Matthew 7:19

Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(19) Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit.—The crowds who listened must, for the most part, have recognised the words as those which they had heard before from the lips of the Baptist, and they served accordingly as a link connecting the teaching of our Lord with that of the forerunner. (Comp. Matthew 3:10.)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

7:15-20 Nothing so much prevents men from entering the strait gate, and becoming true followers of Christ, as the carnal, soothing, flattering doctrines of those who oppose the truth. They may be known by the drift and effects of their doctrines. Some part of their temper and conduct is contrary to the mind of Christ. Those opinions come not from God that lead to sin.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A corrupt tree - The word "corrupt" here does not signify, as our translation would seem to indicate, that the tree "had been" good, but had become "vitiated;" but that it was a tree of a useless character, of a nature that produced nothing beneficial.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

19. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire—(See on [1232]Mt 3:10).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "Matthew 7:20".

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit,.... Every preacher and teacher that does not bring the Gospel of Christ with him, and plainly and faithfully preach it to the people, sooner or later,

is hewn down: however he may have appeared as a tall lofty cedar, and have carried it with a high hand against Christ and his Gospel, spoke "great swelling words of vanity", and behaved with much "loftiness" and "haughtiness"; yet the time comes on, when all this is bowed and made low, "and the Lord alone is exalted": such preachers are either cut off from the churches of Christ, or hewn down by death,

and cast into the fire; into the fire of hell; into the lake of fire and brimstone, "where the beast and false prophet shall be".

Geneva Study Bible

Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Matthew 7:19. Simply a thought introduced by the way (not as being necessary for the logical connection of Matthew 7:16-20), and pointing to the condemnation to Gehenna which awaits the false prophets. Comp. with Matthew 3:10.

Expositor's Greek Testament

Matthew 7:19. en look on this as so certain that they do not hesitate to cut down and burn a degenerate tree, as if it were possible it might bring forth good fruit next year.—μὴ ποιοῦν, if it do not, that once ascertained. Weiss thinks this verse is imported from Matthew 3:10, and foreign to the connection.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

19. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, &c.] To this day in the East trees are valued only so far as they produce fruit.

Bengel's Gnomen

Matthew 7:19. Δένδρον, a tree) The allegory is continued.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 19. - Matthew only (cf. Matthew 3:10, vide infra). Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. A parenthesis expressing the terrible fate of those the general product (ver. 16, note) of whose life is not good. Christ will warn his followers plainly against listening to them. Observe that the form of the sentence (πᾶν δένδρον μὴ ποιοῦν καρπόν, κ.τ.λ.) implies that all trees will be cut down unless there is a reason for the contrary; that the normal event (the natural result of universal sin, apart, of course, from Christ's atonement) is that men are condemned and perish. In Matthew 3:10 this general statement is applied (οϋν) to a definite time of impending judgment. Matthew 7:19