Expert: Marvin Howard - 7/1/2011

Question
Hi I had a question. In Matt 7:21-23  Jesus says many will say they have done this and done that and he will say I never knew you depart from me you who practice lawlessness.  When I read this I think of many things.
 Either these people lied about being a christian and did not have a personal relationship with Jesus.  

Or These are Christians who did not do what God wanted them to do on earth and did things there way like willful sin.

Or These are people who are just lying to Jesus and trying to escape the judgment and Jesus is saying I don't know you. You are not my brothers.

Now the key to this saying is the fact that the people told Jesus they cast out demons and did many wonders in his name. First someone who is not saved is not going to go around doing God's work just because they are bored. So that narrows it down to two points. Either the people are lying to Jesus and never did have a personal relationship with Jesus in the first place and did not do any of those things, or they were Christian who may have done those things but willfully sinned and turned away from God.
Now as Church of Christ we believe the gifts and ability to cast out demons and heal people and do the wonders paul did, stopped when Jesus and the apostles died. So that narrows it down even further. In Matt 7:21-23  Jesus is either talking to people who are lying and never knew Jesus and lied about doing all those wonders or he is talking to apostles. What is your thoughts?

Answer
Hi!

Josh, let’s take a look at the whole passage. Much can be understood with an examination of the complete context. The rest can be learned from a word study in the original Greek over just a few basic words.

Matthew 7:13-27, “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. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 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: 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. 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: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”

This is the whole context. To lift three verses destroys the harmony. However, we can still emphasize the three; as long as it is in line with the rest. Preceding these verses is where Jesus spoke of how to act on earth; specifically ending with the Golden Rule. Now, He turns to the Judgment. Basically, here is a warning of what will happen later if you do not heed Him now. So, let’s start looking at this, realizing there are no more chances to get right at this point.

Many will be lost, and few will be saved. How many and how few fall into each category is not revealed, but many are more than few, and few are less than many: the majority will be lost. Why? The answer is, “False Teachers.” Specifically, we have teachers who look like sheep; harmless. Why do they look harmless? It is because what they teach has enough truth in it to make people think it is the whole truth. But, a half truth is always a whole lie, and liars will burn according to Revelation 21:8. So, people who do not teach the whole counsel of God, favoring their pet positions only, are lost because they are lying.

Next, we must consider again the majority versus the minority. Teachers do not comprise a majority. To get a majority the followers must be included. So, we see followers of false teachers are just as lost as the teachers. The followers of ravening wolves are devoured, or eaten, so there is nothing left. They have been destroyed, and destruction is equal to eternal damnation (2nd Thessalonians 1:9).

Now, do you remember why false teachers are so dangerous? Again, it’s because what they say has a lot of truth in it. People who follow them actually believe they are following truth. Nevertheless, they are accountable because they have the truth and can see where it does not align with falsehood if they are not too lazy to look. Now, these people believe they are correct even though they are not. Of course, the people who don’t try for part of the truth are lost. This is not addressing them. This is addressing what will happen to those who sincerely believe their false religion. They think they are doing what God wants, but because they wanted to be fed instead of feeding themselves, they are not doing what God says, and they are lost.

It is true miracles ended after just 40 years as prophesied in Micah 7:15ff. Yet, many today still claim, albeit falsely, to perform them. Consider the “Holiness” (sic) religions. But, this is not a new phenomenon. The catholics have done this all along. In order to become what they call a saint after death, that person has to have performed at least one significant miracle.

That is the context. Now, I want to examine only one word of the text in Greek. See, I told you it would be a small word study.

“Not every one that saith unto me,”

saith = λέγω (Strong)
legō
leg'-o
A primary verb; properly to “lay” forth, that is, (figuratively) relate (in words [usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas G2036 and G5346 generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while G4483 is properly to break silence merely, and G2980 means an extended or random harangue]); by implication to mean: - ask, bid, boast, call, describe, give out, name, put forth, say (-ing, on), shew, speak, tell, utter.

saith = λέγω (Strong)
legō
Thayer Definition:
1) to say, to speak
1a) affirm over, maintain
1b) to teach
1c) to exhort, advise, to command, direct
1d) to point out with words, intend, mean, mean to say
1e) to call by name, to call, name
1f) to speak out, speak of, mention
Part of Speech: verb
A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: a root word
Citing in TDNT: 4:69, 505

If you look, you will see this is not a generic term for all speaking. It is a specific term. It means to “break silence merely.” In other words, the words coming forth are only noise with no meaning. This confirms what I said earlier. This is applicable to the false teachers and followers of false teachers who say much, but it is not valid or meaningful.

Josh, I hope this helps you understand better.