A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit. 44 For every tree is known by its own fruit. For people do not pick figs from thornbushes, nor do they gather grapes from brambles. 45 A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.
46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I command? 47 I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, listens to my words, and acts on them. 48 That one is like a person building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when the flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it because it had been well built. 49 But the one who listens and does not act is like a person who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, it collapsed at once and was completely destroyed.”
In this passage, Jesus teaches a simple but powerful truth: what is in our hearts shapes the life we live. He begins with a striking image: “A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit” (v. 43). Just as a tree is recognized by the quality of its fruit, a person’s true character is revealed by their actions. He reinforces this with a concrete example: “People do not pick figs from thornbushes, nor do they gather grapes from brambles” (v. 44). The message is clear—our words and deeds reflect what is in our hearts.
Jesus continues, “A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks” (v. 45). The “fullness” refers to the reservoir of thoughts, desires, and intentions within us. What fills our hearts—love, truth, mercy, or envy, deceit, and anger—will inevitably shape what we say and do. Modern commentators emphasize that Jesus is pointing not to isolated actions, but to the consistent pattern of life that reveals the condition of the heart (Paulist Biblical Commentary, 2018).
He then challenges the difference between words and deeds. Many may call Him “Lord, Lord,” professing faith with their lips, but fail to act according to His teaching (v. 46). Jesus gives a vivid image: someone who hears His word and acts on it is like a person who carefully builds a house on solid rock (vv. 47-48). The effort to dig deeply and secure the foundation mirrors the careful attention and wholehearted commitment we must give to living out Christ’s teaching—a commitment that may require letting go of anything that hinders our faith and following Him without reservation (Lk. 14:26-33). When the flood comes—symbolizing trials, temptations, and challenges—the house stands firm.
By contrast, a person who hears His word but does not act on it is like someone building on unstable ground (v. 49). When the flood comes, the house collapses. The imagery is tangible: hearing without acting produces predictable consequences. Just as the servant in the parable of the talents buried the coin he was given and suffered dire consequences (Mt. 25:24-30), so too a disciple who ignores God’s guidance experiences the predictable outcome of inaction. The house and the flood illustrate the real-life impact of neglecting what God entrusts to us—whether His Word, His grace, or the gifts He has placed in our hands.
This passage calls us to examine the “store of goodness” in our hearts. We are invited to cultivate love, mercy, and truth, allowing them to guide our words, our decisions, and our actions. True discipleship is measured not by mere words or outward profession, but by faithful obedience that produces stability, resilience, and blessing in life. Just as a tree is known by its fruit, a disciple is recognized by the life that flows from a heart aligned with God.
Lord, help me to fill my heart with goodness, so that my words and deeds reflect Your love. Teach me to act on Your word faithfully, building my life on the solid foundation of Your truth, that I may withstand every trial and produce good fruit through Your grace, for Your glory. Amen.
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Sources and References:
- The Holy Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition (2011).
- The Paulist Biblical Commentary, ed. José Enrique Aguilar Chiu et al. (2018).
- A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture, ed. Bernard Orchard et al. (1953).
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