Luke 6:44

For each tree is known by its own fruit. Which fruit it is by which a tree should be distinguished as good or evil, the Apostle shows, saying: "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, quarrels, …

For they do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they harvest grapes from a bramble. I think thorns and the bramble are the cares of the world and the pricks of vices, about which it was said to the sinful man: Your land will …

Or, I think the thorns and bramble are the cares of the world and the prickings of sin, but the figs and the grapes are the sweetness of a new life and the warmth of love, but the fig is not gathered from the thorns nor the grape from the bramble, because the mind still debased by the habits of the old man may pretend to, but cannot bring forth the fruits of the new man. But we must know, that as the fruitful palm tree is inclosed and supported by a hedge, and the thorn bearing fruit not its own, preserves it for the use of man, so the words and acts of the wicked wherein they serve the good are not done by the wicked themselves, but by the wisdom of God working upon them.

And therefore he adds: For every tree is known by its own fruit. And this is what is said in Matthew 7: "By their fruits you shall know them," because, as is said in Galatians 5, "the works of the flesh are manifest, which are …

If the fruit be good, you may conclude that the tree is so; if the conversation be holy, heavenly, and regular, though you cannot infallibly know the heart, yet you may charitably hope that it is upright with God; for every tree is known by its fruit.

Christ justifies his disciples in a work of necessity for themselves on that day, and that was plucking the ears of corn, when they were hungry on that day. This story here has a date, which we had not in the other evangelists; it was on the second sabbath after the first (

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens

For every tree is known by its own fruit,....

We learn, in the first place, from these verses — the great danger of listening to false religious teachers. Our Lord compares such teachers and their hearers to the blind leading the blind, and asks the reasonable question, "Shall they not both fall into the ditch?" He goes on to confirm the importance of His warning by declaring, that "the disciple is not above his master," and the student cannot be expected to know more than his teacher. If a man will hear unsound instruction — then we cannot expect him to become otherwise than unsound in the faith himself.

We learn, in the first place, from these verses — the great danger of listening to false religious teachers. Our Lord compares such teachers and their hearers to the blind leading the blind, and asks the reasonable question, "Shall they not both fall into the ditch?" He goes on to confirm the importance of His warning by declaring, that "the disciple is not above his master," and the student cannot be expected to know more than his teacher. If a man will hear unsound instruction — then we cannot expect him to become otherwise than unsound in the faith himself. The subject which our Lord brings before us here, deserves far more attention than it generally receives. The amount of evil which unsound religious teaching has brought on the Church in every age, is incalculable. The loss of souls which it has occasioned, is fearful to contemplate. A teacher who does not know the way to Heaven himself — is not likely to lead his hearers to Heaven. The man who hears such a teacher, runs a fearful risk himself of being lost eternally. "If the blind lead the blind — then both must fall into the ditch!" If we would escape the danger against which our Lord warns us — then we must not neglect to test the teaching that we hear by the holy Scriptures. We must not believe things — merely because ministers say them. We must not suppose, as a matter of course — that ministers can make no mistakes. We must call to mind our Lord's words on another occasion, "Beware of false prophets!" (Matthew 7:15.) We must remember the advice of Paul and John — "Prove all things." "Try the spirits — whether they are of God." (1 Thessalonians 5:21; 1 John 4:1.) With the Bible in our hands, and the promise of guidance from the Holy Spirit to all who seek it — we shall be without excuse if our souls are led astray.