By Their Fruits You Shall Know Them
| Matthew 7:16 | |
|---|---|
| ← vii:15 7:17 → | |
 Sermon on the mount. January Luyken (1681 - 1762). | |
| Book | Gospel of Matthew |
| Christian Bible part | New Testament |
Matthew seven:sixteen is the sixteenth verse of the seventh chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Attestation and is function of the Sermon on the Mount. This verse continues the department warning against false prophets.
Content [edit]
In the King James Version of the Bible the text reads:
- Ye shall know them past their fruits. Practise men
- gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
The Globe English language Bible translates the passage as:
- By their fruits you volition know them. Do you
- gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?
The Novum Testamentum Graece text is:
- ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν αὐτῶν ἐπιγνώσεσθε αὐτούς
- μήτι συλλέγουσιν ἀπὸ ἀκανθῶν σταφυλὰς ἢ ἀπὸ τριβόλων σῦκα;
For a collection of other versions see here: Matthew 7:16
Analysis [edit]
The previous verse warned confronting faux prophets, and in this one Jesus tells his followers how to identify them. He does and then by beginning a new metaphor, wholly divide from the wolves and sheep 1 of the previous verse. The new metaphor turns to botany. It specifically refers to grapes and figs, which were both mutual crops in the region. Thornbushes and thistles also flourished in the region, and were a constant problem to farmers.[1] [ii] Jesus states that one will be able to identify faux prophets by their fruits. Fake prophets volition non produce expert fruits. Fruits, which are a common metaphor in both the One-time and New Testaments, represent the outward manifestation of a person'southward faith, thus their behaviour and their works.
This alert is paralleled in Luke half dozen:44 and appears again at Matthew 12:33, a like fruit metaphor also appears in Matthew 3. In those other places the poetry is an assail on the Pharisees, but here it targets imitation Christian prophets. Matthew also differs in diction from Luke 6:44. In Luke Jesus' words are a declarative statement, while in Matthew they are a rhetorical question. Matthew reverses the social club of the grapes and figs from Luke. He likewise replaces Luke'southward briarbush with thistles. Gundry feels that thistles were added to create a rhyme with thornbush in the original Greek. He also feels that the author of Matthew is imagining a thornbush as a corrupted version of a grapevine and a thistle as version of a fig tree.[iii]
This verse is thus usually understood every bit saying that one should not simply approximate a prophet by their words, but what is implied by fruits has been much debated. F. Dale Bruner notes that at that place are two competing views.[4] Fruits can be read every bit referring to the behaviour and life of these fake prophets. If their behaviour is non pious, one should not expect their words to exist.[5] This opinion was showtime advanced by John Chrysostom and is supported by many modern scholars such every bit Eduard Schweizer and Ulrich Luz. The alternate view is that fruits refers to the teachings of the false prophets, that the false prophets will be noticeable by teachings that don't adjust to right doctrine. This understanding has been supported by Augustine, Jerome, Martin Luther, and John Calvin.[six]
[edit]
Chrysostom: Yet He may seem here to have aimed under the title of false prophets, not so much at the heretic, as at those who, while their life is decadent, yet wearable an outward confront of virtuousness; whence it is said, By their fruits ye shall know them. For amidst heretics it is possible many times to find a good life, but among those I have named never.
Augustine: Wherefore it is justly asked, what fruits then He would have us look to? For many esteem amid fruits some things which pertain to the sheep'southward vesture, and in this style are deceived apropos wolves. For they practise fasting, almsgiving, or praying, which they display before men, seeking to please those to whom these things seem difficult. These then are not the fruits by which He teaches us to discern them. Those deeds which are done with good intention, are the proper fleece of the sheep itself, such as are washed with bad intention, or in error, are naught else than a clothing of wolves; but the sheep ought non to hate their own habiliment considering information technology is often used to hide wolves. What and then are the fruits by which we may know an evil tree? The Apostle says, The works of the mankind are manifest, which are, fornication, uncleanness, &c. (Gal. 5:19.) And which are they by which we may know a good tree? The same Apostle teaches, proverb, The fruits of the Spirit are dearest, joy, peace.
Pseudo-Chrysostom: The fruits of a human are the confession of his organized religion and the works of his life; for he who utters according to God the words of humility and a true confession, is the sheep; just he who confronting the truth howls forth blasphemies against God, is the wolf.
Jerome: What is hither spoken of faux prophets we may apply to all whose dress and spoken language promise one thing, and their actions showroom some other. But information technology is peculiarly to be understood of heretics, who past observing temperance, guiltlessness, and fasting, surround themselves as it were with a garment of sanctity, but inasmuch as their hearts inside them are poisoned, they deceive the souls of the more than simple brethren.
Augustine: But from their actions we may theorize whether this their outward appearance is put on for display. For when by whatever temptations those things are withdrawn or denied them which they had either attained or sought to attain by this evil, then needs must that information technology announced whether they be the wolf in sheep'due south clothing, or the sheep in his ain.
Gregory the Great: Likewise the hypocrite is restrained by peaceful times of Holy Church, and therefore appears clothed with godliness; but let any trial of religion ensue, straight the wolf ravenous at heart strips himself of his sheep's skin, and shows by persecuting how great his rage confronting the good.
Chrysostom: And a hypocrite is easily discerned; for the manner they are commanded to walk is a hard way, and the hypocrite is loth to toil. And that y'all may not say that you lot are unable to notice out them that are such, He again enforces what He had said past instance from men, maxim, Practice men assemble grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Augustine: In this identify nosotros must guard against the error of such every bit imagine that the two trees refer to two different natures; the one of God, the other not. But we affirm that they derive no countenance from these two copse; as it will exist axiomatic to any who volition read the context that He is speaking here of men.
References [edit]
- ^ Nolland, John. The Gospel of Matthew: a commentary on the Greek text. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2005 pg. 198
- ^ Harrington, Daniel J. The Gospel of Matthew. Liturgical Press, 1991 pg. 337
- ^ Gundry, Robert H. Matthew a Commentary on his Literary and Theological Art. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1982.
- ^ Bruner, Frederick Dale. Matthew: The Christbook, Matthew 1-12 Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2004 pg. 355
- ^ Davies, W.D. and Dale C. Allison, Jr. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel Co-ordinate to Saint Matthew. Edinburgh : T. & T. Clark, 1988-1997.
- ^ Bruner, Frederick Dale. Matthew: The Christbook, Matthew 1-12 Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2004 pg. 355
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_7:16