MATTHEW – A
TREE IS JUDGED
By Hugh
Matthew's Jesus declares: “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but
inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men
gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth
evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth
good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good
fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall
know them." (Matthew 7:15-20 KJV; see also Luke
In
these verses, Jesus vigorously affirms his opinion that what is good cannot
possibly produce evil, and conversely, that what is evil cannot possibly
produce good: " A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit,
neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit." Viewed from this
New Testament all or nothing perspective, Christianity cannot be considered
good since so many wrongs have issued from it since its inception. Therefore, according to the New Testament, should all of
Christianity be condemned because some that profess to be Christians have
committed horrific crimes in the name of Jesus?
To argue, as many Christian apologists do, that the
evils resulting to the world in the wake of Christianity are not really of
Christian origin is tantamount to claiming that the bad fruit growing on a tree
were not produced by the tree. No amount of explaining can absolve Christianity
from the innumerable wrongs stemming from the hegemony it has exercised over
vast areas and peoples in the course of it tortuous history.
Matthew
also records Jesus as saying: " Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord,
shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father
which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not
prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out
devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And
then will I profess unto them, I never
knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:21-23 KJV)
Jesus' above statements do not equivocate. It's all
or nothing. How does this apply to Christianity, which has spoken in the name
of Jesus and in his name "do many mighty works” (ASV)? Could
Jesus possibly accept any group or individual that claims to be Christian? To
be true to his own dictum that bad fruit can never be produced by a good tree,
Jesus would disown and reject Christianity for all the evil it has perpetrated
in his name. No Christian group or individual is exempt for all are the fruit
of a bad tree. That is because many of the horrors Christians have subjected
the world to be the direct result of Jesus' teachings as found in the
Gospels.
Echoing
the warning of the Matthean Jesus, "He who is not with me is against
me..." (Matthew
So many
Jews throughout history have been butchered because of those two
thoughts!
The
graves of those killed by the hands of the Christians―in
the name of Christianity― are as numerous as the stars visible in the
sky. Yes, a tree (Christianity) is known by its fruits (its deeds against the
Jews).