Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 7:25
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.
Verse 25. And the rain descended – floods came – winds blew] In Judea, and in all countries in the neighbourhood of the tropics, the rain sometimes falls in great torrents, producing rivers, which sweep away the soil from the rocky hills; and the houses, which are built of brick only dried in the sun, of which there are whole villages in the east, literally melt away before those rains, and the land-floods occasioned by them. There are three general kinds of trials to which the followers of God are exposed; and to which, some think, our Lord alludes here: First, those of temporal afflictions, coming in the course of Divine Providence: these may be likened to the torrents of rain. Secondly, those which come from the passions of men, and which may be likened to the impetuous rivers. Thirdly, those which come from Satan and his angels, and which, like tempestuous whirlwinds, threaten to carry every thing before them. He alone, whose soul is built on the Rock of ages, stands all these shocks; and not only stands in, but profits by them.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
25. And the rain descendedfromabove.
and the floods camefrombelow.
and the winds blewsweepingacross.
and beat upon that housethusfrom every direction.
and it fell not; for it wasfounded upon a rockSee 1Jo2:17.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the rains descended, and the floods came,…. These several metaphors of “rain”, “floods”, “stream”, and “winds”, may design the temptations of Satan, the persecutions of the world, the corruptions of a man’s own heart, and the errors and false doctrines of men; from all which such a man is safe, who is built upon the rock Christ Jesus; see Isa 32:2 not but that the rain of temptation may descend upon him, with great violence and force, but shall not beat him down; he shall be made able to bear the whole force of it; the gates of hell cannot prevail against him; the floods of persecution may be cast after him, but shall not carry him away; the stream of corruption may run strong against him, yet shall not overset him; and the wind of divers and strange doctrines may blow hard upon him, but not cast him down: some damage he may receive by these several things, but shall not be destroyed; he may be shaken by them, but not so as to be removed off of the foundation, on which he is laid; yea, he may fail from some degree of the steadfastness of his faith, but not so as to fail totally and finally; the reason is, because he is founded on the rock Christ Jesus, which is sure and immoveable: whence it appears that such a man acts the wise and prudent part, and may be truly called “a wise man”.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Was founded (). Past perfect indicative passive state of completion in the past. It had been built upon the rock and it stood. No augment.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “And the rain descended,” (kai katebe he broche) “And the rain came down,” from above they descended, in torrents of fury they came down, Gen 7:4.
2) “And the floods came,” (kai elthon potamoi) “And the rivers came,” of their own accord, came up, Gen 7:6; Gen 7:17.
a) The rains came from above.
b) The floods came up from below.
c) The winds came from all around. These tested the building.
The lesson is that both Christian character, in building a life and the church of Jesus in building a congregation, are tested on every hand, Mat 5:11-12; 1Ti 3:12; Joh 15:20; 1Pe 4:12-14.
3) “And the winds blew,”. (kai epneusan hoi anemoi) “And the winds, they blew,” the four winds revolving and twisting, as in a storm; from every direction they blew, is the idea, much as described in Noah’s flood, Gen 7:4-19.
4) “And upon that house;” (kai prosepesan te oikia ekeine) “And they fell against struck or pressed against that house or residence,” the one that was founded and “built up”, upon the rock, Mat 7:24, with comments.
5) “And It fell not:” (kai ouk epesen) “And it did not fall,” did not come tumbling down, disintegrate, or come apart, or tear into pieces, as a poorly built house will under such powers of wind and water; It was safe as Noah’s ark, Gen 8:1-22.
6) “For it was founded upon a rock.” (tethemelioto gar epi ten petran) “Because it had been founded upon the rock,” the strong and deep foundation, that was Christ or typified the Foundation Stone, the corner stone, and even that rock of artesian flow from which comes the water of Life; Upon that Rock He founded His church, Eph 17:6; 1Co 10:4; 1Co 3:11; Act 4:11-12; Mat 16:18; Mr 13:34,35; 1Ti 3:15-16; Heb 3:1-6.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
“And the rain descended, and the floods came,
And the winds blew, and beat on (‘fell on’) that house,”
Being on a sound foundation was no guarantee that trials and tribulations would not come, for come they would (Mat 5:11). Everything would be thrown at them, apart from the smiting of God (Mat 7:27). Outwardly they would appear to have to face the same things as the foolish. But the difference was that while they might be ‘beaten on’ and have to face trials (compare Rom 5:3; Heb 12:3-8; Jas 1:2-3) they would not be ‘smitten’.
