In yesterday’s post we noted that following the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus offers a series of four scenes which accent the importance of a real-world response to what has been heard – and then warns of the consequences of failing to respond. Today’s gospel addresses the second of the scenes – bearing good fruit in our Christian life.

The second scene focuses on the danger posed by false prophets who are not to be trusted. The term “prophets” locates these people within the Christian community and the imagery of wolves dressed as sheep indicates that the community contains imposters.

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. 16 By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?  Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.  So by their fruits you will know them.” (Mt 7:15-20)

It is not prophesy that is suspect, but “prophets” who do not produce Christian fruit – a common Matthean metaphor for true conversion that results in the kind righteousness called for in the Sermon on the Mount. It is a problem that continued past Matthew’s time and appears in the late 1st century documents, the Didache which also rails against pseudoprophētēs because of their destructiveness of the community.  The authority “claim” of a message from God, make the false prophets even more potentially destructive.

While “prophets” is the opening image, the focus contrasts those who bear/do not bear good fruit – thus the problem lies in more than “prophets.” There are workers of mighty deeds who are self-deluded about their relationship with God – perhaps because of the deeds. But the implication about the false prophets is that they are consciously putting on an act with hidden intentions behind their façade.  False prophets are a recurring problem in the OT, especially Zechariah 13 and Jeremiah (6, 28, and more). The NT appreciates the gift of prophecy (Mt 10:41, 23:34) but also has its concerns and calls the community to test purported divine communication.

The test of fruits is approached from a variety of aspects:

1. a basic principle that trees only produced according to their nature, good or bad (vv.17-18);
2. the fruit is judged according to its human usefulness (v.16b) – similar to the first principle in effect – but seems to say “assess by the fruits of the person, not their spiritual gifts;”
3. the end (v.19) reveals what is in store in that its fruits are not genuine and hence destroyed (cf. words of John the Baptist in 3:10)
4. The fruit reveals the tree and it is the final test of how to determine a false or true believer.

These verses reveal a profound truth about the nature of our faith and the transformation that should take place within us as followers of Christ. Just as a healthy tree naturally produces good fruit, so should our lives as believers manifest good works and virtues that reflect the presence of Christ within us.

But what does it mean to bear good fruit? It goes beyond mere outward actions; it encompasses the state of our hearts and the motivations behind our deeds. Good fruit includes acts of kindness, love, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, and selflessness. It is a life lived in obedience to God’s commandments and guided by the Holy Spirit. When we bear good fruit, we become channels of God’s grace and love in the world. Our actions and attitudes reflect the character of Christ and draw others closer to Him. Our lives become a testimony to the transforming power of the Gospel.

It is as the Catholic Church describes the pathway of sanctification/holiness between justification and salvation. However, it is important to note that bearing good fruit is not about earning our salvation. Salvation is a gift of God’s grace, received through faith in Jesus Christ. Good works do not save us, but they are fueled by grace and are the natural outflow of a heart that has been transformed by the saving work of Christ. As the apostle Paul reminds us in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

We are admonished to bear good fruit, but it is not something we do in our own strength but is the result of our intimate relationship with Christ. As we abide in Him, drawing nourishment from His Word and relying on His Spirit, we are empowered to live a life that is pleasing to God and beneficial to others.