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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Matthew 7:15 - 7:20
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat_7:15-20
15Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20So then, you will know them by their fruits.
Mat_7:15 "Beware of the false prophets" This is a present imperative. Jesus often spoke of false prophets (cf. Mat_24:4-5; Mat_24:11; Mat_24:23-24; Mar_13:22). It is always difficult to identify false proclaimers because they usually have an element of truth in their message, and one is not always certain of their motives. Therefore, it becomes a crucial question as to how believers ascertain who are false proclaimers. There are several elements which must be brought into the evaluation.
1. Deu_13:1-3; Deu_18:22
2. Tit_1:16 and 1Jn_4:7-11
3. 1Jn_4:1-3, Based on these criteria, Christians are able to make their evaluation.
Mat_7:15-20 deal with the issue of fruit inspection, while Mat_7:21-23 deal with people who bear seemingly good fruit, but have no personal relationship with God. There is both "a gate" and "a road" ; both an initial faith and a life of faith!
▣ "who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves" The wolf is the traditional enemy of the sheep (cf. Mat_10:16; Act_20:29). This may mean that one of the difficult aspects of the road that leads to life is that there are people who try to detour us by means of a false message (cf. Eph_4:14). Usually this message will have some personal advantage for the false prophets. They look so religious! Mat_7:21-23 show how wolves can look like sheep!
Mat_7:16 "You will know them by their fruits" This parable is unique to Matthew. This is a future indicative used as a present imperative (see also Mat_7:20). The question expected a "no" answer (like Mat_7:10). "Know" is emphatic, implying that believers can and must recognize false proclaimers. We can know them by their lifestyle priorities and their doctrinal teachings. It has often been questioned as to which of these make up one's fruit, when actually, both do.
1. their teachings (cf. Deu_13:1-3; Deu_18:22; Luk_6:45; 1Jn_4:1-3)
2. their actions (cf. Luk_3:8-14; Luk_6:43-46; Joh_15:8-10; Eph_5:9-12; Col_1:10; Tit_1:16; Jas_3:17-18; 1Jn_4:7-11)
How people live reflects
1. their true selves
2. their relationship with God
It is difficult to hold together the twin truths of an absolutely free invitation to a free salvation, with the demand of Christlikeness. Yet both are true! A good brief discussion of this is in Manfred T. Brauch, Abusing Scripture, pp. 104-116.
Mat_7:19 Because of John the Baptist's use of this same phrasing in Mat_3:10, many believe this was a common proverbial saying.