Matthew 7:16-17
You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Jesus isn't just asking a rhetorical question; he's pointing out that we already understand this principle in everyday life: you can't expect grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles. He's calling us to apply this same common-sense discernment to spiritual matters, looking at the actual life and conduct – the fruit – of those who claim to speak for God, not just their outward appearance or claims.
Jesus has just warned his followers to "beware of false prophets" who appear harmless but are inwardly destructive. He's urging them to be discerning, because these deceivers won't always be obvious. This verse provides the practical test: just as you can't harvest good fruit from a thorny bush or a thistle, you can't expect genuinely good spiritual outcomes from those who don't truly follow God.
Jesus says we'll know people by their 'fruits.' But what exactly does that mean? Is it just about what they say, or something more?
When Jesus talks about 'fruits,' he's not just referring to someone's teachings or doctrines. The original Greek word, and its usage in Jewish thought, points to the entirety of a person's life and actions. Think of it as the observable results of their inner life – their whole behavior, their conduct, and the impact they have.
Jesus uses a simple, almost sarcastic question: 'Are grapes gathered from thornbushes?' What does this natural impossibility teach us about spiritual discernment?
The imagery Jesus employs here is designed to be self-evident. You simply cannot get grapes from a thornbush, nor figs from thistles. This isn't a matter of 'maybe' or 'sometimes'; it's an absolute impossibility because of the fundamental nature of the plant.
Understand the original words
epiginōskō · Greek Verb
To identify, distinguish, or perceive the nature of something or someone. In this context, it refers to the spiritual discernment required to identify true believers from false prophets.
karpos · Greek Noun
The external actions, character, or results produced by a person's life. In a theological sense, it refers to the evidence of the Holy Spirit's transforming work within a believer.
akantha · Greek Noun
A prickly or thorny plant; metaphorically used in Scripture to represent something worthless, unproductive, or indicative of the curse of the Fall.
tribolos · Greek Noun
A plant species noted for its prickly nature, often symbolic of unproductive labor or the consequences of living apart from God's blessing.
This passage from Luke is a parallel account, stating, 'For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit.' It reinforces Jesus' point that genuine character, like a tree's nature, will consistently produce its corresponding kind of 'fruit' or actions.
Matthew 12:33Here, Jesus directly connects the 'fruit' to the 'heart' and the 'mouth,' stating, 'Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for by their fruit is the tree known.' This emphasizes that our words and deeds are the outward evidence of our inner spiritual condition.
Galatians 5:22-23The Apostle Paul describes the 'fruit of the Spirit' as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This passage provides a positive example of what 'good fruit' looks like in a believer's life, contrasting with the 'thorns and thistles' Jesus mentions.
1 John 4:1This verse warns believers to 'test the spirits to see whether they are from God,' because many false prophets have gone out into the world. It directly relates to Jesus' teaching in Matthew 7, highlighting the need to discern true spiritual authenticity by examining the 'fruit.'
vincentMatthew 7:16: "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?"
Ye shall know (ἐπιγνώσεσθε)The compound verb indicates full knowledge. Character is satisfactorily tested by its fruits.
clarkeMatthew 7:16: "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?"
Ye shall know them by their fruits - Fruits, in the Scripture and Jewish phraseology, are taken for works of any kind. "A man's works," says one, "are the tongue of his heart, and tell honestly whether he is inwardly corrupt or pure." By these works you may distinguish (επιγνωσεσθε) these ravenous wolves from true pastors. The judgment formed of a man by his general conduct is a safe one: if…
Jesus isn't just asking a rhetorical question; he's pointing out that we already understand this principle in everyday life: you can't expect grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles. He's calling us to apply this same common-sense discernment to spiritual matters, looking at the actual life and conduct – the fruit – of those who claim to speak for God, not just their outward appearance or claims.
Jesus has just warned his followers to "beware of false prophets" who appear harmless but are inwardly destructive. He's urging them to be discerning, because these deceivers won't always be obvious. This verse provides the practical test: just as you can't harvest good fruit from a thorny bush or a thistle, you can't expect genuinely good spiritual outcomes from those who don't truly follow God.
Jesus has just warned his followers to "beware of false prophets" who appear harmless but are inwardly destructive. He's urging them to be discerning, because these deceivers won't always be obvious. This verse provides the practical test: just as you can't harvest good fruit from a thorny bush or a thistle, you can't expect genuinely good spiritual outcomes from those who don't truly follow God.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Matthew 7:16-17 is available in the Sola app.
agathos · Greek Adjective
Used metaphorically to describe a person's inner moral or spiritual condition. A healthy tree represents a person regenerated by God, producing righteous deeds.
sapros · Greek Adjective
Refers to moral or spiritual corruption. In this context, it describes the inner state of those who are spiritually dead or hypocritical, inevitably resulting in sinful conduct.
"You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit." — Jesus isn't just asking a rhetorical question; he's pointing out that we already understand this principle in everyday life: you can't expect grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles. He's calli…
