Two Trees

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

SUMMARY: There are many wolves who capture people who are running toward God. Anyone who asks a false prophet about what to do is an idolater. That person has no truth and is foolish. Therefore, there are many, and there were many, who came forward in the name of Jesus. They taught people to speak and act in ways that are ungodly and blasphemous. False Christs, false prophets, and false apostles have come to split the one church into parts through their corrupt teachings. There are people who are wolves on the inside, but in the eyes of the world they wear sheep's clothing. The false prophets held the name of prophet dishonestly; they were prophets, but prophets of the liar. Someone who explains in detail things that are still to come was rightly judged a prophet. What is this sheep's clothing, except the outward appearance of being Christian? Who are the ravening wolves, except those deceitful senses and spirits hiding inside, trying to destroy the flock of Christ? Who are the false prophets, except deceptive people who claim to predict the future? Therefore, the false prophet and the true prophet will be known by their ways. When they turn people into unholy persons, it shows they are enemies of God and false prophets. A tree is shown by its fruit. In the same way, those who claim to belong to Christ are known not only by what they say, but by what they do. The fruits of the prophet must be tested because from its fruit is the tree known. A tree may be called good if, by its power to choose, it chooses good things, or it may be called evil if it chooses evil things. A man is unfruitful when he is controlled by the flesh. An honest mind and true faith cannot produce evil deeds, just as an evil character cannot produce good deeds. If, however, a tree remains by itself and does not produce fully formed fruit, it is completely destroyed. Ignatius: Do not be mistaken, my brothers and sisters. Those who corrupt families will not inherit the kingdom of God. If then those who do this in matters of the flesh have suffered death, how much more will this happen to anyone who, by wicked teaching, corrupts the faith of God, for which Jesus Christ was crucified? A person who becomes defiled in this way will go away into everlasting fire, and so will everyone who listens to him.

IGNATIUS: for there are many wolves who seem worthy of trust; by a harmful kind of pleasure they capture and carry off those who are running toward God, but in your unity they will have no place.

