Matthew 7:28
When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astonished at His teaching,
When Jesus had finished saying these things
This phrase marks the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount, a pivotal teaching moment in the Gospel of Matthew. The Greek word for "finished" is "ἐτέλεσεν" (etelesen), which implies completion or fulfillment. This suggests that Jesus' teachings were not just a series of random thoughts but a cohesive and complete message. The phrase "these things" refers to the profound teachings that Jesus delivered, which include the Beatitudes, the Lord's Prayer, and numerous parables and moral instructions. Historically, this sermon is seen as a cornerstone of Christian ethics, encapsulating the essence of Jesus' message to His followers.

the crowds
The Greek word for "crowds" is "ὄχλοι" (ochloi), indicating a large gathering of people from various backgrounds. This diverse audience underscores the universal appeal and accessibility of Jesus' teachings. In the historical context, these crowds would have included Jews from different regions, each bringing their own expectations and interpretations of the Messiah. The presence of such a multitude highlights the magnetic nature of Jesus' ministry and the widespread interest in His revolutionary teachings.

were astonished
The Greek term "ἐξεπλήσσοντο" (exeplēssonto) conveys a sense of being struck with amazement or overwhelmed with wonder. This reaction indicates that Jesus' teachings were not only new but also deeply impactful, challenging the conventional wisdom of the time. The astonishment of the crowds can be seen as a testament to the authority and authenticity with which Jesus spoke, setting Him apart from other teachers and religious leaders of His day.

at His teaching
The word "teaching" is translated from the Greek "διδαχή" (didachē), which refers to doctrine or instruction. Jesus' teaching was characterized by clarity, authority, and a deep understanding of the Scriptures. Unlike the scribes and Pharisees, who often relied on tradition and legalism, Jesus spoke with divine authority, offering insights that were both practical and transformative. This teaching not only addressed the external actions but also the internal attitudes and intentions of the heart, calling for a radical transformation in the lives of His listeners.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jesus
The central figure of the New Testament, whose teachings and actions form the foundation of Christian faith. In this passage, He has just concluded the Sermon on the Mount.

2. The Crowds
The multitude of people who followed Jesus and listened to His teachings. Their reaction of astonishment indicates the profound impact of His words.

3. Sermon on the Mount
A collection of teachings by Jesus found in Matthew chapters 5-7, covering various aspects of righteous living and the Kingdom of Heaven.
Teaching Points
Authority of Jesus' Teaching
Jesus taught with authority, unlike the scribes. His words were not just informative but transformative, challenging listeners to live according to God's will.

Astonishment and Reflection
The reaction of the crowds should prompt us to reflect on our own response to Jesus' teachings. Are we merely astonished, or are we moved to action?

Living Out the Sermon
The Sermon on the Mount provides practical guidelines for Christian living. We are called to embody these teachings in our daily lives, demonstrating the values of the Kingdom of Heaven.

The Impact of Truth
Truth has a profound impact on those who hear it. As followers of Christ, we should strive to share His teachings with others, trusting in the power of His words to transform lives.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the authority of Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount compare to other teachings you have encountered in your life?

2. In what ways can you apply the principles from the Sermon on the Mount to your daily interactions with others?

3. Reflect on a time when you were astonished by a truth from Scripture. How did it impact your faith journey?

4. How can you ensure that your response to Jesus' teachings goes beyond astonishment to active obedience?

5. Consider the reaction of the crowds in Matthew 7:28. How can you cultivate a similar sense of awe and reverence for God's Word in your personal Bible study?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Matthew 5-7
The entire Sermon on the Mount, which provides the context for Matthew 7:28, includes teachings on the Beatitudes, the Lord's Prayer, and the Golden Rule.

Mark 1:22
This verse also describes the astonishment of the people at Jesus' teaching, emphasizing His authority compared to the scribes.

Luke 4:32
Similar to Matthew 7:28, this verse highlights the authority and power in Jesus' teaching, which amazed the listeners.
Effects of Our Lord's Sermon on the PeopleJ. E. Good.Matthew 7:28
The Christ of the Sermon on the MountAlexander MaclarenMatthew 7:28
The Doctrine of Christian Obedience RewardedS. Morrell.Matthew 7:28
The Sermon on the MountC. S. Robinson,D. D.Matthew 7:28
Truth Attracts by Being LivedW. H. H. Murray.Matthew 7:28
Truth Gains by Being LivedJ. Scott.Matthew 7:28
Sermon on the Mount: 8. Wise and Foolish BuildersMarcus Dods Matthew 7:15-29
The Saying and Hearing Contrasted with the DoingP.C. Barker Matthew 7:21-29
The Title to the KingdomJ.A. Macdonald Matthew 7:21-29
People
Jesus
Places
Galilee
Topics
Amazed, Amazement, Astonished, Concluded, Crowds, Discourse, Doctrine, Ended, Filled, Finished, Multitudes, Pass, Saying, Sayings, Surprised, Teaching
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Matthew 7:24-29

