Ye shall know them by their fruits.

This common figure is wonderfully expressive. Not leaves (professions), or appearance, are the proper tests of the life that is in the tree, but the fruit it bears. We are to test men and every institution by this principle. The man whose life is evil is of the evil one. Any institution that produces pernicious results should come to nought.

Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles.

These fruits are most highly prized in the East. From teachers we are to look only for valuable fruit; but false teachers can only bear after their kind. They are "thorns" and "thistles." The point the Savior insists on is the impossibility of getting good fruit from bad herbs or plants.

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