Matthew 12:33
Wednesday, 20 August 2025
“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Matthew 12:33
“Either you make the tree good and the fruit of it good, or you make the tree rotten and the fruit of it rotten. For from the fruit, the tree – it is known” (CG).
In the previous verse, Jesus spoke of speaking against the Holy Spirit and that such an offense will not be forgiven in the current age or the coming age. Next, He begins another thought with, “Either you make the tree good and the fruit of it good.”
The words are stated as an example of a truth that exists. If what Jesus proposes in metaphor were the case in humans, what He says would be the result. There are various types of trees. Some are good and some are bad. He is not speaking of each individual fruit, but of the type.
For example, one can make grafts and produce something good. The nature of the type of fruit is what is referred to. Understanding this, His words are explanatory of what has transpired in their discourse. The Pharisees stated that Jesus cast out demons by Beelzebul.
If this were true, then He would be aligned with the devil. However, He refuted this charge by stating that if that were true, Satan would have divided and his kingdom had fallen. So He could not be a bad tree. His fruits (casting out demons) were examples of good fruit. Because of this, their charges against Him were blasphemous. With that understood, He next says, “or you make the tree rotten and the fruit of it rotten.”
If Jesus were a bad tree, the fruits He issued forth would be bad. However, the first premise concerning good fruit has already shown that this cannot be the case. He has cast out demons, something they openly acknowledged with the words, “This, not He ejects the demons if not in Beelzebul, prince of the demons.”
Despite stating it in the negative, their words substantiate that He, in fact, cast out demons: “He ejects the demons.” As they have asserted this with their own words, and as ejecting demons is a good fruit, guess what? The tree must be a good tree, “For from the fruit, the tree – it is known.”
Jesus has taken control of their own words to demonstrate an exacting and undeniable truth. They didn’t say, “He pretends to eject,” as if His works were the works of a charlatan. It was obvious from the things He did that His works were real.
Throughout the gospels, the people who are highlighted as having demons cast out, those with afflictions or sicknesses, were known by others as being so afflicted, etc. Some were noted as being born that way, some were seen by the crowds before the healing, some were evidenced in advance to be so afflicted by those challenging Him (such as Matthew 12:9-14), etc.
What He did was not in question. What they challenged was the Source of His ability to do it. With His logical explanations, they must either concede what He says or be subject to blasphemy not of Him, but of the Holy Spirit.
Life application: When a person claims to heal by the power of Jesus and is later seen to be a false healer, it must be questioned how their actions line up with the logic of Jesus’ words. They are obviously bad trees because their fruits are bad.
However, if they are claiming they are fruits from a good source, their claims make a mockery of God and bring shame on the Spirit. Ascribing the work of the Spirit to Satan is shown to be an accusation worth condemnation. How about ascribing false fruits (false miracles) to the power of the Spirit?
How much will God tolerate from man before He says, “This line has been crossed?” God knows, we do not. However, for those who make false claims, it seems appropriate to say, “Man, I would not want to be the one standing next to him on judgment day.”
One of the best things we can do as followers of Jesus is to be honest in our actions and claims concerning God. We should never ascribe to God something that didn’t happen. False tongues, false healings, false dreams and visions, etc., should never be ascribed to the power of the Holy Spirit.
If we had a dream that seemed real to us, it does not mean it was from God. It is best not to make a claim in such a case than to incorrectly claim. If you had an experience you think might have been from God, either keep it to yourself or tell others without trying to make a claim that may not be what you think it was.
How often do you hear people say something like, “The Lord showed me to do XX,” or “the Lord gave me insight into XX.” However, the thing later doesn’t pan out or proves to be incorrect. The person claimed it was of the Lord when it wasn’t. It is best to avoid any such rash claims.
Lord God, may our actions and words be so honest and reliable that people won’t mind standing next to us on the day we stand before You for judgment. Amen.
