BURKITT : | Lu 6:1-5 | Lu 6:6-11 | Lu 6:12 | Lu 6:13-16 | Lu 6:17-19 | Lu 6:20 | Lu 6:21 | Lu 6:22-23 | Lu 6:24-25 | Lu 6:26 | Lu 6:27-29 | Lu 6:30 | Lu 6:31 | Lu 6:32-36 | Lu 6:37 | Lu 6:38 | Lu 6:39 | Lu 6:40 | Lu 6:41-42 | Lu 6:43-45 | Lu 6:46-49 | KJV
Reference
46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? 47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: 48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. 49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great. (Luke 6:46-49 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
Our Saviour here concludes his sermon with an elegant similitude: he compares the faithful doer of the word to a wise builder, which grounded his house upon a rock. Others he resembles to a foolish builder, that built his house upon the sand.
The house is the hope of heaven and eternal life;
the rock is Christ; the building upon the sand, is resting upon the bare performance of outward duties;
the rain, the winds, and the floods are all kinds of afflicting evils, sufferings, and persecutions, that may befall us.
The sum is: men’s hopes of salvation built upon any other besides Christ, or built upon Christ without a sincere and uniform obedience to him, are vain hopes, deceitful hopes; for when the storm arises, when affliction or persecution comes, their confidence will fail them, their foundation will be shaken.
Learn, 1. That the obedient believer is the only wise man, that builds his hopes of heaven upon a sure and abiding foundation; Christ is the rock that he builds upon, and one Christ is before a thousand creatures, one rock better than millions of sands to build upon.
2. That such professors as rest in the bare performance of outward duties, are foolish builders; their foundation is weak and sandy, and all their hopes of salvation vain and deceitful.
Lord! How does the carnal world build all their hopes upon the sand, on the wisdom of the flesh, on their policies, councils, friends, and riches! They bottom their very soul upon fancies, presumptions, delusions, and vain hopes. They expect to be happy without being holy, which is to expect to be easy without being healthy.
Woe to that man whose portion lies in the creature’s hands, who builds all his hopes upon this earth; for when the earth is shaken, his hopes are shaken, his heart is shaken, and he is at his wits’ end: whereas the Christian that builds upon the rock, stands firm and sure; for if ever the Christian falls, Christ must fall with him: he shall never be disappointed of his hopes, unless faithfulness can disappoint; he shall never be deceived unless truth itself can deceive. If it be impossible for the obedient, holy, and circumspect Christian finally to miscarry.