Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 12:33
Verse 33. Either make the tree good] That is, the effect will be always similar to the cause; a bad tree will produce bad fruit, and a good tree, good fruit. The works will resemble the heart: nothing good can proceed from an evil spirit; no good fruit can proceed from a corrupt heart. Before the heart of man can produce any good, it must be renewed and influenced by the Spirit of God.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 33. Either make the tree good, and his fruit good , etc.] That is, either assert them both good, or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt : say they are both evil, for the contrary cannot be affirmed with any consistency and propriety: the matter is easy to be determined, for the tree is known by his fruit ; fruit will discover what a tree is, and accordingly judgment may be made. No man will say a tree is good, and its fruit corrupt; or say, that a tree is corrupt, and its fruit good: these are glaring contradictions, and can never be reconciled. The case Christ here puts, is a very easy and familiar one, and is obvious to common sense: the application of it may be made, either to the foregoing instance of Christs casting out devils, which the Jews ascribed to the help of Satan; and then the sense is, either say I am a good man, and do good works, or that I am an evil man, and do evil works: to say that I do good works, as the casting out of devils must be allowed to be, and yet am an evil man, and do this under satanical influence, is as great an inconsistency, as to say that a corrupt tree brings forth good fruit; either therefore condemn these miracles as evil actions, done by confederacy with Satan; or if you will allow them to be good ones, as you do, ascribe them to the Spirit of God; for these things may as easily be determined, as the cause by its effect, or as a tree is known by its fruit: or else this may be applied unto the Pharisees, who, though wicked men, pretended to do good works; and though they set up for men of religion and holiness, yet did evil things, as their words and actions testified; particularly the blasphemy just now uttered by them, charging the miracles of Christ as done by the assistance of the devil, which discovered the malignity and rottenness of their hearts: and the meaning of Christ is, that they would either both say, and do, that which is right and good; or relinquish their pretensions to the character of good and religious men: nothing can be concluded from hence in favour of free will, or a power in the creature to make himself good; for the word make, here signifies to say, affirm, assert, and the like; (see John 5:18 8:53 10:33). Though it may be fairly inferred from hence, that a man must first be a good man, ever he can perform good works, truly and properly so called; and that these are fruits and evidences of the inward real goodness of a man; which must be understood not of a few single actions, but of the common, constant series and course of life.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 33-37 - Men's language discovers what country they are of, likewise what manne of spirit they are of. The heart is the fountain, words are the streams. A troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring, must send fort muddy and unpleasant streams. Nothing but the salt of grace, cast int the spring, will heal the waters, season the speech, and purify the corrupt communication. An evil man has an evil treasure in his heart and out of it brings forth evil things. Lusts and corruptions, dwellin and reigning in the heart, are an evil treasure, out of which the sinner brings forth bad words and actions, to dishonour God, and hur others. Let us keep constant watch over ourselves, that we may spea words agreeable to the Christian character.
Greek Textus Receptus
η 2228 PRT ποιησατε 4160 5657 V-AAM-2P το 3588 T-ASN δενδρον 1186 N-ASN καλον 2570 A-ASN και 2532 CONJ τον 3588 T-ASM καρπον 2590 N-ASM αυτου 846 P-GSN καλον 2570 A-ASM η 2228 PRT ποιησατε 4160 5657 V-AAM-2P το 3588 T-ASN δενδρον 1186 N-ASN σαπρον 4550 A-ASN και 2532 CONJ τον 3588 T-ASM καρπον 2590 N-ASM αυτου 846 P-GSN σαπρον 4550 A-ASM εκ 1537 PREP γαρ 1063 CONJ του 3588 T-GSM καρπου 2590 N-GSM το 3588 T-NSN δενδρον 1186 N-NSN γινωσκεται 1097 5743 V-PPI-3S
