Known by its fruit

#Matthew 12:33

#gospel #biblestudy #whatjesussaid

"Either make the tree fine and the fruit of it excellent
or make the tree rotten and the fruit of it worthless
for by the fruit the tree is known."

Some language points

In #greek "Good" is KALON" which also translates as fine or excellent or beautiful.

Rotten and worthless are two possible readings of  Greek sapros.

Note the use of MAKE in an Imperative form.

Coming after a passage in which he rebuked the Pharisees for claiming his healing powers came from demons and asked who they got their powers from?

Its not just the tree and its fruit being good or bad. They can be made good or bad. Sapros is not just flawed imperfect fruit its fruit that is rotten infected diseased  or moldy.

However trees can be healed like people or churches or whole religions.

You can trim infected branches and perform other actions.

A recent example might be the actions of the #Duggar family.

Instead of removing the infected fruit they're trying to down play the sexual misconduct of their offspring and one has to wonder what flaws are in the rest of the family tree?

How do you heal trees or families?

Sound healthy food compost or manure and clean water.

Cut out infected parts and burn infected fruit or wood.

Fundamentalism is it a poison ?

Known by its fruit?