

"Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Therefore by their fruits you will know them."  John the Baptist made this same statement about fire in Matthew 3:10.

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."  My study Bible points out that here Jesus testifies to His own deity (and continues in the following verse, which will begin tomorrow's reading).  He calls Himself Lord, referring to the divine name "Yahweh" of the Old Testament.  He also speaks of the will of My Father in heaven, which He fully knows and shares.  As we can see from this beginning statement regarding who shall enter the kingdom of heaven, this is ultimately a theme of judgment, and Himself as true Judge.

What does it mean to bear good fruits?  In John the Baptist's statement found in Matthew 3:10, the phrase refers to the good fruits of repentance.   In 3:8, he tells the Pharisees and Sadducees to "bear fruits worthy of repentance."  Then he goes on to elaborate that they can't just tell themselves that their father is Abraham, because "God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones."  (In context, see Matthew 3:7-12.)   What that means is that, if we are to be children of Abraham in the sense meant here, then we are to be "like Abraham."  Like Abraham, that is, in the sense that Abraham responded to the will of God, and was willing to understand and follow and live within this understanding.  Abraham bore the fruits of obedience and loyalty, of hospitality, of the love of God.  And what is repentance but a return to the love of God?  We so often focus on repentance as some sort of negative action, but this is not really the case at all.  It is a "change of mind" (literally in the Greek word for it), a return to the love of God, illustrated in Luke's parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32).  It is just that simple, a return to God's love -- whenever we are stuck, or we've come to a dead end, or even when we think we've got the world by the tail.  This is why Jesus teaches that His is the narrow way.  It's the devil that tempts with "all the kingdoms of the world and their glory" (Matthew 4:8).  But it is Christ who offers up that narrow way that says, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (in Monday's reading).  It is Christ who reminds us that there is one place to find that love and that guidance for our lives, and the discipline that goes with them, a lifelong journey of learning.  We can see all kinds of "good fronts" in the world, those with a great image, who take great care to cultivate that.  But we also might know the sharp sting of the same people and their priorities which exclude God's love, true charity, a place at the table for those who can't repay.  The world is filled with false compassion and ravenous wolves in sheep's clothing who simply seek their own ambitious and very self-centered ends.  St. Paul tells us that the fruit of the Spirit is "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control," and adds that "against such there is no law" (Galatians 5:22-23).  So where do we go to bear such fruit, to be watered and nourished in order to do so?  To whom do we go?  Are there people you know who bear those fruits?  Are you called to do so yourself?  Jesus doesn't mince words nor deceive about the narrow and difficult way, but He does call each one of us, and that is the real call of love.

A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher

 

 And He spoke a parable to them:  "Can the blind lead the blind?  Will they not both fall into the ditch?  A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye.

"For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.  For every tree is known by its own fruit.  For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.  For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.  

"But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?  Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:  He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.  And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.  But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell.  And the ruin of that house was great."

 

- Luke 6:39–49 

 

In yesterday's reading, we continued reading what is called the Sermon on the Plain (begun in this reading):  "But I say to you who hear:  Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.  To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also.  And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.  Give to everyone who asks of you.  And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.  And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.  But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners love those who love them.  And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners do the same.  And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.  But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High.  For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.  Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.  Judge not, and you shall not be judged.  Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned.  Forgive, and you will be forgiven.  Give, and it will be given to you:  good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.  For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you." 

And He spoke a parable to them:  "Can the blind lead the blind?  Will they not both fall into the ditch?  A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher."  My study bible comments that Christ does not judge anyone (John 8:15, 12:47).  So, therefore, St. Cyril of Alexandria writes, "if the Teacher does not judge, neither must the disciple, for the disciple is guilty of worse sins than those for which he judges others."

"And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye."  This is a very wise teaching about discernment and experience, and also about mutual correction among believers.  Without knowing ourselves and our own flaws, and having had the experience of correction, repentance, and personal change, how can we truly help others?  How can we "see" clearly to correct others.  Hypocrisy prevents us from true insight and giving true assistance, often projecting our own flaws onto others if we are not self-aware.  Self-knowledge, repentance, and change has been the goal of monastic life from Christianity's early beginnings.

