Matthew 7:22

22 . in that day ] The day of judgment. This is a forecast far into the distant future, when it would be worth while to assume Christianity, when hypocrisy would take the form of pretending to be a follower of the now despised Jesus. (See Canon Mozley’s sermon On the reversal of human judgment .) For the pathetic repetition, Lord, Lord, cp. ch. Matthew 23:37 ; Luke 22:31 . prophesied ] i. e. preached. The greatest of preachers dreads such a sentence. 1 Corinthians 9:27 , “Lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” devils ] See note, ch. Matthew 4:24 .

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy {d} name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many {e} wonderful works? (d) By name here is meant mighty working power of God, which every man witnesses that calls upon him. (e) Properly, powers: Now these excellent works which are done are called powers because of those things which they bring to pass, for by them we understand how mighty the power of God is.

Matthew 7:22-23 . Many will say to me in that day — Many, both preachers and hearers, both ministers and people, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? — Have we not declared the mysteries of thy kingdom; preached excellent sermons; written edifying books; explained and enforced the doctrines of thy word, even the prophecies thereof, and shown their fulfilment: nay, have we not ourselves foretold future events, and in thy name have cast out devils — From those possessed by them, and done many wonderful works — Even miracles of mercy as well as of judgment? Then will I profess unto them, I never knew you — Though I called you to be my servants, and you professed yourselves such, I never knew you to be such, nor approved of you. So that even the working of the greatest miracles, and the uttering the most undoubted prophecies, is not a sufficient proof that a man possesses saving faith, nor will any thing of that kind avail to prove that we are now accepted of God, or are in the way to meet with acceptance of him at the day of final accounts, without the faith productive of true and universal holiness. Depart from me, ye that work iniquity — For none can enter heaven but those that are saved from their sins on earth. If we die in our sins, where Jesus is we cannot come.

Matthew 7:22 . ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ , the great dread judgment day of Jehovah expected by all Jews, with more or less solemn awe; a very grave reference.— τῷ σῷ ὀνόματι : thrice repeated, the main ground of hope. Past achievements, prophesyings, exorcisms, miracles are recited; but the chief point insisted on is: all was done in Thy name, honouring Thee, as the source of wisdom and power.

(22) Many will say to me in that day. —No part of the Sermon on the Mount is more marvellous in its claims than this; to those who see in Christ only a human Teacher with a higher morality than Hillel or Seneca, none more utterly incomprehensible. At the commencement of His ministry, in a discourse which, though it is spoken in the tone of authority, gives no prominence to His mission as the Messiah, He yet claims, with the calmness of assured conviction, to be the Judge before whom the faithful and the hypocrites will alike have to give an account. In “that day” (the words, though they would not suggest, as afterwards, the thought of His own advent, would yet carry the minds of men to the “great and dreadful day” of Malachi 4:5 ) the words “Lord, Lord,” would mean more than the expression of human courtesy. Have we not prophesied in thy name?—Here, also, there is the implied calm assertion of a supernatural power, not resting in Himself alone, but imparted to His followers, and exercised, or at least claimed, by some who did not themselves fulfil the conditions of His kingdom. Here, as everywhere in the New Testament, “prophesying” is more than mere prediction, and includes the whole work of delivering a message to men, as coming directly from God.

22. Many will say to me in that day—What day? It is emphatically unnamed. But it is the day to which He had just referred, when men shall "enter" or not enter "into the kingdom of heaven." (See a similar way of speaking of "that day" in 2Ti 1:12; 4:8). Lord, Lord—The reiteration denotes surprise. "What, Lord? How is this? Are we to be disowned?" have we not prophesied—or, "publicly taught." As one of the special gifts of the Spirit in the early Church, it has the sense of "inspired and authoritative teaching," and is ranked next to the apostleship. (See 1Co 12:28; Eph 4:11). In this sense it is used here, as appears from what follows. in thy name—or, "to thy name," and so in the two following clauses—"having reference to Thy name as the sole power in which we did it." and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works—or, miracles. These are selected as three examples of the highest services rendered to the Christian cause, and through the power of Christ's own name, invoked for that purpose; He Himself, too, responding to the call. And the threefold repetition of the question, each time in the same form, expresses in the liveliest manner the astonishment of the speakers at the view now taken of them.