Mat 7:25 b
“And it fell not,”
The house had to face the same drenching rain, the same powerful floods, the same strong winds, as the other. (They might even have been built side by side). But it stood firm. It did not fall.
Mat 7:25 c
“For it was founded on the rock.”
And the reason that it did not fall was that it was founded on the rock. It had a firm foundation. And that firm foundation was response to and obedience to the words of Jesus. They had repented, they had received forgiveness, they had entered under the Kingly Rule of Heaven, and they thus obeyed His words. This was their rock. Their loving and obedient relationship to Jesus.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
25 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.
Ver. 25. And the rain descended, and the floods came, &c. ] Many are the troubles of the righteous; they come commonly thick and threefold, one in the neck of another, as Job’s messengers. a “The clouds return after the rain,” Ecc 12:2 . There is a continual succession of miseries and molestations from the devil, the world, and the flesh, to them that hear and do the words of Christ: like the weather in winter, when a shower or two do not clear the air, but though it rain much, yet the sky is still overcast with clouds, which are dissolved upon the saints, sometimes in lesser and lighter crosses, as the smaller rain, sometimes in pressing and piercing calamities, like storm and hail. b The rain falls, the floods rise, the wind blows, and many a sharp shower beats upon the Christian’s building; but, like Noah’s ark, it is pitched within and without; like Mount Sion, it abides for ever immovable, because founded upon the Rock of ages. Si nos ruemus, ruet Christus usa, ille regnator mundi, said that noble Luther: If we fall, Christ shall fall too, that Ruler of the world: and let him fall; I had rather fall with Christ, than stand with Caesar. The devil stirs up a tempest against God’s children, saith Ambrose, sed ipse naufragium facit, but himself maketh shipwreck. The Church, according to that Venetian motto, nec fluctu, nec flatu movetur: and yet Venice hath but one street (they say) that is not daily overflowed by the sea.
And it fell not ] Saving grace is incapable of being lost, though it may be impaired in the degrees, and may recoil to the root, as sap doth in winter. Christ lives in the hearts of all his saints, Gal 2:20 , and can die no more, Rom 6:10 . Die he may as well at the right hand of his Father, as in the heart of a Christian.
A weak brother, for whom Christ died, may perish, 1Co 8:11 .
No thanks to us if he do not, who by scandalous courses offend and wound his conscience; but Christ will not lose him so. Destrut potest, ex parte, per interveniens scandalum; quod et verbum aliquo modo denotat, non distrahi penitus caula, &c.
There are those who deny the Lord that bought them, 2Pe 2:1 .
Bought they were by Christ in their own conceit, and in the esteem of others, but it proved otherwise. Or, they were bought, that is, delivered, in a general sense (so the word here used often signifieth), from their superstition to the knowledge of salvation (I say not to saving knowledge), whereby they might preach to others, themselves being castaways. God hath charged Christ, as Mediator, to see to the keeping of the bodies and souls of all true believers, Joh 6:39-40 . And he faithfully performed it. “Those thou gavest me I have kept,” saith he, “and none of them is lost,” Joh 17:12 .
Christ makes exception of one that was lost, Ibid.
That shows he was never of his body; for can he be a Saviour of a son of perdition?
Why is he then excepted?
1. Because he seemed to be one of Christ’s, by reason of his office.
2. He speaketh there in particular of the twelve: and to be an apostle was, in itself, but an outward calling.
Christians may lose the things that they have wrought, 2Jn 1:8 .
1. Temporaries may, and do; and of them it may be understood, Mat 7:9 .
2. True Christians may:
1. In respect of the praise of men; all their former honour may be laid in the dust.
2. In regard of the inward sense and comfort, as David, Psa 32:1-11 Psa 51:1-19 .
3. In respect of the fulness of the reward in heaven, their glory may be much lessened by their falls.
A righteous man may turn from his righteousness, and die, Eze 18:24 .
