They were astonished at his doctrine. By comparison the scribes were dry and dismal.
The Greek word for astonished is ‘struck’. Many said, ‘That could be me. I am building on sand. I am described here.’ There was nothing so astonishing about his illustration, but as a picture of the soul struck home. You young – how we want to see you not wasting your life. What a disaster it is to miss conversion! To have no sight spiritual, no new life, character; not to know about God,. What a tragedy to miss that! Newton had this in mind when he wrote, ‘Fading as the worldling’s treasure.’
People were astonished at his doctrine. Hasn’t the preacher or the ordinary Christian had the satisfaction of that – that the unbeliever has said that is very interesting. Of course once they go, the flesh takes over, and so you pray for further opportunity. The crowds that heard these heavenly words were not all converted. Not all of them took to heart the many warnings that Christ had given to them, but universally they all sensed that he had spoken with an authority that they did not hear in the teaching of the scribes. This recognition told them that they ought to treat these sayings with the utmost respect; that is a necessary prerequisite for receiving his word as the word of life, and putting our trust in him as the Son of God, the Saviour of the world.