Chapter

Matthew 12:33

ESV "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.
NIV "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.
NASB Either assume the tree to be good as well as its fruit good, or assume the tree to be bad as well as its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit.
CSB "Either make the tree good and its fruit will be good, or make the tree bad and its fruit will be bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.
NLT A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad.
KJV Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.
NKJV “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.

What does Matthew 12:33 mean?

The Pharisees are enduring another rebuke from Christ. This comes in the aftermath of their unforgivable sin: to associate a miracle from Christ with Satanic power (Matthew 12:22–32). These kinds of interactions would have surprised many people of first-century Israel: the Pharisees were thought to be the best example of good. They posed as the model of faithfulness to God. As strict legalists, they measured their righteousness by keeping lists of rules and regulations, which were far more restrictive than the actual laws given through Moses.

Rather than praising their behavior, Jesus bluntly condemns them. It's common sense to judge the quality of a fruit tree by looking at what it produces: good or bad fruit. The Pharisees have shown their spiritual "fruit" in accusing Jesus of blasphemy for claiming to be the Messiah. They have revealed the real nature of their hearts by claiming His power to cast out demons comes from Satan. In truth, they are the ones guilty of blasphemy.

In the final judgment, faith in Christ is the line in the sand (John 14:6). It's either the One, or nothing at all (John 3:36). Anyone who does not recognize Him as the Messiah is on the bad side of that line. By making such an obvious, hard-hearted attempt to reject Him (Matthew 12:24), the Pharisees leave no room to claim they merely made a mistake or didn't get it. Their rejection of Him shows they are actually evil in their hearts.
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