This passage follows the accusation that Jesus was in
collaboration with the forces of darkness. He had just argued why he wasn’t. In
fact if only they were observant enough, the things that Jesus did would
clearly show that the Kingdom of God had burst forth among them. The results of
what he was doing was clear before the scribes and the Pharisees. But they failed to see it. The results were
much like the fruits of a tree. They were either good or bad fruits. What Jesus
was suggesting was for them to look at the fruits of His ministry. Then
determine whether His ministry was totally good or totally bad. It would help them
to determine whether it was the work of God through and through, or that of the
devil.
Turning the heat on them, Jesus then told them what he
thought 0f them. He described them as a brood of vipers. If they could not even
tell what He was doing, the least they could do was to examine their own
behavior. They could at least watch their speech, because what was spoken would
reveal what’s in one’s heart. Whether a person’s heart is full of goodness or
evil, his own speech pattern would reveal it all. What one says carelessly
reveals deeply one’s attitude. Hence, careless words will be an indicator to
assess the state of one’s heart on the judgement day. Just as sound and good
words could justify a person, his careless words could condemn him.
Be careful when we evaluate the ministry of others. We
learn to appraise it from the fruits it produced. As we do so discerningly, we
must also be careful not to speak carelessly. Let us not be snared by our own
words!
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