Luke 6:44 — Community Reflections

LUKE 6:44 — KING JAMES VERSION 0

“For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.”

Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers — the recognition of trees by their fruit is the practical hermeneutic for evaluating people. You cannot harvest figs from thorns or grapes from briers — the impossibility is the point: the nature of the plant determines the nature of the fruit. Character cannot ultimately hide behind behavior.

Church Fathers on Luke 6:44

Our Lord continues the words which He had begun against the hypocrites, saying, For a good tree brings not forth corrupt fruit; i.e. as if He says, If you would have a true and unfeigned righteousness, what you set forth in words make up also in works, for the hypocrite though he pretends to be good is not good, who does evil works; and the innocent though he be blamed, is not therefore evil, who does good works.
Bede · 8th century

But take not these words to thyself as an encouragement to idleness, for the tree is moved conformably to its nature but you have the exercise of free will; and every barren tree has been ordained for some good, but you were created to the good work of virtue.
TITUS BOST ·

He does not then exclude repentance, but a continuance in evil, which as long as it is evil cannot bring forth good fruit, but being converted to virtue, will yield abundance. But what nature is to the tree, our affections are to us. If then a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit, how shall a corrupt heart?
Isidore of Seville · 7th century

Read all 12 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain

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