     1660   Sermon on the Mount
     5627   word

Matthew 7:26-29

     2369   Christ, responses to

Matthew 7:28-29

     2012   Christ, authority
     2054   Christ, mind of
     3030   Holy Spirit, power
     3239   Holy Spirit, anointing
     5549   speech, positive
     5784   amazement
     5962   surprises
     7464   teachers of the law
     7757   preaching, effects
     7950   mission, of Christ
     8235   doctrine, nature of

Library
November 22. "Cast the Beam Out of Thine Own Eye" (Matt. vii. 5).
"Cast the beam out of thine own eye" (Matt. vii. 5). Greater than the fault you condemn and criticise is the sin of criticism and condemnation. There is no place we need such grace as in dealing with an erring one. A lady once called on us on her way to give an erring sister a piece of her mind. We advised her to wait until she could love her a little more. Only He who loved sinners well enough to die for them can deal with the erring. We never see all the heart. He does, and He can convict without
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

January 12. "Ask and it Shall be Given You" (Matt. vii. 7).
"Ask and it shall be given you" (Matt. vii. 7). We must receive, as well as ask. We must take the place of believing, and recognize ourselves as in it. A friend was saying, "I want to get into the will of God," and this was the answer: "Will you step into the will of God? And now, are you in the will of God?" The question aroused a thought that had not come before. The gentleman saw that he had been straining after, but not receiving the blessing he sought. Jesus has said, "Ask and ye shall receive."
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

Judging, Asking, and Giving
'Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4. Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye! 5. Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Two Paths
'Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.'--MATT. vii. 13-14. A frank statement of the hardships and difficulties involved in a course of conduct does not seem a very likely way to induce men to adopt it, but it often proves so. There is something in human nature which responds to the bracing
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Two Houses
'Therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock.... 25. And every one that heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand.'--Matt. vii. 24, 25. Our Lord closes the so-called Sermon on the Mount, which is really the King's proclamation of the law of His Kingdom, with three pairs of contrasts, all meant to sway us to obedience. The first
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Christ of the Sermon on the Mount
'And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at His doctrine: 29. For He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.'--MATT. vii. 28-29. It appears, then, from these words, that the first impression made on the masses by the Sermon on the Mount was not so much an appreciation of its high morality, as a feeling of the personal authority with which Christ spoke. Had the scribes, then, no authority? They ruled the whole life of the nation with
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

On the Words of the Gospel, Matt. vii. 7, "Ask, and it Shall be Given You;" Etc. An Exhortation to Alms-Deeds.
1. In the lesson of the Holy Gospel the Lord hath exhorted us to prayer. "Ask," saith He, "and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? [2135] Or if he ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? [2136] If ye then,"
Saint Augustine—sermons on selected lessons of the new testament

Known by their Fruits.
(Eighth Sunday after Trinity.) S. MATT. vii. 16. "Ye shall know them by their fruits." The religion of Jesus Christ is one of deeds, not words; a life of action, not of dreaming. Our Lord warns us to beware of any form of religion, in ourselves or others, which does not bring forth good fruit. God does not look for the leaves of profession, or the blossoms of promise, He looks for fruit unto holiness. We may profess to believe in Jesus Christ, we may say the Creed without a mistake, we may read
H. J. Wilmot-Buxton—The Life of Duty, a Year's Plain Sermons, v. 2

Casting Blame.
8th Sunday after Trinity. S. Matt. vii. 15. "Inwardly they are ravening wolves." INTRODUCTION.--A Schoolmaster finds one day that several of his scholars are playing truant. The morning passes and they do not arrive. At last, in the afternoon, the truants turn up. The master has a strong suspicion where they have been: however, he asks, "Why were you not at school this morning?" "Please, sir, mother kept me at home to mind the baby." "Indeed--let me look at your mouth." He opens the mouth,
S. Baring-Gould—The Village Pulpit, Volume II. Trinity to Advent

False Prophets
(Eighth Sunday after Trinity.) Matthew vii. 16. Ye shall know them by their fruits. People are apt to overlook, I think, the real meaning of these words. They do so, because they part them from the words which go just before them, about false prophets. They consider that 'fruit' means only a man's conduct,--that a man is known by his conduct. That professions are worth nothing, and practice worth everything. That the good man, after all, is the man who does right; and the bad man, the man who
Charles Kingsley—Town and Country Sermons

