{"id":501,"date":"2014-12-12T12:00:39","date_gmt":"2014-12-12T12:00:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/forbiblestudynerds\/?p=501"},"modified":"2014-12-05T23:29:49","modified_gmt":"2014-12-05T23:29:49","slug":"matthew-724-29-the-wise-and-foolish-builders-inductive-studies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/forbiblestudynerds\/2014\/12\/matthew-724-29-the-wise-and-foolish-builders-inductive-studies.html","title":{"rendered":"Matthew 7:24-29; The Wise and Foolish Builders (Inductive Studies)"},"content":{"rendered":"

In exposition of Matthew 7:28-29, George Buttrick has commented, \u201cPeople listened to Jesus, and then said: \u2018That is what I have always known deep down, even though I have no words to say it.\u2019\u201d This, Buttrick explains, is something of what Matthew means when he says that Christ \u201ctaught as one who had authority\u201d (verse 29).<\/p>\n

Of course, that\u2019s true and (as Buttrick also points out) starkly contrasts Jesus\u2019 teaching style with that of the scribes or teachers of the law. They rarely came up with new teachings, instead devoting themselves almost exclusively to repeating theologies of precedent, basing all their teachings on some other respected rabbi\u2019s previous ideas. Still, with this brief statement in 7:28-29, Matthew seems to be doing more than simply saying people were impressed by Jesus teaching. Looking at this gospel as a whole it becomes clear that Matthew intended this to be a bridge between the conclusion of Christ\u2019s Sermon on the Mount and a thesis statement for Matthew\u2019s upcoming argument-by-example that Jesus held all the authority of God in human flesh.<\/p>\n

From this point on in Matthew\u2019s narrative, the gospel writer presents overwhelming evidence, time and again, of Jesus\u2019 heavenly authority expressed in human affairs. Consider chapter 8 alone and you\u2019ll see:<\/p>\n