HERMAS: He showed me some men sitting on a bench, and one man sitting on a chair. He says to me, "Do you see the men sitting on the bench?" "I do, sir," I said. "These," he says, "are the faithful, and the one who sits on the chair is a false prophet. He is ruining the minds of the servants of God. It is the doubters, not the faithful, that he ruins." These doubters then go to him as to a fortune-teller. They ask him what will happen to them. And he, the false prophet, does not have the power of a divine spirit in him. So he answers them based on what they ask, and based on their wicked desires. He fills their souls with expectations, based on what they want. For since he himself is empty, he gives empty answers to empty questioners. Every answer is shaped to match the emptiness of the person. Sometimes he does speak true words, but the devil fills him with his own spirit, hoping he can overcome some of the righteous. So then, as many as are strong in the faith of the Lord, and are clothed with truth, have no connection with such spirits. They stay away from them. But as many as have doubtful minds and often repent, go to fortune-telling, just like the pagans. And they bring greater sin on themselves by their idolatry. For the one who asks a false prophet about any action is an idolater. He is without the truth, and foolish. For no spirit given by God needs to be questioned. Instead, that spirit, having the power of divinity, speaks everything on its own. It comes from above, from the power of the divine spirit. But the spirit that is questioned and speaks according to what people want is earthly, shallow, and powerless. And it is completely silent, if it is not asked. "How then, sir," I ask, "will a man know which one is the prophet, and which one is the false prophet?" "I will tell you," he says, "about both kinds of prophets. Then you can test the true and the false prophet by my directions. Test the man who has the divine spirit by his life. First, the one who has the divine spirit coming from above is gentle, peaceful, and humble. He holds back from all sin and from the empty desires of this world. He is satisfied with fewer needs than other people. And when he is asked, he gives no answer. He does not speak in private. And when a person wants the spirit to speak, the Holy Spirit does not speak. It speaks only when God wants it to speak. When a man who has the divine spirit comes into a gathering of righteous men who have faith in the divine spirit, and that gathering offers prayer to God, then the angel of the prophetic spirit, who is appointed for him, fills the man. And the man, being filled with the Holy Spirit, speaks to the crowd as the Lord wants. In this way, the spirit of divinity becomes clear: whatever power comes from the spirit of divinity belongs to the Lord." "Listen now," he says, "about the spirit that is earthly, empty, powerless, and foolish. First, the man who seems to have the spirit lifts himself up. He wants the best seat. He is bold, rude, and talkative. He lives surrounded by many luxuries and many other deceptions. He takes payments for his prophecy. And if he does not get paid, he does not prophesy. Can the divine spirit take payments and prophesy? It is not possible for the prophet of God to do this. But prophets like this are controlled by an earthly spirit. Next, it never comes near a gathering of righteous men, but avoids them. It keeps company with doubters, and with people who are empty. It prophesies to them in a corner and deceives them. It speaks to them according to what they want, only empty words. For the people it answers are empty. For an empty container, when placed with other empty containers, is not crushed. They fit with each other. But when it comes into a gathering of righteous men who have a spirit of divinity, and they offer prayer, that man is emptied. The earthly spirit runs away from him in fear. That man becomes unable to speak, and is completely crushed, because he cannot speak. For if you pack a storehouse tightly with wine or oil, and put an empty jar among the jars of wine or oil, you will find that jar empty just as it was when you put it there, when you later clear the storehouse. In the same way, empty prophets, when they come among the spirits of the righteous, are found, when they leave, to be the same as they were when they came. This then is the way of life of both kinds of prophets. Test by his actions and his life the man who says he is inspired. But as for you, trust the spirit that comes from God and has power. Do not trust the spirit that is earthly and empty at all. There is no power in it. It comes from the devil. Listen now to the parable I'm going to tell you. Take a stone and throw it into the sky, and see if you can touch the sky. Or again, take a squirt of water and squirt it into the sky, and see if you can break through the sky. "How, sir," I ask, "can these things happen?" "Both of them are impossible." "As these things," he says, "are impossible. So the earthly spirits are powerless. But look, on the other hand, at the power that comes from above. Hail is the size of a very small grain. Yet when it falls on a man's head, how much it bothers him. Or again, take the drop that falls from a pitcher to the ground. Even that can hollow out a stone. You see then that the smallest things coming from above have great power when they fall on the earth. In the same way, the divine spirit, which comes from above, is powerful. Trust that spirit then, but have nothing to do with the other."

JUSTIN MARTYR: Let those who are not found living the way he taught be understood to be no Christians, even if they say with their lips that they follow the teachings of Christ. It is not those who only make a claim, but those who do the works, who will be saved according to his word. For many will come in my name dressed on the outside in sheep's clothing, but on the inside they are hungry, violent wolves. You will know them by their works. And every tree that does not bring forth good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

JUSTIN MARTYR: The fact that there are men like this who say they are Christians and admit that the crucified Jesus is both Lord and Christ, but who do not teach His teachings and instead teach the teachings of spirits of error, makes us who are disciples of the true and pure teaching of Jesus Christ be more faithful and steady in the hope He announced. Because the things He predicted would happen in His name, we do see actually happening right in front of us. For He said, "Many shall come in My name, clothed outwardly in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." Therefore, my friends, there are many, and there were many, who came forward in the name of Jesus and taught people to speak and act in impious and blasphemous ways. We name these people after the men from whom each teaching and opinion first began.

JUSTIN MARTYR: Long before this time, there were certain men who were older than all those who are thought of as philosophers. These men were righteous and loved by God. They spoke by the divine Spirit. They also foretold events that would take place and that are now taking place. They are called prophets. Only these men both saw the truth and announced it to people. They did not honor or fear any man. They were not moved by a desire for glory. Instead, they spoke only the things they saw and heard because they were filled with the Holy Spirit. Their writings still exist. Anyone who has read them is greatly helped in knowing the beginning and the end of things. That person is also helped in knowing the matters a philosopher ought to know as long as he has believed them. For the prophets did not use step-by-step proof in their writings. They did not do this because they were witnesses to the truth, which is higher than all proof, and they are worthy to be believed. The events that have happened and the events that are happening force you to agree with what they said. Even so, they deserve to be trusted because of the miracles they performed. They glorified the Creator, the God and Father of all things. They also proclaimed His Son, the Christ sent by Him. The false prophets, who are filled with the lying unclean spirit, have not done this and do not do it. Instead, they dare to do certain amazing deeds in order to shock people. They glorify the spirits and demons of error. But pray that, above all things, the gates of light may be opened to you. For these things cannot be noticed or understood by everyone. They can be understood only by the person to whom God and His Christ have given wisdom.

