A Tree And Its Fruit
Navigating Life's Path: A Tree's Lesson on Choices and Consequences
Lyrics
Enter Ye in at the strait gate:
Encouragement to enter through a difficult or narrow path
for wide is the gate, and broad is the way,
Contrasting the easy, popular way that leads to destruction
that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Many people take the path of destruction
because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way,
The gate to life is narrow, and few find it
which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Few people find the path leading to life
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing,
Warning about false prophets appearing as harmless but being harmful
but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
False prophets may have malicious intentions despite their appearance
Ye shall know them by their fruits.
Identifying false prophets by their actions or "fruits"
Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Rhetorical question about the nature of gathering fruits from certain plants
Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit;
Good trees produce good fruits
but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
Corrupt trees produce bad fruits
A good tree cannot bringeth forth evil fruit,
A good tree cannot produce bad fruits
neither can a corrupt tree bringeth forth good fruit.
A corrupt tree cannot produce good fruits
Every tree that bringeth not good fruit is hewn down,
Trees not producing good fruits will be cut down and destroyed
and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruit ye shall know them.
Identifying individuals by their actions or deeds
Not everyone that saith unto me, lord,
Not everyone claiming allegiance will enter heaven
lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;
Only those who follow the divine will can enter heaven
but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven.
People might claim spiritual accomplishments, but true acceptance is based on obedience
Many will say to me in that day, lord,
People might claim familiarity with the divine, but it might not be genuine
lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?
Claiming to have performed miracles in the divine's name
And in thy name have cast out devils?
Claiming to have done miraculous acts in the divine's name
And in thy name done many wonderful works?
Claiming to have done wonderful works in the divine's name
And then i will profess unto them, I never knew you:
Divine rejection of those who don't genuinely know or follow
Depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Rejection of those engaged in wrongful actions
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine,
Encouragement to heed and follow the teachings
and doeth them. I will liken him unto a wise man,
Comparison of a wise person who follows teachings to a builder on a secure foundation
which built his house upon a rock; and it fell not;
House built on a solid foundation remains unaffected by external forces
for it was founded upon a rock.
Stressing the importance of a strong foundation for stability
And everyone that heareth that heareth these sayings of mine,
Those who listen but do not act are likened to foolish individuals
and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man,
Comparison of a foolish person who ignores teachings to a builder on unstable ground
which built his house on the sand.
House built on unstable ground collapses under adverse conditions
And the rain descended, and the floods came,
Description of adverse natural conditions affecting the house
and the winds blew, and beat upon that house;
Resulting collapse of the house due to the adverse conditions
And it fell, and great was the fall.
Emphasis on the severity of the collapse
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