Cast Pearls Before Swine

Gospel of Matthew 7

“Do not judge, that you may not be judged. 2 For, just as you judge others, you will yourselves be judged, and the measure that you mete will be meted out to you. 3 And why do you look at the straw in your brother’s eye, while you pay no attention at all to the beam in yours? 4 How will you say to your brother, ‘Let me take out the straw from your eye,’ when all the time there is a beam in your own? 5 Hypocrite! Take out the beam from your own eye first, and then you will see clearly how to take out the straw from your brother’s and sister’s.

6 Do not give what is sacred to dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they should trample them under their feet, and then turn and attack you. 7 Ask, and your prayer shall be granted; search, and you shall find; knock, and the door shall be opened to you. 8 For those who ask receive, those that search find, and to those who knock the door shall be opened.

9 Who among you, when your child asks you for a loaf, will give them a stone, 10 Or when they asks for a fish, will give them a snake? 11 If you, then, wicked though you are, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father, who is in heaven, give what is good to those that ask him!

12 Do to others whatever you would wish them do to you; for that is the teaching of both the law and the prophets. 13 Go in by the small gate. Broad and spacious is the road that leads to destruction, and those that go in by it are many; 14 For small is the gate, and narrow the road that leads to Life, and those that find it are few.

——-

Exploring the ‘Our Father’ Prayer

——-

15 Beware of false teachers: those who come to you in the guise of sheep, but at heart they are ravenous wolves. 16 By the fruit of their lives you will know them. Do people gather grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, too, every sound tree bears good fruit, while a worthless tree bears bad fruit. 18 A sound tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a worthless tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that fails to bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Hence it is by the fruit of their lives that you will know such teachers.

21 Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me: ‘Lord, Lord, was not it in your name that we taught, and in your name that we drove out demons, and in your name that we did many miracles?’ 23 And then I shall say to them plainly: ‘I never knew you. Go from my presence, you who live in sin.’

24 Everyone, therefore, that listens to this teaching of mine and acts upon it may be compared to a wise homeowner, who built their house upon rock. 25 The rain poured down, the rivers rose, the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, for its foundation was upon rock. 26 And everyone that listens to this teaching of mine and does not act upon it may be compared to a foolish one, who built their house on sand. 27 The rain poured down, the rivers rose, the winds blew and struck against that house, and it fell; and great was its downfall.”

28 By the time that Jesus had finished speaking, the crowd was filled with amazement at his teaching. 29 For he taught them like one who had authority, and not like their teachers of the law.

—–

To read Chapter 8 of the Gospel of Matthew, please go to: Dead Bury Their Dead

Gain fresh insight into the Lord’s Prayer. Read our free online book The Lord’s Prayer for Daily Life. The prayer’s hidden teachings will enrich and inspire you. Click the following link to begin reading the Living Hour Book now: The Lord’s Prayer.

Browse the entire Gospel of Matthew here: Gospel of Matthew

Fish and Loaves

Gospel of Matthew 15

Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus, and said: 2 “How is it that your disciples break the traditions of our ancestors? For they do not wash their hands when they eat food.”

3 His reply was: “How is it that you on your side break God’s commandments out of respect for your own traditions? 4 For God said: Honor thy father and mother,’ and ‘Let those who revile their father or mother suffer death,’ 5 But you say that whenever anyone says to his father or mother, “Whatever of mine might have been of service to you is ‘Given to God,’ 6 You are in no way bound to honor your father. In this way you have nullified the words of God on account of your traditions.”

7 “Hypocrites! It was well said by Isaiah when he prophesied about you: 8 ‘This is a people that honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far removed from me; 9 But vainly do they worship me, for they teach but the precepts of men.’“ 10 Then Jesus called the people to him, and said: “Listen, and mark my words. 11 It is not what enters your mouth that ‘defiles’ you, but what comes out of your mouth that does defile you!”

12 On this his disciples came up to him, and said: “Do you know that the Pharisees were shocked on hearing what you said?” 13 “Every plant,” Jesus replied, “that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. 14 Let them be; they are but blind guides; and, if one blind person guides another, both of them will fall into a ditch.” 15 Upon this, Peter said to Jesus: “Explain this saying to us.” 16 “What, do even you understand nothing yet?” Jesus exclaimed.

