ACC ~ Matthew 12 v33 - 37

OVERVIEW:

One needs only to examine the fruit to discover what kind of tree it is. Having no fault to find with Jesus’ works, the fruit, the Pharisees passed the opposite judgment upon the tree, himself. They called him a demoniac, which, as anyone can see, is self-evidently reckless. For a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit (CHRYSOSTOM). In saying “make the tree bad and its fruit bad,” Jesus did not command us to do so but warned us to guard against those who think they are able, though they remain bad, to speak good things or to do good works (AUGUSTINE). The wicked have little business quoting Scripture and no moral right to twist it. An account must be rendered to God for every idle, careless and useless word (HILARY). Jesus calls them a “brood of vipers” because they prided themselves on their forefathers but had no advantage thereby (CHRYSOSTOM).

It is not surprising that they can utter nothing good, for words follow the disposition of the soul (THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA). The hidden fountain behind wicked words is the corrupted heart (CHRYSOSTOM). On the day of judgment each person must render an account of his or her words (JEROME, THEODORE OF HERACLEA). Those who watch how they speak need not fear judgment (CHRYSOSTOM).

12:33 | Trees Are Known by Their Fruit

EITHER-OR

HILARY: Though spoken in the present, Jesus’ words would be borne out in the future. For in the present he refutes the Jews. They could see that the works of Christ were beyond human power, but they were unwilling to declare them as works of God. In saying this Jesus anticipates the future of numerous perversions of faith, especially of those who would divest the Lord of the dignity and union with the Father’s nature and so plunge into heresy. They then wander aimlessly in the arena between those who act with the excuse of ignorance and those who live in the knowledge of truth. …

Through a tree’s inherent vitality, fruitfulness abounds. Therefore either the tree must be made good with good fruit or made bad with bad fruit, because by its fruit the tree is known. The meaning is not that a bad tree, according to the nature of trees, can constitute what is good or be good in its branches if it is bad. Rather, it is that Christ must either be left behind as useless or held onto as good because of the usefulness of good fruit. ON MATTHEW 12.18. [1]

[1] SC 254:284-86.

KNOWN BY ITS FRUIT

CHRYSOSTOM: This accusation [1] is against common reason, straining against all the other congruities in these circumstances. They brought no direct charge against his deeds but only against the one who did them. It is shameless to interpret maliciously. Even more so it is shameless to make up charges contrary to what everyone could see was happening.

Yet note how free Jesus is from contentiousness. For he did not simply say “Make the tree good and its fruit good.” Rather, he silenced them completely, demonstrating his own considerateness and their insolence, by saying in effect: So you are determined to find fault with my deeds. I do not quarrel with this. But I want you to be aware of how inconsistent and contradictory are your charges. For in this way your motives are transparent. You persist against what is all too clear to everyone else. In this way your malice is disclosed.

Truly the distinction between trees is shown by their fruit. It is not that the fruit is known by the tree, for one need only to examine the fruit alone to find what kind of tree it is. But what if it is argued that the tree is incongruous with the fruit? Nonetheless the fruit is what makes the tree known. His implication: It would be more consistent if you either found fault with my deeds or praised them, so that I could meet these charges openly. But having no fault to find with my works, the fruit, you pass the opposite judgment upon the tree, me. You call me a demoniac, which, as anyone can see, is self-evidently reckless. For a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 42.1. [2]

[1] From the Pharisees, Mt 12:24: “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.”

[2] PG 57:451; NPNF 1 10:268-69**.

MAKE THE TREE GOOD

AUGUSTINE: When he says, “Make the tree good and its fruit good,” this is not a friendly admonition but a clear command to be obeyed. And when Jesus says, “Make the tree bad and its fruit bad,” he does not command you to do so, but he warns you to guard against it. He is referring to those who think they are able, though they are bad, to speak good things or to do good works. This the Lord Jesus says they cannot do. For a person must first be changed in order for his works to be changed. But if a person remains in an evil state, that one cannot do good works. If he abides in what is good, he will not be found producing evil works. SERMONS ON NEW TESTAMENT LESSONS 72.1.1. [1]

[1] PL 38:467; NPNF 1 6:332 (Sermon 22). In opposing those who imagined they could do good works even while remaining inwardly corrupt, Jesus admonished them to be wary lest the fruit of good works become warped by an inwardly corrupted nature. In doing so he directed them by precept categorically to make the tree (the will) good. The moral status of the requirement to avoid evil is an admonition, while the moral status of the precept to “make the tree good” is an intrinsic necessity for anyone who seeks to do good.

