Scripture Daily

Context No. 2408 of 4322 · Matthew

Context · Reflection

Matthew 7:13-20: in context

13“Enter in by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter in by it. 14How narrow is the gate and the way is restricted that leads to life! There are few who find it. 15“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. 16By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles? 17Even so, every good tree produces good fruit, but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit. 18A good tree can’t produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit. 19Every tree that doesn’t grow good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

Near the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus sets out two gates and two ways: a wide road, easy and crowded, that ends in destruction, and a narrow one, harder to find, that leads to life. Then he warns about false prophets who arrive in sheep's clothing but are wolves inside, and gives the test: you will know them by their fruit. Grapes do not grow on thorns, nor figs on thistles.

The test cuts against our instinct to judge by appearance. A false prophet dresses like a sheep, and the costume is convincing. Jesus does not tell us to inspect the wool but to wait for the fruit, what a life or a teaching actually produces over time. A good tree cannot help bearing good fruit, and a bad one cannot fake it forever. That is patient, unglamorous discernment: not reacting to the first impression, but watching what grows. And the same test can be turned on my own life.

Am I judging teachers, and myself, by appearance and words, or by the fruit that actually grows over time?

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