"For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.  For every tree is known by its own fruit.  For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.  For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."  Again, this is a call to self-knowledge and transformation within the workings of grace and repentance.  Jesus says that "out of the abundance of the heart" one's "mouth speaks."  This reflects a disciple's true work of faith within the place of the heart.  He asks us for an awareness of our true state, and the ongoing work of discipleship toward this goal of "good treasure of the heart."

"But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?  Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:  He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.  And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.  But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell.  And the ruin of that house was great."  My study bible comments that hearing the gospel alone is not enough.  Salvation is based not on hearing alone, nor on faith alone, but also on doing the things spoken by Christ (see James 2:24). 

Jesus speaks of the process of ongoing repentance, the work of discipleship.  This is clearly a call to self-knowledge, of being aware of one's own flaws, and doing something about it.  The earliest forms of confession were not simply about confessing one's sin, but -- in a certain sense prefiguring psychotherapy -- coming to know oneself.  That is, expressing to a confessor all the things going on in one's life.  Today, possibly particularly in the Orthodox tradition, this remains a part of spiritual discipleship, of having a spiritual elder who helps guide the path of Christian faith.  That person is called an "elder" not because of age necessarily, but precisely because of spiritual experience.  That is, a familiarity with one's own flaws and shortcomings, and what repentance means in practice.  Christ speaks most tellingly of the condition of the heart, and implies clearly that this is something for which we are responsible.  To be sure, we cannot control all the factors in our lives that have contributed to our shortcomings, character flaws, hurts, learned responses, and even damage to the soul.  But discipleship means taking ownership and responsibility for what we do with these things, how we seek out, through our faith, to live our lives and to be consciously aware of the choices we make.  So much so, that it is the depth of the heart that Christ stresses in today's part of the Sermon on the Plain.  Christ asks us to understand that growth in the image of God, in "God-likeness," is what discipleship is all about.  He teaches us that we are, in fact, far more capable of growth, change, and flexibility than we think.  We are not carved in stone at birth, or through our experiences.  But it is the grace and help of the Teacher that helps us to become more "like Him."  This is what our faith teaches us.  Let us remember, when we pray, that ultimately it is the state of the heart that produces what we do in life.  Therefore we take care of the heart, pruning what needs pruning, developing what needs developing, and hopefully growing in the fruits of the Spirit which He asks of us.  

Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye

 

 And He spoke a parable to them:  "Can the blind lead the blind?  Will they not both fall into the ditch?  A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye.

"For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.  For every tree is known by its own fruit.  For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.  For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.   

 

"But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?  Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:  He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.  And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.   But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell.  And the ruin of that house was great."

 

- Luke 6:39–49 

 

In Saturday's reading, Jesus continued what is known as the Sermon on the Plain:   "But I say to you who hear:  Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.  To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also.  And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.  Give to everyone who asks of you.  And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.  And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.  But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners love those who love them.  And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners do the same.  And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.  But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High.  For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.  Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.  Judge not, and you shall not be judged.  Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned.  Forgive, and you will be forgiven.  Give, and it will be given to you:  good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.  For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you." 

And He spoke a parable to them:  "Can the blind lead the blind?  Will they not both fall into the ditch?  A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye."  My study bible comments here that Christ does not judge anyone (John 8:15, 12:47).  Therefore, says Cyril of Alexandria, "if the Teacher does not judge, neither must the disciple, for the disciple is guilty of worse sins than those for which he judges others."   Christ's reference to the positive removal of the "speck that is in your brother's eye" is directed toward disciples, and the mutual correction He will recommend in the Church; it informs the tradition of the experienced spiritual elder who help those newer to the journey of faith.

"For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.  For every tree is known by its own fruit.  For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.  A good man out of the  good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.  For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."  This is a positive reference to the power of repentance, and its effect of creating a "good tree" which bears "good fruit."  It is an affirmation of the power of the heart and our need to guard our own hearts:  what we choose to cultivate and what we choose to let go.  This is what discipleship is for.

"But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?  Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:  He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.  And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.   But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell.  And the ruin of that house was great."  My study bible comments that hearing the gospel alone is not enough, because salvation is not based on hearing alone, nor on faith alone, but also on doing the things spoken by Christ (see James 2:24).  

