1/7/21
Gibbs, Jeffrey A. “Matthew 7:24-27: Two Builders." Matthew 1:1-11:1. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2006, pp. 394-397.
When Jesus speaks of the two builders in Matthew 7:24-27, he observes that the future passive of "will be like" is used intransitively and is uniformly used in the New Testament with eschatological importance (Gibbs 2006, 394). A present or aorist passive would be used for present reality. This statement, then, looks to a future fulfillment.
The essential element is hearing and doing as contrasted with hearing and not doing Jesus' words. Gibbs concludes that what we do, how we live, in light of God's Word, has eternal consequences (Gibbs 2006, 395). The high Christology is striking. Here Jesus exalts himself above all else. He claims to make statements which bear definitive divine authority. Gibbs, following Kingsbury, concludes that hearing should result in believing, which in turn results in actions (Gibbs 2006, 396). This is a pattern which can be traced throughout Matthew's Gospel.