You Shall Know Them by Their Fruits Matthew 7:16

Matthew shared how Jesus told His disciples, “all things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” Jesus continued, “Enter you in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves”, and in chapter seven and verse sixteen of his book, Matthew shared how Jesus told His disciples,“you shall know them by their fruits” where we read:

You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

The verse reads, “You shall know them by their fruits.” Matthew began with the words, “you shall know them” or “the disciples will recognize, perceive, become acquainted with and ascertain the false prophets” “by their fruits” which means “through their deeds, acts and profits”. Jesus told the disciples they would be able to discover and ascertain who the “false prophets” are by their “acts and deeds”.

The verse goes on to say, “Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?” Matthew added the words, “do men gather” which refers to “do people collect, gather and carry off” “grapes” or “clusters of grapes” “of thorns” which means “among brambles, briers or thorny plants”, “or figs” which refers to “or ripe fruit of a fig tree” “of thistles” which means “from prickly wild plants which are hurtful of other plants”? Jesus questioned His disciples rhetorically concerning the harvesting of “grapes” and “figs” within contrary environments of “thorns” and “thistles”.

When we consider Matthew's words in this verse, we see how Jesus employed yet another example from the natural way of life for the disciples to explain His principle concerning “false prophets”. The disciples were to be wise concerning these “imposters”, and they would know their “motives” and “inward souls” as they manifested them in their “acts and deeds”. God Almighty desires a relationship with every person who will yield their life to His Son Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”, and when they align with His ways, He will give them the understanding and perception to know those who are “greedy and false”.

Next time Jesus tells His disciples, “every tree brings forth good fruit”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.