In modern life we speak a lot about empathy, and in some important sense, Jesus' words here emphasize empathy in discipleship.  This happens in that very important passage in which Jesus says, "Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye."    What He is recommending here is that in order to be a good teacher, the disciple who really follows Christ has to have gone through his own discipleship, his own correction and repentance history of his own sins and imperfections, before he can instruct another.  These very words inform us about the tradition in the Church of an elder counselor, or a priest confessor.   Hypocrite! is probably the greatest consistent disparagement that Christ gives to people, and that goes especially for religious leaders.  In Matthew chapter 23, Jesus' repeated condemnation of the religious leaders comes in this form.  Not only does Christ specify just what that hypocritical behavior looks like, He repeatedly says, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!"  If only for this reason, that this is what we read in the Gospels, and they are Christ's scathing words regarding the religious establishment, do we need then to take utterly seriously this admonition to His own disciples (and we who would call ourselves disciples among them).  What would the Church be, with leaders who have not themselves wrestled with their own sins and flaws, their own tendencies that lead to failure in discipleship, their own honesty about themselves?  What is a Church leader, if they cannot first lead by being one who has gone through the rigors and difficulties of discipleship, grappling with their own forms of selfishness -- and especially putting in correction on their own behavior as disciples of Christ to more conform to His teachings?  Without having first removed the plank in your own eye, how could one be an appropriate leader and guide to those who would strive to do the same and become true disciples of Christ?  Without empathy, "rules" simply become another form of legalism.  How would one be able to discern an appropriate use of mercy in teaching or leading others along a particular path of discipline?  For Christ, these words make clear that without one's own experienced path of correction, hypocrisy is the only outcome, and that makes unfit leaders for His Church.  We have only to look around us and see the result of a failure to take such discipleship seriously in cultivating those whom we would put in charge of our flocks, and I speak to no particular denomination but to all.  For Christianity in a modern context, we are often tempted to relax the rules we understand to be for our own good and self-discipline.  But the real truth is that these things apply to us each individually and as solemn personal responsibility so that in fact we not only understand through experience how our own faith works, but also how to help others out of messes in their own lives.  Many people turn to psychologists for help in understanding how to assimilate personal feelings and beliefs into social and personal life and relationships.  But an experienced person of faith already has struggled with this question on the deepest levels, and understands that this work consumes not only social dicta but also personal religious and spiritual grounds of the soul, and within the love of Christ.  For without that all-encompassing love, we cannot understand real empathy as a tool in personal growth, or the discernment between discipline and helpful correction which is meant to help someone grow and not to punish.  Christ's teachings to us come within this character trait of love, and we as faithful must understand that all discipline starts there and ends there, and is grounded in the place of faithful prayer and communion.  It is for the good the soul, and of the person, and ultimately of the social fabric of our world and our lives, that we learn discipleship.  But that all starts right here in the heart, and in the plank in my own eye first.  This is how we build the good treasure of the heart.

Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it

 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  You will know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."

- Matthew 7:13-21

We are reading through the Sermon on the Mount.  We began with the Beatitudes, then we read You are the salt of the earth, Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets.  I did not come to destroy but to fulfill, Whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment, Let your "Yes" be "Yes," and your "No," "No," Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven, Pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly, Our Father in heaven, You cannot serve God and mammon, and Your heavenly Father knows you need all these things.  Yesterday, we read that Jesus preached, " "Judge not, that you be not judged.  For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye;'; and look, a plank is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.  Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.  Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!  Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."

  "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."  My study bible tells us that the description of "two ways" was widespread in Judaism (see for example Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Psalm 1; Proverbs 4:17-18, 12:28).  We also find it in early Christian writings such as the Didache and Barnabas.   In Luke's version (Luke 13:24-30), there is a more eschatological focus, as it refers to the end of the age.   My study bible says that because we restle against sins and human weaknesses as well as spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12), entering the Kingdom is therefore the more difficult way.

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  You will know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Therefore by their fruits you will know them."   Again there is a warning about hypocrisy here, this time a warning to beware of false prophets -- those who put on a show of religion and are inwardly something quite different.  My study bible says that this type of deceit in religious guise is much more dangerous than evil outright.  It invites us to an even deeper caution among those who are outwardly virtuous!    By their fruits you will know them finds a reflection in the teachings of John the Baptist.  In Matthew 3:10, John says exactly the same thing:  "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."  Jesus is preparing His disciples for the future, and by their fruits you will know them remains a watchword for us now.

