Breaking the Word

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. So by their fruits you will know them. (Mt 7:15-20)

Prophets were called by God to reveal God to the people. They were speaking for God. They set the mind of God among people. They were not foretellers rather they were forth-tellers. They were not speaking before hand what was to happen (this was also done in some cases but not always) they were telling strongly to the people the plan of God the mind of God the demands of God.

So, false prophets were wolves in sheep clothing. Sheep is suppose to be a harmless creature. It is not only harmless but also it cannot save itself, help itself. It always needed someone to care for it and defend it and lead it through. Here the false prophets move about like the sheep among sheep (people of Israel) but they are wolves. Wolves are the real enemies of the sheep. False prophets are the real enemies of the people.

The false prophets are known by their fruits. Fruits of the trees reveal the tree. Here Jesus enters into a moral statement (Good tree and bad tree). But Jesus very specific about the prophets and he is not judging them rather he is warning his disciples to see the fruits of the trees (actions of the prophets). It is this that will help the people to find out the true prophets from the false ones. 

"Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces

"Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets. "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few. (Mt 7:6,12-14)

Holy thing and precious thing are not for animals. Animals are also God’s creation and in a sense they reflect the glory of God. We can even say that they also share the holiness of God. But what Jesus discusses here is regarding the holiness that is achieved or can be achieved. Animals cannot pursue after holiness and they will not be able to distinguish between good, precious great from the ordinary and unholy things.

"Do to others whatever you would have them do to you”. This is the golden rule of Jesus. This is the minimum criterion that is proposed to man. Man should be concerned about the other. Man should go out of his way to be good and to do good. In this man should keep in mind what he expects from the other. His expectation from the others should be expressed first in his own life.

Entering through the broad and wide roads and gates makes the one as indecisive. Because he does not decide or makes his option to enter. He may be pushed through and since there are many who follow this road or the way he is one among the crowd. But entering through a narrow gate would mean that he has to make his decision to enter and has to struggle through to enter. Jesus says that life has to be live with personal decisions and options and not just carried away by the crowd or pushed through by the others.