Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 7:21
Verse 21. Not every one] ou pav, a Hebraism, say some, for no person. It is a Graecism and a Latinism too: ou pantwn qewn, not ALL of the gods, i.e. not ANY of the gods, HOM. Odyss. Z. 240. So TERENCE Sine omni periclo, without ALL danger, i.e. without ANY danger. And JUVENAL: Sine omni labe, without ALL imperfection, i.e. without ANY. See more in Mr. Wakefield. The sense of this verse seems to be this: No person, by merely acknowledging my authority, believing in the Divinity of my nature, professing faith in the perfection of my righteousness, and infinite merit of my atonement, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven-shall have any part with God in glory; but he who doeth the will of my Father-he who gets the bad tree rooted up, the good tree planted, and continues to bring forth fruit to the glory and praise of God. There is a good saying among the rabbins on this subject. "A man should be as vigorous as a panther, as swift as an eagle, as fleet as a stag, and as strong as a lion, to do the will of his Creator."
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 21. Not everyone that saith unto me Lord, Lord , etc.] Not every one that calls Christ his Lord and Master, professes subjection to him, or that calls upon his name, or is called by his name; or makes use of it in his public ministrations. There are many who desire to be called, and accounted Christians, and who make mention of the name of Christ in their sermons, only to take away their reproach, to cover themselves, and gain credit with, and get into the affections and goodwill of the people; but have no hearty love to Christ, nor true faith in him: nor is it their concern to preach his Gospel, advance his glory, and promote his kingdom and interest; their chief view is to please men, aggrandize themselves, and set up the power of human nature in opposition to the grace of God, and the righteousness of Christ. Now not everyone of these, no, not any of them, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven . This is to be understood not of the outward dispensation of the Gospel, or the Gospel church state, or the visible church of Christ on earth, in which sense this phrase is sometimes used; because such persons may, and often do, enter here; but of eternal glory, into which none shall enter, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven . This, as it may regard private Christians, intends not merely outward obedience to the will of God, declared in his law, nor barely subjection to the ordinances of the Gospel; but more especially faith in Christ for life and salvation; which is the source of all true evangelical obedience, and without which nothing is acceptable to God. He that seeth the Son, looks unto him, ventures on him, commits himself to him, trusts in him, relies on him, and believes on him for righteousness, salvation, and eternal life, he it is that does the will of the Father, and he only; and such an one, as he is desirous of doing the will of God in all acts of cheerful obedience to it, without dependence thereon; so he shall certainly enter the kingdom of heaven, and have everlasting life; (see John 6:40) but as these words chiefly respect preachers, the sense of them is this, that only such who are faithful dispensers of the word shall enter into the joy of their Lord. Such do the will of Christs Father, and so his own, which are the same, who fully and faithfully preach the Gospel of the grace of God; who declare the whole counsel of God, and keep back nothing that is profitable to the souls of men; who are neither ashamed of the testimony of Christ, nor afraid of the faces of men; but as they are put in trust with the Gospel, so they speak it boldly, with all sincerity, not as pleasing men, but God, and commend themselves to every mans conscience in the sight of God: such as these shall have an abundant entrance into the kingdom and glory of God. The Vulgate Latin adds this clause, he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, and so does Munsters Hebrew edition of the Gospel according to Matthew.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 21-29 - Christ here shows that it will not be enough to own him for our Master only in word and tongue. It is necessary to our happiness that we believe in Christ, that we repent of sin, that we live a holy life that we love one another. This is his will, even our sanctification Let us take heed of resting in outward privileges and doings, lest we deceive ourselves, and perish eternally, as multitudes do, with a li in our right hand. Let every one that names the name of Christ, depar from all sin. There are others, whose religion rests in bare hearing and it goes no further; their heads are filled with empty notions These two sorts of hearers are represented as two builders. Thi parable teaches us to hear and do the sayings of the Lord Jesus: some may seem hard to flesh and blood, but they must be done. Christ is lai for a foundation, and every thing besides Christ is sand. Some buil their hopes upon worldly prosperity; others upon an outward professio of religion. Upon these they venture; but they are all sand, too wea to bear such a fabric as our hopes of heaven. There is a storm comin that will try every man's work. When God takes away the soul, where is the hope of the hypocrite? The house fell in the storm, when the builder had most need of it, and expected it would be a shelter to him It fell when it was too late to build another. May the Lord make u wise builders for eternity. Then nothing shall separate us from the love of Christ Jesus. The multitudes were astonished at the wisdom an power of Christ's doctrine. And this sermon, ever so often read over is always new. Every word proves its Author to be Divine. Let us be more and more decided and earnest, making some one or other of thes blessednesses and Christian graces the main subject of our thoughts even for weeks together. Let us not rest in general and confuse desires after them, whereby we grasp at all, but catch nothing __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
ου 3756 PRT-N πας 3956 A-NSM ο 3588 T-NSM λεγων 3004 5723 V-PAP-NSM μοι 3427 P-1DS κυριε 2962 N-VSM κυριε 2962 N-VSM εισελευσεται 1525 5695 V-FDI-3S εις 1519 PREP την 3588 T-ASF βασιλειαν 932 N-ASF των 3588 T-GPM ουρανων 3772 N-GPM αλλ 235 CONJ ο 3588 T-NSM ποιων 4160 5723 V-PAP-NSM το 3588 T-ASN θελημα 2307 N-ASN του 3588 T-GSM πατρος 3962 N-GSM μου 3450 P-1GS του 3588 T-GSM εν 1722 PREP ουρανοις 3772 N-DPM
Robertson's NT Word Studies
7:21 {Not--but} (ou--all'). Sharp contrast between the mere talker and the doer of God's will.