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."  And here the eschatological emphasis becomes especially clear.  Ultimately, this is all about Judgment, the age which is initiated even by the call of John the Baptist.   It is an explicit kind of call to discipleship, one that relies on a depth of relationship to God, and not with those whose virtue is only outward.  This is also an explicit statement linking Christ to the Lord of the Old Testament, and thus the divine name "Yahweh"  (for which the title the Lord - "adonai" -  was interchangeable).  "The will of My Father" establishes His relationship to God the Father, and also that they share this will.  It is clearly a statement that He is Judge, a place only God can fill.

 The eschatological nature of this reality can't be mistaken in Jesus' statements, which clearly pertain to the Judgment -- the end of the age.  This is the reality initiated even by the call of John the Baptist to "Prepare the way of the Lord."  This is the time of the end, even the time we are in now, the time initiated by the coming of the Lord as human being.  It's important that we understand this focus, and the reality of Christ's life, what it meant and means for the time that we live in now.  "End times" aren't just about what might happen someday.  They happen even as we live our lives now, they unfold in the period in which we live, this "age" that began with Incarnation, the visit of our Lord, "God with us."  As such, this understanding colors the ways we see our lives and the ways in which we live our lives.  Jesus doesn't tell us to follow blindly any leader who seems to be holy.  He tells us something really different.  We are to practice discernment.  He wants rational sheep, not blind obedience to those who are themselves blind.   This is a part of the call to a depth of relationship to God.  It's a part of the call against hypocrisy, Jesus' emphasis on the internal life of the heart, on purity of heart.  All of it fits together, no matter which way we look at it.  It is all a part of the ministry that teaches that God is Spirit and is looking for those who can worship in spirit and in truth.  He's teaching those of us who would be His disciples just what that means for us, how we are to be in this world, how we are to follow His Way.   It is part of the more difficult way.   We must carry light in the world, light in our eyes against the darkness of blindness, as we carry His Kingdom within us.  He calls us to be awake and alert.  This is what it is to do the will of My Father in heaven.  We are in a time of the end, it doesn't come later, it's now, a reality with us.   We are to make His paths straight, as the Baptist said, quoting Isaiah the Prophet.   Jesus teaches us what it is to be on this straight path, this way (the word in Greek means "road") -- His Way.

Can the blind lead the blind?

 And He spoke a parable to them:  "Can the blind lead the blind?  Will they not both fall into the ditch?  A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye.

"For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.  For every tree is known by its own fruit.  For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.  For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

"But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?  Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:  He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.  And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.  But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell.  And the ruin of that house was great."

- Luke 6:39-49

Currently, we are reading through Jesus' Sermon on the Plain in Luke's Gospel.  On Saturday, we read that He preached, "But I say to you who hear:  Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.  To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also.  And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.  Give to everyone who asks of you.  And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.  And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.  But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners love those who love them.  And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners do the same.  And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.  But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High.  For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.  Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.  Judge not, and you shall not be judged.  Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned.  Forgive, and you will be forgiven.  Give, and it will be given to you:  good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.  For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."  See the earlier part of the Sermon in Friday's reading.

 And He spoke a parable to them:  "Can the blind lead the blind?  Will they not both fall into the ditch?  A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher."  My study bible says that "Christ does not judge anyone (John 8:15, 12:47).  Therefore, 'if the Teacher does not judge, neither must the disciple, for the disciple is guilty of worse sins than those for which he judges others' (Cyril of Alexandria)."

"And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye."  This seems to be a very wise saying about what we are to be concerned with.  Jesus seems to be saying that there are certain things that are our business, and other things that aren't our business -- judging others is really not our business.  But dealing with our own problems is quite another story.  In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus gives a recipe for Church discipline (see Matthew 18:15-20).  It lays out a framework for complaints by an offended party, and a gradual expansion of the complaint if it is not resolved at more personal levels.  But it seems to me that if discipline includes constructive criticism in Jesus' plan, then there is room for a discipline in the Church wherein a more experienced believer may help "remove the speck" in the eyes of others.  But the wisdom here is that this is only possible via someone who has struggled with their own flaws -- and greater flaws than the ones they see in others.  He doesn't tell us not to help "remove the speck" but there's clearly a law at work here about healing ourselves, facing our flaws and imperfections and the spiritual struggle that we must go through first if we are to be able to assist others.  Otherwise the plank in our own eye leaves us blind.  There's also a powerful assertion here that none of us is without flaw, without our own problems which are our business to face and struggle with in a proper way.  And this is our ongoing work in faith.  This is part of the discipline of the teacher to which Jesus referred earlier.

