“And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.”
And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. The storm's triple threat — rain, floods, winds — communicates the comprehensive nature of the testing. The Psalm 46:2–3 imagery of mountains falling into the sea and floods roaring connects to this: when the storms that threaten stability arrive, the house founded on the rock does not fall. The foundation determines the outcome regardless of the storm's intensity. Psalm 18:2 calls God the rock in whom one takes refuge — Jesus is identifying his word with the function of God himself as the secure foundation of human existence.
Church Fathers on Matthew 7:25
Because there would be some who would admire the things that were said by the Lord, but would not add that shewing forth of them which is in action, He threatens them before, saying, 'Every man that hears these words of mine, and does them, shall be likened to a wise man.'
He said not, I will account him that hears and does, as wise; but, 'He shall be likened to a wise man.' He then that is likened is a man; but to whom is he likened? To Christ; but Christ is the wise man who had built His house, that is, the Church, upon a rock, that is, upon the strength of the faith.
Or the great ruin is to be understood that with which the Lord will say to them that hear and do not, 'Go ye into everlasting fire.' [Matt 25:41]
Read all 6 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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