Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.

“Hence the still stronger expression in Luke (Lu 13:24), "Strive to enter in at the strait gate." for wide is the gate--easily entered. and broad is the way--easily trodden. that leadeth to destruction, and--thus lured "many there be which go in thereat."”

But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.

“As to the other way, the disadvantage of it lies in its narrowness and solicitude. Its very first step involves a revolution in all our purposes and plans for life, and a surrender of all that is dear to natural inclination, while all that follows…”

By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

“Ye shall know them by their fruits--not their doctrines--as many of the elder interpreters and some later ones explain it--for that corresponds to the tree itself; but the practical effect of their teaching, which is the proper fruit of the tree.”

Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

“Yet our Lord claims and expects this of all His disciples, as when He washed their feet: "Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am" (Joh 13:13).”

Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’

“And then will I profess unto them--or, openly proclaim--tearing off the mask. I never knew you--What they claimed--intimacy with Christ--is just what He repudiates, and with a certain scornful dignity. "Our acquaintance was not broken off--there never was any." depart from me--(Compare Mt 25:41).”

Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

“Therefore--to bring this discourse to a close. whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them--see Jas 1:22, which seems a plain allusion to these words; also Lu 11:28; I will liken him unto a wise man--a shrewd, prudent, provident man.”

The rain fell, the torrents raged, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because its foundation was on the rock.

“And the rain descended--from above. and the floods came--from below. and the winds blew--sweeping across. and beat upon that house--thus from every direction. and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock--See 1Jo 2:17.”

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astonished at His teaching,

“And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine--rather, "His teaching," for the reference is to the manner of it quite as much as the matter, or rather more so.”

Suddenly a leper came and knelt before Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”

“But one thing he was sure of, that He had but to "will" it. This shows with what "worship" of Christ this leper fell on his face before Him.”

Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

“And immediately his leprosy was cleansed--Mark, more emphatic, says (Mr 1:42), "And as soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed"--as perfectly as instantaneously.”

But Jesus told him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

“But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead--or, as more definitely in Luke, "Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God" (Lu 9:60).”

As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. “Follow Me,” He told him, and Matthew got up and followed Him.

“While he himself sinks his family name, he is careful not to sink his occupation, the obnoxious associations with which he would place over against the grace that called him from it, and made him an apostle.”

Later, as Jesus was dining at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with Him and His disciples.

“Luke says (Lu 5:29) that "Levi made Him a great feast," or "reception," while Matthew merely says, "He sat at meat"; and Mark and Luke say that it was in Levi's "own house," while Matthew merely says, "He sat at meat in the house."”

When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

“And when the Pharisees--"and scribes," add Mark and Luke (Mr 2:6; Lu 5:21). saw it, they said--"murmured" or "muttered," says Luke (Lu 5:30). unto his disciples--not venturing to put their question to Jesus Himself. Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?--(See on Lu 15:2).”

On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.

“They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick--that is, "Ye deem yourselves whole; My mission, therefore, is not to you: The physician's business is with the sick; therefore eat I with publicans and sinners."”

But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

“But go ye and learn what that meaneth-- (Ho 6:6), I will have mercy, and not sacrifice--that is, the one rather than the other.”

As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”

“Can there be a doubt that their faith fastened on such great Messianic promises as this, "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened," &c. (Isa 35:5)?”

Then He touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you.”

“Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you--not, Receive a cure proportioned to your faith, but, Receive this cure as granted to your faith.”

And when the demon had been driven out, the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!”

“Probably they meant by this language to indicate, as far as they thought it safe to do so, their inclination to regard Him as the promised Messiah.”

Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.

“Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous--His eye doubtless rested immediately on the Jewish field, but this he saw widening into the vast field of "the world" (Mt 13:38), teeming with souls having to be gathered to Him.”

Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest.”

“Compare Joh 15:1, "I am the true vine, and My Father is the husbandman." that he will send forth labourers into his harvest--The word properly means "thrust forth"; but this emphatic sense disappears in some places, as in Mt 9:25, and Joh 10:4 --"When He…”

Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.

“The second part (Mt 10:16-23) contains directions of no such limited and temporary nature, but opens out into the permanent exercise of the Gospel ministry.”

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go onto the road of the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.

“Accordingly, when this prohibition was to be taken off, on the effusion of the Spirit at Pentecost, the apostles were told that they should be Christ's witnesses first "in Jerusalem, and in all Judea," then "in Samaria," and lastly, "unto the uttermost part of the…”

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

“Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils--(The italicized clause--"raise the dead"--is wanting in many manuscripts). Here we have the first communication of supernatural power by Christ Himself to His followers--thus anticipating the gifts of Pentecost.”

Take no bag for the road, or second tunic, or sandals, or staff; for the worker is worthy of his provisions.

“The meaning is, Take no change of dress, no additional articles. neither shoes--that is, change of them. nor yet staves--The received text here has "a staff," but our version follows another reading, "staves," which is found in the received text of Luke (Lu 9:3).”