Scripture Reading: Matthew 12:33-37
Review and Explanation: Yesterday I wrote about how Jesus called on people to make a decision about Him with these words in 12:33: "Either make the tree good and its fruit good or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit." Beginning with the next verse, Jesus locates where that decision must take place; namely, in a person's heart.
Jesus starts out making this point by calling the Pharisees a "brood of vipers". His epithet was more than just a colorful phrase. He was identifying the Pharisees as the spiritual heritage of the devil, the serpent that inspired the original rebellion against God in the Garden. Keep in mind, the rebellion resulted in humankind being divided into two sides: the side of the serpent vs. the side of the promised offspring of the woman, the promised Deliverer-King. Jesus was saying the Pharisees belong to the side of the serpent.
At the end of 12:34, Jesus asks this rhetorical question: "How can you speak good, when you are evil?" Then He drives home the point: "For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil." With these words, Jesus locates the source of any decision about Him as coming from a person's heart. The decision gets expressed by the person's mouth (more on this tomorrow), but the decision itself goes much deeper, all the way to the core of a person's being.
Notice how Jesus underscores the reality of only two sides: the side of "good" and the side of "evil". The side of "good" is the side that recognizes Him for the "good" fruit that He is bearing and therefore for the "good" tree that He is. The side of "evil" comes to the opposite conclusion.
Keep in mind, the particular outcome of speaking "good" or "bad" about Jesus is inseparably connected to one or the other type of heart. In other words, a "good" heart cannot make an "evil" declaration about Jesus nor can an "evil" hear make a "good" declaration about Him. This takes us back to the rhetorical question Jesus asked. Through it, Jesus exposed the kind of heart the Pharisees had; that is, an "evil" one, and therefore the utter impossibility of them expressing with their mouths the "good" conclusion about Jesus. So, in addition to everything else, Jesus also teaches in this passage the necessity of a heart change if anyone is make the "good" decision He calls on them to make about Him.
In tomorrow's post, I'll write more on where that heart change comes from, along with more on the connection between what is in a person's heart and what comes out of their mouth.
Reflection questions:
1. What can believers in Christ do to cultivate the "good" in their hearts toward the Lord? Do you know any Scriptures to go with your answers?
2. Which of the above are you personally doing by habit? Which do you need to begin doing?
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