Matthew 7:22 . Πολλοὶ , many ) even of those, perhaps, whom posterity has canonized and commanded to be accounted blessed and saints; many, certainly, of those who have had rare gifts, and have shown at times a good will (see Mark 9:39 ), who apprehend the power and the wisdom, but not the mercy of God.— ἐροῦσι , shall say ) flattering themselves in their own persuasion. Many souls will retain the error, with which they deceive themselves, even up to that day:[344] [ A miserable expectation, previously, is theirs: an awful judgment, subsequently! —V. g.] see ch. Matthew 25:11 . Hence may be illustrated the doctrine of the state after death. In the Judgment all things will at length be made known: see Romans 2:16 ; 1 Corinthians 3:13 .— ἐν ἐκεινῇ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ , on that day ) that great day, in comparison with which all previous days are nothing.—THY) The emphasis and accent fall upon this word in each of the three clauses: THY, sc. that of the Lord.— προεφητεύσαμεν , we have prophesied ) We have openly proclaimed the mysteries of Thy kingdom. Add also: We have written commentaries and exegetical observations on books and passages of the Old and New Testament, we have preached fine sermons, etc.— δαιμόνια , devils ) It is not said διαβόλους , because ΔΙΑΒΟΛΟς ; is only used in the singular number.[345] [344] Sc. the day of judgment.—(I. B.) [345] Sc. with its technical meaning: for διάβολος , in its original sense of accuser , may be used indiscriminately in all three numbers.—(I.

Matthew 7:22-23 . Ἐν ἐκ . τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ] Euth. Zigabenus, ἡμέραν ἑκείνην εἶπε τὴν τῆς κρίσεως , ὡς ἐγνωσμένην καὶ προσδεδοκημένην . Comp. the Jewish phraseology; Schoettgen, Hor. in loco . τῷ σῷ ὀνόματι ] not jussu et auctoritate sua (as the majority of commentators, Fritzsche included), as if it had been ἐν τῷ σῷ ὀνόμ ., but by means of Thy name, i.e. through Thy name (“Jesus Messiah”), having satisfied our religious consciousness, and having become the object of our confession. It was by this, as forming the condition and instrument, that the works in question were accomplished. In the casting out of devils and in performing miracles the name was pronounced , Acts 3:6 ; Acts 19:13 ; comp. on Luke 9:49 ; Luke 10:17 . Notice the stress laid upon the σῷ , and the threefold repetition of the prominent words τῷ σῷ ὀνόμ ., as expressing that by which the individuals in question think to shelter themselves from disapprobation and rejection, and make good their claim to the Messianic kingdom. προεφητεύς .] not in the special sense of foretelling (Grotius, Fritzsche), but (comp. Matthew 7:15 ) with reference to those who taught under the influence of a prophetic enthusiasm (see note on 1 Corinthians 12:10 ).

The distinguishing feature in those men is an impure, often fanatical, boldness in the faith, which, though enabling them to perform outward acts of a marvellous nature, yet fails to exercise any influence upon their own moral life—just the sort of thing described by Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:2 , and the manifestations of which are to be met with in every age, especially in times of great religious excitement. Matthew 7:23 . ὁμολογ .] “ aperte , magna potestas hujus dicti,” Bengel. The conscious dignity of the future judge of the world . ὅτι ] Recitative . The rendering because , to which a different arrangement of the words by Origen, Chrysostom, Cyprian, and others has given rise ( ὅτι … ὑμᾶς after ἀποχωρ .), is less in harmony with the emotion of the passage. ἔγνων ] not probavi (Kuinoel), but novi . Because (“etsi nomen meum allegatis,” Bengel) I have never known you, have obtained no knowledge of you whatever, which I would have done ( John 10:14 ) had ye really been in fellowship with me. Comp. Luke 13:27 . The knowledge is the knowledge of experience founded upon the possession of a common life . Similarly 1 Corinthians 8:3 ; 1 Corinthians 13:12 ; Galatians 4:9 . ἀποχωρεῖτε , κ . τ . λ .] according to Psalm 6:9 . Comp. Matthew 25:41 . οἱ ἐργαζόμ . is used as a substantive; while ἀνομία is the antithesis of δικαιοσύνη , 2 Corinthians 6:14 , Hebrews 1:9 , as in Matthew 13:41 , Matthew 23:28 , Matthew 24:12 .