17 “Do not you see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is afterwards expelled? 18 But the things that come out from the mouth proceed from the heart, and it is these that defile a man; 19 For out of the heart proceeds evil thoughts: murder, adultery, unchastity, theft, perjury, slander. 20 These are the things that defile a man; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”

Understanding the Lord’s Prayer

To continue reading Chapter 15 and read the story of the fish and loaves, please click on page 2 below.

Ears to Hear

Gospel of Mark 7

One day the Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered round Jesus. 2 They had noticed that some of his disciples ate their food with their hands ‘defiled,’ by which they meant unwashed. 3 For the Pharisees, and indeed all strict Jews, will not eat without first scrupulously washing their hands, holding in this to the traditions of their ancestors. 4 When they come from market, they will not eat without first sprinkling themselves; and there are many other customs which they have inherited and hold to, such as the ceremonial washing of cups, and jugs, and copper pans.

5 So the Pharisees and the teachers of the law asked Jesus this question: “How is it that your disciples do not follow the traditions of our ancestors, but eat their food with defiled hands?” 6 His answer was: “It was well said by Isaiah when he prophesied about you hypocrites in the words: ‘This is a people that honor me with their lips, While their hearts are far removed from me; 7 But vainly do they worship me, For they teach but the precepts of men.’

8 You neglect God’s commandments and hold to the traditions of men. 9 Wisely do you set aside God’s commandments,” he exclaimed, “to keep your own traditions! 10 For while Moses said ‘Honor thy father and thy mother,’ and ‘Let him who reviles his father or mother suffer death,’ 11 You say: ‘If a man says to his father or mother: “Whatever of mine might have been of service to you is Korban”‘ (which means ‘Given to God’), 12 Why, then you do not allow him to do anything further for his father or mother! 13 In this way you nullify the words of God by your traditions, which you hand down; and you do many similar things.”

14 Then Jesus called the people to him again, and said: “Listen to me, all of you, and mark my words. There is nothing external to you, which by going into you that can ‘defile’ you; but the things that come out from you are the things that defile you. 16 Those who have ears to hear, let them hear.” 17 When Jesus went indoors, away from the crowd, his disciples began questioning him about this saying.

18 “What, do even you understand so little!” exclaimed Jesus. “Do not you see that there is nothing external to a man, which by going into a man, can ‘defile’ him, 19 Because it does not pass into his heart, but into his stomach, and is afterwards got rid of?—in saying this Jesus pronounced all food ‘clean.’ 20 “It is what comes out from a man,” he added, “that defiles him, 21 For it is from within, out of the hearts of men, that there come evil thoughts: unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, 22 Greed, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, haughtiness, folly; 23 All these wicked things come from within, and do defile a man.”

The meaning of the Jesus Prayer may surprise you.

To continue reading Chapter 7 of the Gospel of Mark, please click on page 2 below.

House of Prayer

Gospel of Mark 11

When they had almost reached Jerusalem, as far as Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent on two of his disciples. 2 “Go to the village facing you,” he said; “and, as soon as you get there, you will find a foal tethered, which no one has ever ridden; untie it, and bring it. 3 And, if anyone says to you: ‘Why are you doing that?’ say: ‘The Master wants it, and will be sure to send it back here at once.’”

4 The two disciples went, and, finding a foal tethered outside a door in the street, they untied it. 5 Some of the by-standers said to them: “What are you doing, untying the foal?” 6 And the two disciples answered as Jesus had told them; and they allowed them to go. 7 Then they brought the foal to Jesus, and, when they had laid their cloaks on it, he seated himself upon it.

8 Many of the people spread their cloaks on the road, while some strewed boughs which they had cut from the fields; 9 And those who led the way, as well as those who followed, kept shouting: “‘God save him! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! ‘God save him from on high!’”

11 Jesus entered Jerusalem, and went into the temple courts; and, after looking round at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve. 12 The next day, after they had left Bethany, Jesus became hungry; 13 And, noticing a fig-tree at a distance in leaf, he went to it to see if by any chance he could find something on it; but, on coming up to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 So, addressing the tree, he exclaimed: “May no man ever again eat of your fruit!” And his disciples heard what he said.

15 They came to Jerusalem. Jesus went into the temple courts, and began to drive out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of the pigeon-dealers, 16 And would not allow anyone to carry anything across the temple courts.

What is the Lord’s Prayer?

To continue reading Chapter 11 of the Gospel of Mark and discover what Jesus calls his house of prayer, please click on page 2 below.