JUSTIN MARTYR: The prophetic gifts remain with us, even to the present time. Therefore, you should understand that the gifts that were once among your nation, the Jews, have been transferred to us, the Christians. And just as there were false prophets in the same time period as your holy prophets, so now there are many false teachers among us. Our Lord warned us ahead of time to watch out for them, so we are not lacking in anything, because we know that He knew ahead of time everything that would happen to us after His resurrection from the dead and His ascension to heaven. For He said we would be put to death and hated for His name's sake. He also said that many false prophets and false Christs would appear in His name and deceive many. And that is what has happened. For many have taught godless, blasphemous, and unholy teachings, making them up in His name. They have also taught, and even now are still teaching, things that come from the unclean spirit of the devil and that were put into their hearts. Therefore, we are very eager that you be persuaded not to be led astray by such people. We know that everyone who can speak the truth and yet does not speak it will be judged by God. God testified to this through Ezekiel when He said, "I have made you a watchman to the house of Judah. If the sinner sins and you do not warn him, he himself will die in his sin, but his blood will I require at your hand. But if you warn him, you will be innocent." Because of this, and out of fear, we are very serious about wanting to speak with people according to the Scriptures. We do not do this from love of money, or of glory, or of pleasure. No one can prove that we have any of these sins. We also do not want to live like the rulers of your people, whom God rebukes when He says, "Your rulers are companions of thieves, lovers of bribes, followers of the rewards." Now, if you know certain people among us who are like this, do not, because of them, speak evil against the Scriptures and Christ, and do not work hard to give twisted interpretations.

HEGESIPPUS: The church was called a virgin because she had not yet been corrupted by worthless teaching. Thebulis was the one who, upset because he was not made bishop, first began to corrupt her in secret. He was also connected with the seven sects that existed among the people. It was like Simon, from whom come the Simoniani, and Cleobius, from whom come the Cleobiani, and Doritheus, from whom come the Doritheani, and Gortheus, from whom come the Gortheani, and Maspotheus, from whom come the Maspothai. From these men also come the Menandrianists, and the Marcionists, and the Carpocratians, and the Valentinians, and the Basilidians, and the Saturnilians. Each of these leaders, in his own private and separate way, brought in his own private opinion. From these have come false Christs, false prophets, and false apostles. These are men who have split up the one church into parts through their corrupting doctrines. They spoke these doctrines to insult God and His Christ.

IRENAEUS: Certain men have pushed the truth aside; they bring in lying words and empty family histories. As the Apostle says, they minister questions rather than godly edifying which is in faith. By their cleverly built-up arguments that only seem convincing, they pull away the minds of people who do not have experience. They take them captive. These men twist the words of God. They show that they are evil interpreters of the good word of Revelation. They also destroy the faith of many. They do this by pulling people away, under the excuse of having higher knowledge, from Him who formed and decorated the universe. It is as if they had something more excellent and more lofty to reveal than the God who created the heaven and the earth, and all things that are in them. With words that sound good and believable, they cleverly lure simple-minded people to look into their system. But even so, they clumsily ruin them while they bring them into their blasphemous and ungodly opinions. And these simple people cannot, even in a matter like this, tell the difference between falsehood and truth. Error is never shown in its plain ugliness. If it were shown that way, it would be found out at once. Instead, it is cleverly dressed up in attractive clothing. By its outward appearance, it makes itself seem to the inexperienced, ridiculous as the words may sound, more true than the truth itself. Someone far greater than I am has said well about this point. A clever imitation in glass throws contempt, as it were, on that precious jewel, the emerald, which some people value very highly, unless it comes under the eye of someone able to test it and expose the fake. Or again, what inexperienced person can easily detect brass when it has been mixed with silver? Therefore, so that through my neglect some people might not be carried off, like sheep carried off by wolves, while they do not see what these men are really like. I am writing. These men are covered on the outside with sheep's clothing. The Lord has commanded us to be on guard against them. Their language sounds like ours, but what they believe is very different. So I have considered it my duty to explain to you, my friend, these strange and deep mysteries. They are not within the reach of every mind, because not everyone has cleaned out their thinking enough. I do this so that you, after you learn these things, can explain them to all those you are connected with, and you can urge them to avoid such a deep pit of madness and of blasphemy against Christ.

