Don't Know Much About the Bible - Kenneth C. Davis [154]
In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.
Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bear bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits.
Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?” Then I will declare to them, “I never knew you, go away from me, you evildoers.”
Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on a rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!
Now when Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
The Sermon on the Mount includes many of Jesus’ most familiar words which, in some ways, constituted a new and more ethically rigorous code than even the Mosaic Law prescribed. In the Sermon on the Mount and elsewhere in his teachings, Jesus was laying down a new law that demanded more of believers: legally, ethically, and spiritually. The following section presents a brief selection of some Jesus’ most difficult teachings, which make the point, “Piety Is Easy—Christianity Is Hard.”
• “Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart…. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off.” (Matt. 5:28-30 KJV)
This is the “Jimmy Carter” verse. In a famous interview with Playboy magazine when he was running for President in 1976, Carter said he had committed adultery many times, taking this verse as his inspiration.
• “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.” (Matt. 5:38-42)
• “Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven.” (Matt. 5:44-45)
• “Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make will you be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get.” (Matt. 7:1-2)
• “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.” (Matt. 7:12)
• “Follow