False Prophets

Today's Reflections 

      

 

False Prophets 

 

Mt 7:15-20

[Jesus said to his disciples,] ¹⁵“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. ¹⁹Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰So by their fruits you will know them.”

BY THEIR FRUITS YOU WILL KNOW THEM. Prophets speak the word of God to their contemporaries. They are not tellers of future events, but they can predict the consequences of people’s actions. And so when Israel or any nation violates the will of God, the people can expect judgment. When Israel calls on a powerful nation—like Assyria or Babylonia—instead of trusting in God’s protection, the prophet will predict that this ally will one day turn against Israel and make the nation its vassal.

It is not always easy to distinguish the true prophet from the false. Both claim to speak in the name of the Lord. One guide is to see if his oracles prove true. But this is not always a sure-fire proof. Another indicator is the authenticity of his word; a true prophet is committed to the faith of Israel. Still another gauge is the life of the prophet himself. A genuine prophet proclaims the word of the Lord even if it is hard to the hearing of the rulers and the people. A false prophet may twist the word of God for his personal gain or advantage; a true prophet proclaims the word “in season and out of season.”

Ultimately, a sure guide to the authenticity of the prophets is the fruit of their lives. Jesus says, “By their fruits you will know them.” This applies not only to prophets but also to all human beings. People may be good in acting or in pretending, but eventually their true character will be unmasked by their manner of life.

“What you are shouts so loudly in my ears

I cannot hear what you say”

(Ralph Waldo Emerson).

It is our good life—the good fruits that we bear—

that will make people pay attention to us.