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. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’ 23 Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.
24 Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. 26 And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined. 28 When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.'
Jesus, in teaching about false disciples who perform impressive works but lack genuine obedience to God’s will, warned his disciples that false disciples would not be judged by their eloquent words or their powerful deeds. They cannot gain entry into heaven by pleading with him at the gates. They could prophesy or perform great miracles in his name but those works, by themselves, will not assure them entrance into heaven. They must also do the will of his Father. Those false disciples will be rejected by Jesus at the Final Judgment. They should not continue to live as sinful people while performing works in Jesus’ name but try to understand and do the will of God (Eph. 5:15-17). They should not be complacent and arrogantly assume that their salvation is assured by their works (1 Cor. 3:13-15). If works performed in Jesus’ name do not align with God’s will, he will disown them.
Jesus' statement "I never knew you" emphasizes the relational aspect of discipleship. It signifies not merely a lack of recognition but that these disciples never had a true, intimate relationship with Christ. Their actions were disconnected from an authentic commitment to following Jesus in daily obedience. Despite false disciples doing mighty works in his name, they never had a true, loving relationship with him. At the final judgment, they will be permanently excluded from the Kingdom of Heaven no matter how intensely they plea to him because their behavior was contrary to God’s commands. This rejection is final and reflects the seriousness of failing to live in accordance with the will of God, which is the ultimate standard for entrance into the Kingdom.
Jesus compares those who act on his teachings to a wise builder who constructs his house on rock for stability and resilience. The storms (rain, floods, and winds) represent trials, temptations, or the final judgment, and the firm foundation signifies a life grounded in obedience to Christ’s words that leads to eternal life. The “rock” is a metaphor for strong faith and action consistent with divine will, as opposed to a mere superficial belief. In contrast, those who hear but fail to act on Jesus’ teachings are likened to a foolish builder who constructs his house on sand. Sand, representing a shaky foundation, signifies superficial or hypocritical faith. When the inevitable storms of life come, the house—representing the person's life—collapses in ruin (Deut. 30:15-18).
The crowds were astonished at Jesus’ teaching because it was not only informational but transformative. It called for radical changes in how people viewed righteousness and their relationship with God. Their astonishment also stemmed from the way Jesus spoke with inherent authority, unlike the scribes who depended on previous traditions or teachers. Jesus spoke with greater wisdom and authority than the religious leaders. He interpreted the Scriptures on his own authority derived from his direct relationship with the Father, as seen throughout the Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 5:21-37).
Almighty God, grant us the grace to hear Your Word and live it with our whole heart. May we build our lives on the firm foundation of obedience to Your will, trusting in Your strength to withstand the storms of life. Help us to follow Christ sincerely, seeking a true and loving relationship with Him, so that we may enter into Your eternal Kingdom. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
References
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
- McKenzie, John. Dictionary of the Bible. Collier Books, 1965.
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