Matthew 7:22

Monday, 17 February 2025

 

Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ Matthew 7:22

 

“Many, they will say to Me in that ‘the day,’ “Lord, Lord, not the ‘Your name’ we prophesied, and the ‘Your name’ we ejected demons, and the ‘Your name’ we performed many miracles?” (CG).

 

In the previous verse, Jesus noted that not everyone who would say to Him, “Lord, Lord,” would enter into the kingdom of the heavens. Now, He continues with, “Many, they will say to Me in that ‘the day.’”

 

The use of the demonstrative pronoun and a subsequent definite article is not always translated. Most translations just say, “in that day.” However, the two together provide an emphasis that should not always be ignored. In this case, some literal translations include both.

 

The BLB, for example, says, “in that the day.” The LET goes a little too far towards the hills of Kentucky and says, “in that there day.” In setting the words “the day” off with apostrophes, the sense is more readily understandable.

 

There is a specific day that is coming when people will stand before the Lord and be judged. It is at that time that they will say, “Lord, Lord, not the ‘Your name’ we prophesied.”

 

Again, the literal translation shows a specificity that is lacking in English. Using the word “in” gets the point across, but the statement is an assertion that these people used Jesus’ name when they prophesied. It isn’t just that they prophesied in His name, but that His name was the subject of their proclamation. With that, He continues with, “and the ‘Your name’ we ejected demons.”

 

Again, the ejection of the demons wasn’t so much in the name of Jesus, as if they had a part in the process. It is the use of the name itself that caused demons to be ejected. As this is so, it signifies that a power rests in His name that extends beyond this realm, even if His deity was not yet understood.

 

At a minimum, people would be thinking, “God has endowed this person with such spiritual power that even the proclamation of His name has power over the demons.” This is similar to the thought seen in Acts 8 –

 

“But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, 10 to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” 11 And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time.” Acts. 8:9-11

 

These people didn’t claim Simon was God. Rather, they acknowledged him to be the great power of God. This is probably in line with what the people listening to Jesus must have thought concerning His words. Next, Jesus says, “and the ‘Your name’ we performed many miracles?”

 

Again, the name itself is what carries the weight and authority of the action. The thing is, that in order to use a name to effect a change in another, one would think that there would be a conviction within the person stating the name that it was not only capable of conveying power but also it would be worthy of respect.

 

Such, however, is not necessarily true –

 

“Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, ‘We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.’ 14 Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so.
15 And the evil spirit answered and said, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?’
16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.” Acts 19:13-17

 

Not all who proclaim the name of Jesus are sincere, even when they understand the power the name wields.

 

Life application: In the church today, there are lots of people, heaps of them, who claim to do the miraculous in Jesus’ name. They claim prophetic visions and divine engagements with angels and even the Lord Himself. This has now been going on for over two thousand years.

 

How many of them do you believe? The Bible is written. What more do you expect from the Lord? Of what purpose is it that people claim to do these things? Paul says that we live by faith, not by sight. If we have sight, faith is excluded. Jesus said as much to Thomas.

 

Has one supposed prophecy or miracle over the past two thousand years since the Bible was completed added anything of value to the church? Be careful what you believe. If someone is sick, pray for the Lord’s healing. If someone needs a job, pray that the Lord will provide it. But don’t go looking for miracle workers.

 

The true miracle worker is in heaven, and He will work out His miracles in a manner that will meet His purposes. Have faith in that. It is sufficient.

 

Glorious God Almighty, when we call on the name of Jesus, the greatest miracle of our lives comes about. We are saved by His precious blood. What more could we ever ask for? Thank You for Jesus our Lord. Amen.