"For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.  For every tree is known by its own fruit.  For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.  For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."  Why do we struggle in our faith to deal with our own blindness and other flaws?  Because of the "good treasure" we must have within ourselves in order to bring out what is of true value into the world to others.  Jesus is giving us a warning about the importance of taking care of "our own business," so to speak.  Again, discipleship involves dealing with our own flaws and shortcomings, ways of thinking that need changing, in faith, with Him.

"But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?  Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:  He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.  And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.  But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell.  And the ruin of that house was great."  My study bible says, "Hearing the gospel alone is not enough, for salvation is based not on hearing alone, nor on faith alone, but also on doing the things spoken by Christ (see James 2:24)."

The pursuit of spiritual discipline constitutes a great and long history of the Church and its frameworks and institutions, to say the least.  In the early years of Christianity, hermits and other individuals ventured out into the desert places in order to experience the kind of struggle similar to Jesus' forty days in the wilderness.  There is a long, long tradition of reliance upon God, and facing one's own "demons" and temptations, stretching back longer than the history of Christianity.  These desert monks eventually went on to begin to form and shape the first monasteries and monastic rules and orders.  Through the centuries of Christianity, monasticism has formed and shaped itself in a variety of ways, and continues to do so, but is still rooted in the Desert Fathers and Mothers.  (Many of their sayings have been collected and are easily available in popular books; here's a web page with some samples.)  These men and women went out into the deserts to focus solely and completely on the spiritual life they felt Christ led us to -- on the challenge of becoming true disciples, and dealing with the "planks in their own eye(s)."  Their emphasis on humility is exemplary.  Most of us do not have such a capacity for this type of devotion -- we have other responsibilities and other lives to live.  But there is one great story from the desert tradition, of a monk who feels himself to have become very holy indeed, filled with the virtues of humility.  He's told by his abbot that the abbot knows of a man more holy than the monk.  They walk out of the desert and into a big crowded city, full of the temptations and distractions of city life.  Finally, they come to a cobbler's shop, where a man is inside, working at his trade of making and repairing shoes.  (And we understand this to be considered a lowly occupation, as "shaking the dust" off of the soles of shoes was an insult.)   But as the man worked, he continually sang what is known as the Trisagion or Thrice-Holy Hymn ("Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy and Immortal").  And with this joy he lived his life, did his work, and lived among the world inside a bustling city.  The abbot said to the monk, "This man is holier than you are."  It's a great lesson and expansion on Jesus' saying about the plank in our own eye.  And the point to being like our Teacher as much as possible is to be united with the Teacher, close to the Teacher.  To do that, we must be like Him, and consider the same things He taught to be the most important guideposts to the ways in which we will live our lives.  It doesn't matter where we are or what we do; it's the closer walk in discipleship and our desire for that which truly counts.  Are we prepared to live out what He teaches?  Do we actually do what He says?  Let us consider the internal focus here, what it means to refrain from judging others but to desire wholeheartedly the type of humility that is required to deal with the planks in our own eyes, the things that keep us from truly seeing, His way.  Let us consider that our prayers before God are those things we hope will always lead us in the right direction, to cast off the things we don't need, to hold fast to the true treasure in our hearts.  His Way is love; in the end this is what we are to learn.  We note also that humility isn't the same thing as pure self-denigration, any form of masochism.  Humility before Love doesn't countenance that; what it does give us is true spiritual health; the discernment between the branches that must be discarded and the real good treasure of the heart.

Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.

"Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You." But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here."

- Matthew 12:33-42

In yesterday's reading, we read about Jesus' confrontation with the Pharisees. After many healings, and the casting out of a demon that resulted in the healing of a blind and mute man, Jesus is accused by the Pharisees of casting out demons by the ruler of the demons, Beelzebub. Jesus countered that this was not possible -- Satan cannot cast out Satan without destroying his own kingdom. He said, "If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?" Instead, a stronger man must first bind the ruler of a house, and then take his possessions. And if Jesus' work is done by the power of the Spirit, then what of the judgment of the Pharisees? All things said against the Son of Man may be forgiven, but not against the work of the Spirit. "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come."

"Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit." This is one of many references to trees as a metaphor for people and their works. We have heard these words earlier from Jesus. John the Baptist preached similarly when he spoke of the need for repentance because of the coming of the Kingdom and the Messiah. Jesus has repeatedly preached about casting out the things from within ourselves that may poison the whole, about where our hearts rest, the importance of our choices.

"Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things." We must take care of the things of the heart. Life is not about an exterior appearance of piety. Whatever is within, so it will be without -- so will be the fruits we produce, and "what the mouth speaks." My study bible has a note on the heart: "The heart in Scripture refers to the center of consciousness, the seat of the intellect and the will, the source from which the whole spiritual life proceeds. When grace permeates the heart, it masters the body and guides all actions and thoughts. When malice and evil capture the heart, a person becomes full of darkness and spiritual confusion."

"But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." Here, Jesus gives us an even greater emphasis on the words we say. He has already emphasized this in the Beatitudes, in His teaching and expansion on the statute of murder. His emphasis on the things we say is unmistakable, and on their profound impact on our own futures, our very state of being.

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You." This seems to be a reaction to Jesus' authoritative words. Their recourse is to demand a sign, when there have already been many important signs. This is another way of criticizing, of finding fault -- and worse, it comes from malice. Their hearts cannot perceive what Jesus is about, and they turn their backs on the things they already know from Scripture.

But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." Here Jesus begins what will be His emphasis in response to demands for a sign: the real sign will come in His Passion, death, and Resurrection. They can't understand precisely what He is speaking about. But they do understand the references to Jonah. He will not perform signs on demand, because the impulse in their asking is not sincere in the first place. To be "evil and adulterous" is to be untrue to their own spiritual heritage, to the work of the Spirit throughout the whole history of Israel, the people of God, and to the Scriptures in which they are to have expertise, to God who has set Israel apart through Covenant.

"The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here." Jesus cites examples from the Old Testament with which they are familiar. This is the very life of the spiritual reality of Israel, that which makes Israel God's people. Ninevah repented when Jonah preached -- and a greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the South came to Solomon to hear his wisdom -- and a greater than Solomon is here. Therefore in the Judgment, when all things come together in God, they will be compared to those of old of whom they know, and found wanting.

In today's reading, we must come to understand what it is to be "evil and adulterous" in the context of what Jesus is saying. The whole history of Israel reminds us again and again what it is to be "chosen" -- to be the people in covenant to God. Repeatedly throughout its history is the familiar reminder of the prophets who are sent to call people back to this covenant, to the ways of God. Here, Jesus presents images of the faithful in their history to the Pharisees. Jonah (from a city near Nazareth) was told to go to Ninevah to preach against it, and at first himself ran from the word of the Lord. The Queen of the South came from far away to hear the wisdom of Solomon. But the Pharisees, experts in their own tradition, upholders of its values, have failed where these examples of the past succeeded. We, too, hold a treasure in our hands. We are given a tremendous gift, as were the Pharisees. And we, too, must take our heritage seriously. The work of the Spirit is ever at work with us and among us, and we, too, are called to be present to it. We can't be like the Pharisees in this reading, who call upon their heritage and yet have no love and "hearing" in their hearts for the work of the Spirit. It is the Spirit, the work of the divine, that has been the thread of the whole history of Israel -- and so it is for us. This work, these Gospels, have come to us today bearing 2,000 years of history from the time Jesus' words were spoken. How then, shall we be unlike the Pharisees, willing to see and hear where the Spirit calls us, not proud merely in our inheritance, our name, our places? Let us consider the active and alive nature of Spirit, how it calls us, how the Israelites were forever called back to Covenant. Where does our Covenant lead us today? How is it calling you to cast out the things that get in the way of a pure heart, capable of producing the fruits of the spiritual life? We note the cynicism and malice of the Pharisees, the unjust criticism, the easy nay-saying and excuses. Let us remember what it is to bear good fruits, to seek with an honest heart, to come to God as a child. Let us remember His rejoicing at the wisdom revealed to babes. Let us also remember His earlier warning about false prophets, echoed in His words we read today.