TRANSLATION MATTHEW 7:24

Everyone then who who hears these words of mine and does them can be likened to an intelligent man who built his house upon rock. The rain came down, the flash-floods came, the wind blew and beat against that house, and it did not fall, for its foundations were set upon rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them can be likened to a stupid man, who built his house upon sand. The rain came down, the flash-floods came, the wind blew and beat against that house, and it fell in utter ruin.

Many English speakers will be taken back by this parable to their Sunday Schools where they learned to sing, “The wise man built his house upon the rock….and the rains can tumbling down”. And indeed it is a story that a child can understand. Or imagine they do. I was always dubious about it because I loved the story of ancient Egypt with its vast pyramids built upon sand. Luke understood this, as his version (Luke 6) differentiates between a house with a foundation, and one without. Given that Jesus was a builder, he would have known something of this matter.

Still, let’s take it that ‘sand’ means ‘without foundations.’

I have elsewhere written about the Greek word “oikos” meaning house in the gospels, as a word which carried great theological weight, which is inherited from the Hebrew Bible. God has his house, in heaven and upon earth, Israel is a house (a dynasty) Jesus asks his followers to dwell in him, and so on.

In the parable here, the house is an ordinary family house, built for shelter, nourishment and safe living. It can only stand against the weather, if it has foundations. Jesus was claiming that his teaching, put into practice, was the sure foundation of fruitful life. Whether we see the house as an individual life, a community of faith, or a society, the doing of Jesus’ teaching is fundamental to its capacity to deal with storms. Mere lip-service to his teaching will not do the job.

In Scotland at the present time there is a growing scandal about the quality of new houses. It would appear that a significant number of them are Jerry-built, with dangerous fittings and unable to withstand the weather. This is due to greed and corruption; and the spectacle of new owners trying to live in sub-standard housing arouses pity.

Poor housing destroys lives. As a house fit to live in, a personal life or a Christian community requires a foundation.