12:34 | One Speaks from the Abundance of the Heart

ONE WHO IS EVIL CANNOT SPEAK GOOD

HILARY: He taught that a corrupt outlook on life arises out of a corrupted nature. He taught that from an evil storehouse nothing can come but what is evil. An account must be rendered to God for every idle, careless and useless word. We are to be condemned or justified by the words we speak. The mercy or the judgment we receive shall depend on the inward conviction we have about the Lord of heavenly glory. ON MATTHEW 12.19. [1]

[1] SC 254:288.

YOU BROOD OF VIPERS

CHRYSOSTOM: “If you are an evil tree, you cannot produce good fruit. I am not surprised at what you are saying. For being both ill bred and ill conceived, you have acquired an evil way of speaking.” See how precisely, and without any room for exception, Jesus defines their indictment. In a single phrase he uses their own arguments to demonstrate his point and to underscore his indictment. He calls them a “brood of vipers” because they prided themselves on their forefathers. To signify that they had no advantage thereby, Christ first throws out their exalted claims about their relation to Abraham and then assigns them to forefathers of similar disposition. He thus stripped them of their illusions. THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 42.1. [1]

[1] PG 57:451-52; NPNF 1 10:269**.

DISPOSITION OF THE SOUL

THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: “O worst of men,” he says, “you have not shrunk from any wickedness of vipers. So it is not surprising that you utter nothing good. For words follow the disposition of the soul. How can you speak good, when you are evil?” FRAGMENT 70. [1]

[1] MKGK 119.

12:35 | Good and Evil Treasures

THE FOUNTAIN BEHIND WICKED WORDS

CHRYSOSTOM: When wickedness is overflowing within, its words will pour out of one’s mouth. So when you hear someone speaking wicked words, do not suppose only so much wickedness to be in that one as the words display, but suspect the fountain to be much more abundant. For that which is spoken outwardly is the superabundance of that which is within. THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 42.1. [1]

[1] PG 57:452; NPNF 1 10:269.

GOOD OR BAD BY CHOICE

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: When he says “treasure,” Christ refers to the multitude of motives that lie in the soul. It is not by nature that people are good or bad but by their own choice. [1] He makes this plain in his remark to the Pharisees: It is possible for one and the same person at one time to become good, at another time evil, for “a good man speaks out of the abundance of his heart,” and likewise for the bad. FRAGMENT 158. [2]

[1] Cyril refers to Gnostics and Manichaeans, who identified humanity as good or evil according to nature, not free choice.

[2] MKGK 203.

12:36 | Rendering an Account

EVERY CARELESS WORD

JEROME: This, too, goes with what was said before, and the meaning is that on the day of judgment each person must render an account of his or her words. If an idle word which by no means edifies the listeners is not without harm to the speaker, how much more will you Pharisees, who criticize the works of the Holy Spirit and say that I cast out devils by Beelzebub the prince of devils, have to render an account of your criticism? An idle word is what is spoken without benefit to the speaker and the listener. We overlook serious things and utter frivolous things and tell old wives’ tales. One who acts like a buffoon and makes mouths drop with boisterous laughter and who utters disgraceful things—that person shall be held to account, not for an idle word but a slanderous word. COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 2.12.36. [1]

[1] CCL 77:96.

12:37 | Judged by One’s Words

CONDEMNED BY YOUR OWN WORDS

THEODORE OF HERACLEA: If we are called to account “for every careless word,” how much more will those who have blasphemed against the Spirit of the only begotten Son receive a more bitter punishment on the day of judgment. And if, Christ says, someone merely utters a slander against someone else, that one will by no means escape judgment. If they will give an account concerning an idle word, how much more so concerning a work. FRAGMENTS 88-89. [1]

[1] MKGK 81.

CAREFUL OF WORDS

CHRYSOSTOM: Do you see how far the Judge is from being vindictive? How favorable the account required? For it is not upon what someone else has spoken of you but from what you have yourself spoken. From this will the Judge give his sentence. This is the fairest of all procedures. It rests wholly with you to speak or not to speak.

So it is not those who are slandered but the slanderers who have cause to tremble and be anxious. Those slandered are not constrained to answer for themselves concerning the evil things said of them. But the slanderers will answer for the evil they have spoken. And over these words danger hangs. So persons censured should be without anxiety, not being required to give account of the evil others have said. But the censurers have cause to be in anxiety and to tremble, as being subject themselves to be dragged before the judgment seat. Hence slander is indeed a diabolical snare, and a sin containing no pleasure but only harm… .

So the plotter first destroys himself. One who walks on fire burns himself up. One who smites others bruises himself. One who kicks against the goads draws blood from himself. THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 42.2. [1]

[1] PG 57:453; NPNF 1 10:270.