A Man Expects to Reap the Same Kind as He Sows.
"Herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit . . . after his kind."--Gen. i: 12. "Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?"--Matt. vii: 16. "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." --Romans viii: 13. A Man Expects to Reap the Same Kind as He Sows. If I should tell you that I sowed ten acres of wheat last year and that watermelons came up, or that I sowed cucumbers and gathered
Dwight L. Moody—Sowing and Reaping

The Mote and the Beam
That friend of ours has got something in his eye! Though it is only something tiny--what Jesus called a mote--how painful it is and how helpless he is until it is removed! It is surely our part as a friend to do all we can to remove it, and how grateful he is to us when we have succeeded in doing so. We should be equally grateful to him, if he did the same service for us. In the light of that, it seems clear that the real point of the well-known passage in Matthew 7:3-5 about the beam and the mote
Roy Hession and Revel Hession—The Calvary Road

Doctrine of Non-Resistance to Evil by Force must Inevitably be Accepted by Men of the Present Day.
Christianity is Not a System of Rules, but a New Conception of Life, and therefore it was Not Obligatory and was Not Accepted in its True Significance by All, but only by a Few--Christianity is, Moreover, Prophetic of the Destruction of the Pagan Life, and therefore of Necessity of the Acceptance of the Christian Doctrines--Non-resistance of Evil by Force is One Aspect of the Christian Doctrine, which must Inevitably in Our Times be Accepted by Men--Two Methods of Deciding Every Quarrel--First Method
Leo Tolstoy—The Kingdom of God is within you

Fifth Lesson. Ask, and it Shall be Given You;
Ask, and it shall be given you; Or, The Certainty of the Answer to Prayer. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened,'--Matt. vii. 7, 8. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss.'--Jas. iv. 3. OUR Lord returns here in the Sermon on the Mount a second time to speak of prayer. The first time He had spoken of the Father who is
Andrew Murray—With Christ in the School of Prayer

Sixth Lesson. How Much More?'
How much more?' Or, The Infinite Fatherliness of God. Or what man is there of you, who, if his son ask him for a loaf, will give him a stone; or if he shall ask for a fish, will give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?'--Matt. vii. 9-11 IN these words our Lord proceeds further to confirm what He had said of the certainty of an answer to prayer. To remove
Andrew Murray—With Christ in the School of Prayer

The Beggar. Mt 7:7-8

John Newton—Olney Hymns

Here Again Arises a Very Difficult Question. For in what Way Shall we Fools...
28. Here again arises a very difficult question. For in what way shall we fools be able to find a wise man, whereas this name, although hardly any one dare openly, yet most men lay claim to indirectly: so disagreeing one with another in the very matters, in the knowledge of which wisdom consists, as that it must needs be that either none of them, or but some certain one be wise? But when the fool enquires, who is that wise man? I do not at all see, in what way he can be distinguished and perceived.
St. Augustine—On the Profit of Believing.

Asking, Seeking, Finding. --Matt. vii. 7, 8
Asking, Seeking, Finding.--Matt. vii. 7, 8. Ask, and ye shall receive; On this my hope I build: I ask forgiveness, and believe My prayer shall be fulfill'd. Seek, and expect to find: Wounded to death in soul, I seek the Saviour of mankind; His touch can make me whole. Knock, and with patience wait, Faith shall free entrance win: I stand and knock at mercy's gate; Lord Jesus! let me in. How should I ask in vain? Seek, and not find Thee, Lord? Knock, and yet no admittance gain? Is it not in Thy
James Montgomery—Sacred Poems and Hymns

Assurance and Encouragement. --Matt. vii. 7, 8
Assurance and Encouragement.--Matt. vii. 7, 8. While these commands endure, These promises are sure; And 'tis an easy task To knock, to seek, to ask: Sinner hast thou the willing mind? Saint, art thou thus inclined? Dost thou expect, desire, believe? Then knock and enter, seek and find, Ask and receive.
James Montgomery—Sacred Poems and Hymns

The Strait Gate;
OR, GREAT DIFFICULTY OF GOING TO HEAVEN: PLAINLY PROVING, BY THE SCRIPTURES, THAT NOT ONLY THE RUDE AND PROFANE, BUT MANY GREAT PROFESSORS, WILL COME SHORT OF THAT KINGDOM. "Enter ye in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."--Matthew 7:13, 14 ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. If any uninspired writer has been
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Parting Counsels
'And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: 23. Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. 24. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. 25. And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts

Author's Preface.
I did not write this little work with the thought of its being given to the public. It was prepared for the help of a few Christians who were desirous of loving God with the whole heart. But so many have requested copies of it, because of the benefit they have derived from its perusal, that I have been asked to publish it. I have left it in its natural simplicity. I do not condemn the opinions of any: on the contrary, I esteem those which are held by others, and submit all that I have written to
Jeanne Marie Bouvières—A Short Method Of Prayer And Spiritual Torrents

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