IRENAEUS: It seems likely enough that this man has a demon as a familiar spirit. By means of this spirit, he seems able to prophesy. He also makes as many as he counts worthy to share in his Charis, able to prophesy too. He gives his attention especially to women. He targets women who are well-bred, dressed in an elegant way, and very wealthy. He often tries to draw them after him by speaking to them with seductive words. But some of the most faithful women already, who fear God and were not deceived, have pulled away from such a vile company of revelers. Even so, he did his best to seduce them like the rest, by telling them to prophesy. But they hated what he was doing and cursed him, and they withdrew. They did this because they clearly understood that the gift of prophecy is not given to people by Marcus the Magician. Instead, only those to whom God sends his grace from above have the God-given power to prophesy. Then they speak where and when God pleases, and not when Marcus orders them to do so.

IRENAEUS: Also, those who follow Simon and Carpocrates' heretical teachers will be refuted in this way. The same is true if there are any others who are said to do miracles. They do not do what they do through the power of God, or in line with the truth, or for the well-being of people. Instead, they do it to destroy and mislead mankind. They use magical tricks and widespread deceit. This brings more harm than good to those who believe them, especially in the very point where they lead them astray. They cannot give sight to the blind, or hearing to the deaf. They cannot drive out all kinds of demons. In fact, they can drive out none, except those that they themselves send into other people, if they can even do that much. They cannot heal the weak, the lame, the paralyzed, or those who suffer in any other part of the body. Yet this has often been done when people had bodily sickness. They also cannot provide effective remedies for outside accidents that may happen. They are so far from being able to raise the dead as the Lord raised them, and as the apostles did by prayer, and as has often been done among the believers because of some need. In those cases, the whole church in that place begged with much fasting and prayer. Then the spirit of the dead man returned, and he was given back in answer to the prayers of the saints. But these people do not even believe this can possibly be done. They claim that the resurrection from the dead is only becoming familiar with the truth that they announce. Therefore, among them there are error and misleading influences, and magical illusions are wickedly done in front of people. But in the church, there is sympathy, compassion, steadiness, and truth to help and encourage mankind. These are not only shown without any fee or reward, but we ourselves spend our own resources for the good of others. And since those who are healed very often do not have what they need, they receive those things from us. Since this is the case, these men are clearly shown to be completely foreign to the divine nature, to the kindness of God, and to all spiritual excellence. Instead, they are full of every kind of deceit, apostate inspiration, demonic activity, and the false visions of idolatry. In reality, they are the forerunners of that dragon who, by a deception like this, will use his tail to make a third part of the stars fall from their place and will throw them down to the earth. We must flee from them, the Gnostics, as we would flee from him. The more showy they are said to be when they do their wonders, the more carefully we should watch them, because they have been given a greater spirit of wickedness. If anyone considers the prophecy that was mentioned and the daily practices of these men, he will find that their way of acting is the same as the demon's.

IRENAEUS: There are people who are wolves on the inside, but in the eyes of the world they wear sheep's clothing. God has always kept freedom in people and the power to govern themselves. At the same time, He gave His own warnings and encouragements. He did this so that those who do not obey Him will be judged rightly (condemned) because they did not obey Him. He also did this so that those who have obeyed Him and believed in Him will be honored with immortality.

IRENAEUS: he will judge false prophets. These are people who have not received the gift of prophecy from God. They do not have the fear of God; instead, they pretend to speak prophecies. They do this either for empty glory, or to gain some personal advantage, or in some other way while under the influence of a wicked spirit. All the while, they are lying against God.

