Sermon on the Mount - Two Fruit Trees

(Matthew 7:15-20)

By Mary Jane Chaignot

Categories: Sermon on the Mount, Sermon on the Mount (Bible Study)

Moving toward the end of the Sermon, Jesus continues to lay out the choices facing his disciples: are they ready to follow his teachings, or not?
The second division is at hand.
It is important to remember that the people standing at this point are all the disciples that found and entered through the narrow gate.
Most people went through the big entrance; these people went through the narrow one.
They made the right decision, but now there is another one to make.
First, Jesus warns, “Watch out for false prophets.”
The phrase is literally translated, “Keep holding your mind from…”
Generally, false prophets are those who appear to be something that they are not.
True prophets speak for God; they are God’s messenger to His people.
False prophets speak for themselves, oftentimes telling people what they want to hear.
This further ingratiates them with followers, resulting in the ability to lead them astray.
Jesus continues, “They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.”
A key phrase is that “they come to you.”
They have taken it upon themselves to initiate the encounter; they have not been sent by God.
“Sheep” is frequently used as a metaphor for discipleship or believers.
Its origin comes from the shepherd watching his flock. He cares for his sheep. The image of sheep and shepherd has a long tradition.
Typically, the shepherd dresses in “sheep’s clothing.” Based on his dress, people can identify him as a shepherd.
Over time, the sheep’s mantle was worn by prophets, and it, too, identified them.
But Jesus warns that not everyone dressed to look like a prophet is, in fact, genuine.
Some will really be “ferocious/ravenous wolves.”
Sheep are gentle; wolves are very dangerous.
Wolves have sharp teeth, are very cunning, and kill without mercy.
They are a natural enemy of sheep. The danger comes because they are playing a role. They’re looking like sheep, when, in fact, they are treacherous and deceiving.
If they looked like wolves, there would be no problem. People could just keep their distance.
But instead, they look like they are the real deal: they might call themselves Christian, look genuine, and use the right words. Still, they are wolves.
Jesus tells his disciples how to distinguish a true from a false prophet: “By their fruits you will recognize them.”
One can tell by watching what they produce.
Jesus reassures people that they will be able to know the true from the false.
He makes this clearer by using a metaphor about fruit trees.
The trees metaphorically represent the small community that found and entered through the narrow gate. Yet, not everyone is going to be a great disciple.
Some people will look good on the outside, but will have a distorted message for others.
They will be hypocrites, charlatans, or scam artists.
Jesus asks, “Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?”
An ancient bush produced small black berries that looked like grapes but were completely inedible.
Likewise, a particular thistle would produce a flower that resembled a fig, but was, again, inedible.
From the distance, people might mistake these items for the real thing, but upon closer examination, they will discover the truth.
The same is true with false prophets.
A prophet, typically, gives up everything to preach the word of God, which is admirable.
Some however (let’s call them false prophets), use the “word of God” to swindle communities out of money, flaunt their prestige, or avoid learning a trade to support themselves in lean times.
Their teachings are used to enhance their own lives.
Jesus tells his disciples, “Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.”
If the fruit is good, the tree that produced it is healthy and good.
The reverse is also true: if the fruit is bad, the tree is decayed and worthless.
He repeats his point: “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.”
This is true in nature and also in people.
Here, “bad fruit” refers to unrighteous deeds; “good fruit” refers to righteous deeds.
“Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
These statements are written in the passive voice, with God being the actor.
This could refer to the Day of Judgment, but culling out the bad trees sometimes allows the good ones to grow even stronger.
Nonetheless, all of this would be God’s work.
Jesus is not advocating violence towards the false prophets; he is warning people to ignore their message.
He ends by repeating the earlier statement, “Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”
They will be known by their fruits.
People are being asked at this point to be fruit inspectors, not to judge, but to inspect.
The repetition of this phrase, again, provides an inclusio, the framework marking the beginning and end of a section.
Scholars believe “fruit” in this section could refer to both the message and the life of the messenger.
The good are good; the bad will eventually reveal themselves.
Character matters.
The test is not how they they look, but how they are.
What kind of influence does their teaching and life have upon a community?
Do they encourage the narrow way or anything goes?
Do they teach the love of God, or do they say, “God loves me and I can do whatever I want”?
Basically, the difference in this group is between the people who have a good message and those who have a bad message. But they are all part of the group that chose the narrow gate.
Just because they went through the right gate doesn’t mean they are given a license to misbehave.
The moral suggestion of the message and the moral direction of one’s life are connected.
Let’s move on to the next fork.
The people standing at this point are the ones who chose the narrow gate and who are speaking the right message, producing the good fruit.
Next are two doers.

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