Luke 6:44

44 for every tree is known of his fruit. And men gather not figs of thorns, neither men gather a grape of a bush of briers.

Luke 6:44 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 6:44

For every tree is known by its own fruit
Good and bad preachers are known by their doctrines, the one being agreeable, the other disagreeable to the word of God; and good and bad men are known by their lives and conversations: the grace of God revealed to good men, and wrought in them, teaches them to live soberly, righteously, and godly; a holy life is the fruit of grace, and an evidence of it; and the wickedness that is in the heart of unregenerate men, and even the hypocrisy of formal professors, will show themselves in the common and ordinary course of their conversations:

for of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather
they grapes;
nor can they be expected from them: and no more can an unregenerate man perform good works, or bring forth: fruits of righteousness acceptable unto God; for these require a knowledge of his will, obedience to it, a principle of grace, love to God, faith in Christ, and a view to the glory of God; all which are wanting in such a person.

Luke 6:44 In-Context

42 Or how mayest thou say to thy brother, Brother, suffer, I shall cast out the mote of thine eye, and thou beholdest not a beam that is in thine own eye? Hypocrite, first take out the beam of thine eye [first cast out the beam of thine eye], and then thou shalt see to take out the mote of thy brother's eye.
43 It is not a good tree [Forsooth it is not a good tree], that maketh evil fruits, neither an evil tree, that maketh good fruits;
44 for every tree is known of his fruit. And men gather not figs of thorns, neither men gather a grape of a bush of briers.
45 A good man of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things, and an evil man of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things [A good man of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good thing, and an evil man of evil treasure bringeth forth evil thing]; for of the plenty of the heart the mouth speaketh.
46 And what call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not those things that I say.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.