From his righteousness imparted, or that of sanctification, he may turn in part, and for a time, and die a temporal death for his offence, as Josiah: not so from his righteousness imputed, or that of justification, so as to die eternally. Or the Holy Ghost may so speak, as of a thing impossible; as, If an angel from heaven should preach any other doctrine, &c., Gal 1:8 , which cannot possibly be. So that this text concludes not categorically. The Comforter shall abide with us for ever, Joh 14:16 . It is called an earnest, not a pawn. A pawn is to be returned again; but an earnest is part and pledge of the whole sum.
What need then so many exhortations to perseverance?
1. True grace in itself is leesable, in respect of us, who should fall from it, as Adam; but we are kept by the power and promise of God to salvation; and we need Christ’s left hand to be under us, and his right hand over us, to clasp and hold us up. He keepeth the feet of the saints,1Sa 2:91Sa 2:9 , and preserves us from all such evil, as may frustrate our perseverance, 2Th 3:3 ; 1Jn 5:18 .
2. By these exhortations, as means, God’s grace is promoted, and preserved in us.
3. We are but in part renewed, and are apt to backslide; if we row not hard, wind and tide will carry us back again. Heed therefore must be taken, that we look not back with Lot’s wife; that our Jacob’s ladder may reach to heaven; that our oil fail not, till the Bridegroom come; that our coat reach down to our heels, as Joseph’s and the high priest’s did; that we sacrifice the beast with the tail, Gen 37:3 ; Exo 28:4 ; Exo 28:42 ; Exo 29:22 ; that we keep in this fire of the sanctuary; or, if it slack, that we rake it out of the ashes, and blow it up again into a flame, , 2Ti 1:6 ; that we turn not again, as we walk, with those living creatures, Eze 1:12 ; nor be like Nebuchadnezzar’s image, that began in gold, and ended in clay, Dan 2:33 ; that “we begin not in the Spirit and end in the flesh,”Gal 3:3Gal 3:3 ; that we go not backward as Hezekiah’s sun, nor stand at a stay, as Joshua’s, but rejoice to run our race, as David’s,Psa 19:4Psa 19:4 ; and go on to the perfect day, as Solomon’s, Pro 4:18 .
a Fluctus fluctum trudit. – dolor et voluptas invicem cedunt, brevior voluptas. Sen.
b Calamitas est proprie calamorum comminutio a grandine seu tempestate. Sic cludes dicebantur surculorum detritio: strages a stratis arboribus. Becman. Scaliger. Et esto ruat: Malo ego cum Christo ruere, quam cum Caesare stare. Epist. ad Melch. Burton of Melancholy.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
25. ] This similitude must not be pressed to an allegorical or symbolical meaning in its details, e.g. so that the rain, floods, and winds should mean three distinct kinds of temptation: but the ROCK, as signifying Him who spoke this, is of too frequent use in Scripture for us to overlook it here: cf. 2Sa 22:2 ( Psa 18:2 ), Psa 18:47Psa 18:47 ; Psa 23:3 ; Psa 28:1 ; Psa 31:2 , alli [94] . fr.; Psa 61:2 : Isa 26:4 (Heb.); Isa 32:2 ; Isa 44:8 (Heb.); 1Co 10:4 , &c. He founds his house on a rock, who, hearing the words of Christ, brings his heart and life into accordance with His expressed will, and is thus by faith in union with Him, founded on Him. Whereas he who merely hears His words, but does them not, has never dug down to the rock, nor become united with it, nor has any stability in the hour of trial.
[94] alii = some cursive mss.
In , the articles are categorical, importing that these two were usually found in the country where the discourse was delivered; in , , , the same, implying that such trials of the stability of a house were common. In the whole of the similitude, reference is probably made to the prophetic passage Isa 28:15-18 .
] The N.T. writers usually omit the augment in the pluperfect: so , Mar 15:7 ; , Mat 16:9 ; , 1Jn 2:19 , a [95] . fr. This is also done occasionally by Herodotus, and by Attic prose writers, where euphony is served by it. See Herod. i. 122; iii. 42; ix. 22: and Winer, 12. 9.
