Depart from Me – I Never Knew You

The Sermon on the Mount Part 3

In the first part of The Sermon on the Mount we looked at whether or not Yeshua abolished the law of God. Then we continued his sermon on being The Least and Greater One in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Today, we’re looking at one of the worst sayings in the scriptures. It comes from Yeshua himself, “Depart from me. I never knew you.” Doing things in the name of Jesus/Yeshua doesn’t mean we are doing things in righteousness.

Exceed Your Righteousness

Yeshua continues teaching the people, but first he gives them an admonishment. He wants them to be better than the educators who teach Torah. They know the words of God, but don’t do them. Yeshua tells them to do better, be better, speak better. Be a hearer AND a doer of the Word of God.

²⁰For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:20)

²“The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, ³so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. (Matthew 23:2-3)

As you can see in these three verses Yeshua was all for obeying the Word of God through action. He didn’t abolish God’s laws. He followed and obeyed them. Then he expected all those who followed him to do the same. Since he still lives and receive followers even today, he still expects us to do the same as he did. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

The righteousness we receive from him helps us to obey God and follow His ways. When we refuse to do so we become workers of lawlessness. It doesn’t matter if your pastor tells you we don’t have to follow the Torah because that’s for the Jews. Through Jesus we have grace. But that grace helps us to follow God in the ways He wants us to follow.

I Never Knew You

Unfortunately, many people believe they can live any kind of way since they said the “salvation” prayer. Or they believe God knows their heart, so He is okay with whatever they do.

Sadly, Yeshua ends his teaching with something that shatters those beliefs. He lets the people who don’t follow Torah know he never knew them. It doesn’t matter if they prophesied in his name, casted out demons, or did mighty works. It doesn’t matter if they say they know him. The question is does he know us.

He says only the ones who DO the WILL of his Father who is in heaven will enter the kingdom of heaven. If we don’t do His will then we are workers of lawlessness.

²¹“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²²On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ ²³And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” (Matthew 7:21-23)

From the Berean Study Bible:¹

I never knew you

The word “knew” in Greek is “γινώσκω” (ginōskō), which implies an intimate, personal relationship rather than mere intellectual acknowledgment. This phrase underscores the importance of a genuine relationship with Jesus, rather than just external religious activities. Historically, the Jewish understanding of “knowing” someone involved a deep, covenantal relationship, akin to the intimacy between a husband and wife. Jesus is emphasizing that mere profession of faith without a true, transformative relationship with Him is insufficient.

Lawlessness Brings Separation

He tells lawless people to depart from him. This is a direct and severe dismissal. It separates us from the Messiah, which separates us from the presence of YHWH. This is not something you want to hear on judgment day.

The Greek word for lawlessness is anomia. It means, “the state of being without law; contempt and violation of law, iniquity, wickedness.”²

Basically, it means living contrary to God’s commandments. The very commands most Christians will say are done away with or only applies to the Jewish people.

Yeshua the Messiah only has one body with one set of rules for everyone in his body. It’s either his way or the highway. It’s never our way.

How do you feel about Matthew 7:21– 23? Do you believe we should obey the scriptures? Why or why not?