MATTHEW CHAPTER 12

XX) [Mt 12:33]:

(v. 33) "Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit."

A) JUST AS ONE CAN MAKE A TREE GOOD OR BAD FOR A TIME, SO AN INDIVIDUAL CAN MAKE CHOICES THAT MAKE HIM GOOD OR BAD FOR A TIME

"Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit." =

The phrases "make a tree good" and "make a tree bad" imply that there are choices to be made in the planting and care of a tree which will make a tree good or bad. By virture of the verb, to make, a comparison is being made between how trees can be made good or bad by virtue of choices one makes in planting and caring for trees with choices an individual makes in his life which can make him "good" or "bad". The terms "good" and "bad" point to a description which is to be characteristic of the individual, as in a good individual, or a bad individual, as opposed to actions by one individual which can be described as bad or good.

On the other hand, since one can change how one cares for a tree and thereby change the tree's quality from good to bad or vice versa; then the descriptions "good" and "bad" relative to trees or people is not permanent. Hence an individual is portrayed in this passage as having the capacity to make choices throughout his life which will change his description from good which produces good fruit, to bad which produces bad fruit, or vice versa.

B) WHAT AN INDIVIDUAL DOES REFLECTS WHAT KIND OF PERSON HE IS - BUT THAT IS NOT A PERMANENT CONDITION, IT CAN BE CHANGED

(v. 33) "Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.", (cont.) =

The phrase "A tree is recognized by its fruit" implies that what an individual does, his fruit, reflects the kind of person that he is. This points to a general characterization of good or bad relative to what kind of person an individual is, i.e., his current but not permanent lifestyle pattern, rather than specific good or bad deeds a particular individual does from moment to moment in his life. Since a tree can be made good or bad, we conclude that a tree being good or bad is not a permanent condition, and can be changed.

C) FOR THE PURPOSES OF DISCUSSION OF HOW INDIVIDUAL'S BEHAVE, GOOD TREES ARE STIPULATED AS ONLY PRODUCING GOOD FRUIT AND BAD TREES, ONLY BAD FRUIT

(v. 33) "Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.", (cont.) =

Evidently, for the purposes of discussion, the phrase "make a tree good and its fruit will be good" implies that only good fruit can come from what is described here as a good tree. Likewise the phrase "make a tree bad, and its fruit will be bad" implies that only bad fruit can come from what is described here as a bad tree. Evidently, for the purposes of discussion of how individual's behave, there is no middle ground wherein a good tree might produce some bad fruit or a bad tree on occasion might produce some good fruit.

D) OTHER PASSAGES INDICATE THAT GOOD FRUIT COMES WHILE INDIVIDUALS ABIDE, I.E., ARE IN FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST. WITHOUT FELLOWSHIP SIGNIFIES WITHOUT GOOD FRUIT. HENCE THE TERM 'GOOD TREE' IS EQUATED WITH BEING IN FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST

1) [Compare Jn 15:1-8]:

(v. 1) "I am the true vine, and My Father is the Gardener.

(v. 2) He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

(v. 3) You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.

(v. 4) Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.

(v. 5) I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.

(v. 6) If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

(v. 7) If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.

(v. 8) This is to My Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples."

Other passages such as the one quoted above indicate that good fruit comes while individuals abide in Christ, i.e., act in fellowship with Jesus Christ. And they are unable to produce such fruit when they do not abide in Him. Hence we may draw the conclusion that the phrase "good tree" refers to an individual who acts in fellowship with Jesus Christ producing good fruit and a "bad tree" refers to an individual whose actions are not abiding in Christ, i.e., are not in fellowship with Him, wherein fruit produced if any is bad,

XXI) [Mt 12:33-35]:

(v. 33) "Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.

(v. 34) You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

(v. 35) The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him."

A) GOOD DEEDS ARE FROM ONE WHO IS FOR THE MOMENT OF GOOD CHARACTER. EVIL DEEDS FROM ONE WHO FOR THE MOMENT IS OF EVIL CHARACTER

(v. 33) "Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. (v. 34) You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. (v. 35) The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.." =

Considering the phrase "You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything Good?", Jesus is speaking evidently to the Pharisees, (cf. v. 12:24), in response to their accusation of Jesus being of demons as a result of observing Him casting out demons, (vv. 22-24). Verse 35 provides our Lord's logic of how good deeds reflect the character of a good person. He points out that a good man brings good things which are stored up in him and likewise, the evil man, evil. So it is illogical to conclude that such a good deed of casting out demons could be attributed to a person of demonic possession himself, rather than a good person doing such a good deed.

XXII) [Mt 12:33-36]:

(v. 33) "Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.

(v. 34) You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

(v. 35) The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.

(v. 36) But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken."

A) ALL MEN WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT FOR THEIR ACTIONS EVEN TO THE EXTENT OF EVERY CARELESS WORD SPOKEN

(v. 36) But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken." =

Notice that all men will be held accountable for their actions on the day of judgment even to the extent of every careless word spoken. This includes all men, for no man lives a lifetime without speaking at least one careless word.

XXI) [Mt 12:33-37]:

(v. 33) "Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.

(v. 34) You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

(v. 35) The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.

(v. 36) But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.

(v. 37) For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."

A) NO MAN WILL BE ACQUITTED, ALL WILL BE CONDEMNED BUT IT IS NOT STIPULATED THAT ALL MEN WILL INEVITABLY BE SENTENCED BY GOD TO SUFFER ETERNAL CONDEMNATION

(v. 36) "But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. (v. 37) For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." =

Since no man can claim sinless perfection especially avoiding even a careless word in his entire lifetime, then no one will be acquitted and all will be judged as condemned on the day of judgment. However, this passage does not stipulate that all those condemned will inevitably be sentenced to suffer eternal condemnation. Words to this effect are absent.

B) OTHER PASSAGES STIPULATE THAT THOSE WHO TRUST ALONE IN CHRIST ALONE WILL ENABLE THE CONDEMNATION CHRIST SUFFERED FOR THEM TO SUBSTITUTE FOR THEIR CONDEMNATION AND THEY WILL NOT SUFFER ETERNAL CONDEMNATION

(1 Jn 2:2) "He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world."

(Ac 10:43) "All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

Other passages stipulate that Christ paid the penalty for the sins of the whole world, (1 Jn 2:2), and that the individual who trusts alone in Christ alone to have paid the penalty for his sins is forgiven, (Acts 10:43), i.e., he will be acquitted in spite of the fact that his evil lifestyle reflected that he was a 'bad tree'; for all men are bad trees. Hence the condemnation that Christ suffered on the cross will be the substitute for the individual's condemnation for his evil lifestyle.