[95] alii = some cursive mss.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mat 7:25 . What follows shows his wisdom, justified by events which he had anticipated and provided for; not abstract possibilities, but likely to happen every year certain to happen now and then. Therefore the prudence displayed is not exceptional, but just ordinary common sense. : observe the five in succession an eloquent polysyndeton , as grammarians call it; note also the rhythm of the sentence in which the war of the elements is described: down came the rain, down rushed the rivers, blew the winds sudden, fell, terrible. , they fell upon that house: rain on roof, river on foundation, wind on walls. And what happened? . The elements fell on it, but it did not fall. : for a good reason, it was founded on the rock. The builder had seen to that.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
And. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton (App-6), emphasizing each particular.
the rain descended = down came the rain. Greek. broche. Occurs only here. On the roof.
floods. At the foundation.
winds. At the sides.
beat = broke upon, dashed against (with great violence), as in Luk 6:48, in contrast with “beat” in Mat 7:27, which is a much weaker word.
was = had been.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
25.] This similitude must not be pressed to an allegorical or symbolical meaning in its details, e.g. so that the rain, floods, and winds should mean three distinct kinds of temptation: but the ROCK, as signifying Him who spoke this, is of too frequent use in Scripture for us to overlook it here: cf. 2Sa 22:2 (Psa 18:2), Psa 18:32; Psa 18:47; Psa 23:3; Psa 28:1; Psa 31:2, alli[94]. fr.; Psa 61:2 : Isa 26:4 (Heb.); Isa 32:2; Isa 44:8 (Heb.); 1Co 10:4, &c. He founds his house on a rock, who, hearing the words of Christ, brings his heart and life into accordance with His expressed will, and is thus by faith in union with Him, founded on Him. Whereas he who merely hears His words, but does them not, has never dug down to the rock, nor become united with it, nor has any stability in the hour of trial.
[94] alii = some cursive mss.
In ,-the articles are categorical, importing that these two were usually found in the country where the discourse was delivered;-in , , , the same, implying that such trials of the stability of a house were common. In the whole of the similitude, reference is probably made to the prophetic passage Isa 28:15-18.
] The N.T. writers usually omit the augment in the pluperfect: so , Mar 15:7; , Mat 16:9; , 1Jn 2:19, a[95]. fr. This is also done occasionally by Herodotus, and by Attic prose writers, where euphony is served by it. See Herod. i. 122; iii. 42; ix. 22: and Winer, 12. 9.
[95] alii = some cursive mss.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mat 7:25. —…, and-and-and-etc.) In the last days of a man and of the world, temptations throng together to the attack (concurrunt), sc., rains on the roof, rivers at the base, winds at the sides [of our spiritual edifice].[350]- , the rain) The presence of the article denotes that the rain will not be deficient.-, fell upon) i.e. to try its power of endurance. In Mat 7:27, we have , beat upon, as though at random and without object.
[350] All kinds of judgments are here intimated; but especially the last judgment. It is indeed scarcely that the righteous man is saved, yet however he is saved [1Pe 4:18].-V. g.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
the rain: Eze 13:11-16, Mal 3:3, Act 14:22, 1Co 3:13-15, Jam 1:12, 1Pe 1:7
for: Mat 16:18, Psa 92:13-15, Psa 125:1, Psa 125:2, Eph 3:17, Col 2:7, 1Pe 1:5, 1Jo 2:19
Reciprocal: Exo 12:50 – as the Lord Lev 26:3 – General Job 37:6 – great Psa 27:5 – set me Psa 40:2 – set Psa 46:3 – the waters Psa 55:8 – the windy storm Psa 69:2 – the floods Pro 10:25 – an Son 8:7 – waters Isa 25:4 – when Isa 28:2 – as a tempest Isa 32:19 – it shall Isa 43:2 – passest Luk 6:47 – heareth Luk 6:48 – and laid Joh 13:17 – happy Col 1:23 – grounded 2Ti 2:19 – the foundation Heb 6:1 – laying Heb 11:8 – obeyed 2Pe 1:10 – if 1Jo 3:22 – because Rev 8:7 – hail
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
7:25
The elements of the weather are used to illustrate the final test that will be put upon every man’s life. The trials of this world will have their part to play in the great drama, but the final test will come when the Lord tries all mankind at the bar of the last judgment when Christ sits upon the throne of judgment.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 7:25. A picture of the sudden violent storms so common in the East, as indeed the definite articles indicate. No distinct meaning need be assigned to rain, floods, and winds, but the rock means Christ. The definite article points to this, and the figure is thus applied so frequently in the Scriptures. How we can build upon Christ, so that our doing of His sayings rests upon union with Him, is clearly made known elsewhere.