WEDNESDAY- 12^TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME -B

Gospel: Matthew 7:15-20: You will able to tell them by their fruits.

I Reading: 2 Kings 22:8-13. 23:1-3: In the people’s hearing the king read out everything that was said in the book of the covenant found in the Temple of the Lord, and in the presence of the Lord he made a covenant.

The Warning about False Prophets

Jesus Christ is talking about prophets, men who proclaim and teach the gospel. There are some who are false prophets, men who proclaim and teach a false gospel. Christ says seven things about false prophets. (Cf. Gal 1:6-9).

1.     Their presence: Beware (v.15)

2.     Their chief trait: they appear as sheep, but inwardly they are wolves (v.15)

a.     Outwardly: as sheep

b.    Inwardly: are wolves

3.     Their revealing mark: the fruit they gather (v.16)

4.     Their true nature: is not good, but corrupt and evil (v.17)

5.     Their hopeless fruit: cannot bear good fruit, but only bad and corrupt fruit (v.18)

6.     Their terrible future: judgement (v.19)

7.     Their fruit: exposes them (v.20)

Thought: “By their fruit you will recognize them.”

1)    “Test the spirits,” the prophets (1Jn 4:1)

2)    “Test everything,” the prophet’s fruit (1Th 5:21)

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