“Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good things, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person brings good things out of a good treasure, and the evil person brings evil things out of an evil treasure. I tell you, on the day of judgment you will have to give an account of every careless word you utter; for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” 

- Matthew 12:33-37

Chapter 12 of Matthew’s gospel describes events of one particular Sabbath. Jesus walks through a wheat field, picks grain to eat and, during a subsequent exchange with religious leaders, declares Himself to be “lord of the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:8). He then enters a synagogue and heals a man’s hand, which causes further discussion with religious leaders about Sabbath customs.  

As Jesus leaves the synagogue, a crowd follows and Jesus cures “all of them” (Matthew 12:15) and then He cures a man who had been rendered mute and blind by a demon (see Matthew 12:22). In response to the final healing, which involved casting out demons, religious leaders accuse Jesus of being an agent of Satan. Jesus responds saying that their position makes no sense – Satan would not remove demons, as that would be contrary to his plans. Jesus continues saying, “But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you” (Matthew 12:28).

Immediately following this exchange, Jesus states the passage first quoted above and the religious leaders ask Jesus for a sign to confirm His authority. Jesus had just healed a man in the synagogue, cured everyone in need in the crowd that followed Him, and cast out a demon from a person. We know the religious leaders saw Jesus heal in the synagogue and cast out the demon because they complain to Jesus about the acts; yet they ask Jesus for a sign that would confirm His authority. What more did they hope to see?

In the middle of this story involving Jesus revealing God’s glory, revealing the kingdom of God to everyone with eyes to see, and religious leaders being so hung up on matters relating to Sabbath customs that they were unable to see the kingdom of God as it was revealed to them, Jesus discusses good trees bearing good fruit and bad trees bearing bad fruit. Given this context, what is He saying?

God’s holy word frequently uses the image of fruit to help us understand the kingdom of God and our role as part of it. Jesus says, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). In the context of the teaching we see fruit equating to good deeds, loving service, tangible evidence of Jesus’s holy light revealed through us through our loving action.

Earlier, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said,

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits. Matthew 7:15-20

And before that, as John the Baptist taught about repentance, baptized in the wilderness and paved the way for Jesus, religious leaders went to the wilderness to be baptized by him. John greeted them saying,

You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Matthew 3:7-8

Just as fruit of the Spirit is tangible evidence of His holy transformation of our spirits and souls (see Galatians 5:22-23), the fruit we produce is tangible evidence of who we really are. Jesus’s word choice implies change.  

Jesus says, “make the tree good, and its fruit good… For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person brings good things out of a good treasure.” Just as fruit of the Spirit is tangible evidence of His holy transformation of our spirits and souls, the fruit we produce is tangible evidence of who we really are. Jesus’s word choice implies change. He says, “make the tree good, and its fruit good.” Something makes the tree good and as a result it produces good fruit. Something makes the person good, causes the person to do good deeds, and fills his or her heart with good treasure.

What causes good? We know that what God creates is good (see Genesis 1:31). We know that only God is good (see Luke 18:19). We know that, apart from God, we are each evil (see Colossians 1:21-23). God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is at the heart of everything good, and spiritual transformation through Him lies at the root of the gospel and is our only hope of embodying any amount of holiness. Jesus Christ offers redemption, new life, life abundant and total spiritual transformation, makes trees good, and builds up good treasure in hearts.  

No matter where you might be today, please know that Christ Jesus is with you, offering you His life and His transformation so that, through His indwelling, you are able to produce the best fruit ever. May you continue moving along the path towards Christ Jesus.