From Matthew 12:33-37 / Careless Words

There is little doubt this section is tied to Jesus’ confrontation with the Pharisees in the verses above.

Note first that Jesus is reiterating a principle He previously articulated in Ch. 7. What we said there also applies here: That the most common misunderstanding of the simile comes from an idea which in fact does not exist – that there is some sort of generic “tree” (which people are), and that this tree can produce either good fruit or bad or corrupt fruit. But this is not true either in the simile nor is it His thought. The comparison in 7 is between fruit trees, and thorn bushes. The same idea is present here. The issue is one of ontology. One wouldn’t expect a pear from a thorn bush under ANY conditions, nature. His point isn’t about what people do or do not do nakedly, but what people are or are not.

While this admonition certainly can be taken in the broad sense, it is particularly here aimed at making pronouncements and judgments regarding men and their actions – and being judged as either good or bad. We must be exceedingly careful here, not to justify the wicked, nor to condemn the innocent. Our tendency to rush to judgment carries with it very great consequences.

We need to become new creatures. We come into this world thorn bushes. And we need to be transformed into fruit trees. Something which can only be done by His amazing grace and power. It cannot be done by the mere reformation of actions.

And here, the fruit of His good works testify to who and what He is, even as the lying and denigrating words of the Pharisees reveal their hearts. Due to their nature, they are incapable of speaking true good as regards Him.

Note second that this principle is universally true: Out of the abundance of the heart, that’s what makes its way into our communications. And it is a sobering thought to contemplate. What is the predominating content of our own words, and the tenor in which they are spoken? It is a searching question indeed.

Alistair Begg relates an incident once of when he was driving. Frustrated by other drivers making poor moves, not stepping on the gas after the light turned green etc., he was in the confines of his car making all sorts of negative comments about the other drivers. When all of a sudden he heard from the back seat by his young son “and there’s another kind word from your pastor.”

In a time when the anonymity of the keyboard gives us permission to comment and post on almost everything and anything – we need to examine what it is the abundance of our words reveals. Proverbs 8:13 says: “The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.” And 22:11 “He who loves purity of heart, and whose speech is gracious, will have the king as his friend.”

Our speech patterns are vitally important. We dare not overlook them.

Note thirdly, that this principle is so important, that Jesus can say “by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Now He is not speaking here of justification in the salvific sense. Rather, the idea is that hypocrites will eventually be revealed. And one of the sure criteria of what gives testimony as to whether or not we have changed hearts, will be the examination of what we have spent our time talking about. Indeed, His use of the word “careless” in vs. 36 must not be overlooked. It refers to what is idle and ultimately useless. Useless. If the main characteristic of our discourse in life is nothing but useless matter – what will we say in the last day?

But here then is the wonder of our Christ revealed as well. Luke 4:22 tells us how the crowds marveled “at the gracious words that were coming from His mouth.” His gracious speech was so profoundly evident, that people marveled at it. What must that have been like?

No wonder then Peter said to Him “you have the words of eternal life.”

Oh, may we be noted for the same.

In Acts 4, in the aftermath of having been examined by the Jewish leadership, by virtue of Peter and John’s boldness and speech, “they recognized that they had been with Jesus.”

Does our speech betray the same thing? Oh Holy Spirit, make it so in my life.