"Beware of false prophets: they come to you in sheep's clothing; but inside, they are voracious wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Do you ever pick grapes from thorn bushes; or figs, from thistles?
A good tree always produces good fruit. A rotten tree produces bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit; and a rotten tree cannot bear good fruit. Any tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruit." - Matthew 7:15-20
(Most probably Matthew gives us these words of JESUS for the benefit of certain believers in the early Church who considered themselves as charismatic prophets. They may well have received gifts of the Spirit but have degenerated since then. In a wider sense JESUS' words address all who encourage division, untruth and violence, even when they pretend to serve a just cause.
Prophets wore a sheepskin by way of a cloak: a wolf could hide in one. The world has always had a number of "false prophets," usually prophets of easy life, and if the word of GOD condemns them, many would say that their words have been misinterpreted. It would be well however to ask ourselves why our holy and sacred liberalism tends to sow death in all domains and smothers in so many the ability to believe and hope.
Do you ever pick grapes from thorn bushes? JESUS invites us to look at the facts before coming to conclusions. We find it hard to carefully observe the reality in which we live. We prefer to discuss and debate about ideas rather than to analyze particular situations. JESUS, accustomed to manual labor, distrusts ideas and theories.)
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