TATIAN: Watch out for false prophets; they come to you in sheep's clothing, but inside they are hungry, dangerous wolves. But you will know them by their fruits. For every tree is known by its fruit, for figs are not gathered from thorns, and grapes are not picked from briars. In the same way, every good tree brings forth good fruit, but the evil tree brings forth evil fruit. The good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, and the evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit. The good man, from the good treasures that are in his heart, brings forth good things, and the evil man, from the evil treasures that are in his heart, brings forth evil things. For from the overflow of the heart, the lips speak. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore, by their fruits, you will know them.

CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA: The devil is called a thief and robber; he has mixed false prophets in with the prophets, like weeds among the wheat. All, then, that came before the Lord were thieves and robbers. This does not mean absolutely all people; it means all the false prophets and all who were not properly sent by him. The false prophets used the name "prophet" dishonestly; they were prophets, but prophets of the liar. For the Lord says, "You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do." He was a murderer from the beginning, and he did not abide in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own, for he is a liar and the father of it. But among their lies, the false prophets also told some true things. In fact, they prophesied in an ecstasy as servants of the apostate. And the shepherd, the angel of repentance, says to Hermas about the false prophet: "For he speaks some truths; for the devil fills him with his own spirit, if perchance he may be able to cast down anyone from what is right."

CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA: We have been taught to recognize false prophets by what they do. We have also been taught to recognize all who only pretend to have the truth.

HIPPOLYTUS: the blessed prophets were made, so to speak, like eyes for us. Through faith, they saw ahead the mysteries of the Word. They became servants of these things for later generations. They did not only report the past; they also announced the present and the future. In this way, the prophet would not seem to be a prophet only for that moment. Instead, he could also predict the future for all generations, and so be counted a true prophet. These fathers were given the Spirit, and the Word Himself greatly honored them. It was like musical instruments. They always had the Word with them, like a plectrum joined to them. When the Word moved them, the prophets announced what God wanted. They did not speak by their own power. Do not be mistaken about that. They did not declare what pleased themselves. First, the Word gave them wisdom. Then they were correctly taught about the future through visions. After they were fully convinced, they spoke what God revealed to them alone and what was hidden from everyone else. Why should someone be called a prophet unless, in the Spirit, he saw the future ahead of time? If a prophet spoke about some random event, he would not be a prophet when speaking about things that everyone could already see. But someone who explains in detail things that are still to come was rightly judged to be a prophet.

TERTULLIAN: But let us instead remember the sayings of the Lord and the letters of the apostles. They both told us ahead of time that there would be heresies. They also gave us warnings in advance to avoid them. And since we are not alarmed just because they exist, we should not be surprised that they are able to do the very things for which they must be avoided. The Lord teaches us that many "ravening wolves shall come in sheep's clothing." Now, what is this sheep's clothing, except the outward appearance of the Christian faith? Who are the ravening wolves, except those deceitful thoughts and spirits that hide inside in order to destroy the flock of Christ? Who are the false prophets, except people who falsely claim to predict the future? Who are the false apostles, except the preachers of a fake gospel? And who are the Antichrists, both now and forever, except the people who rebel against Christ?

ALEXANDER OF ALEXANDRIA: Although we grieve over the destruction of these men, the heretics of Arianism, especially because after they once learned the doctrine of the Church, they have now gone back, we do not wonder at it. This very thing happened to Hymenaeus and Philetus, and before them to Judas, who though he followed the Savior, later became a traitor and an apostate. Also, we are not without warnings about these very men, because the Lord foretold, "Take heed, that you are not deceived. For many shall come in my name, saying, 'I am Christ,' and the time draws near; therefore, do not go after them." Paul too, having learned these things from the Savior, wrote, "In the latter times, some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils which turn away from the truth." THE DIDACHE: "Whoever, therefore, comes and teaches you all these things that have been said before, receive him. But if the teacher himself turns and teaches another doctrine that destroys this one, do not listen to him. But if he teaches in a way that increases righteousness and the knowledge of the Lord, receive him as the Lord. But concerning the apostles and prophets, according to the decree of the Gospel, do this: let every apostle that comes to you be received as the Lord. But he must not stay more than one day; if there is need, he may also stay the next day. But if he stays three days, he is a false prophet. And when the apostle goes away, let him take nothing but bread until he finds lodging. But if he asks for money, he is a false prophet. And every prophet that speaks in the Spirit, you must not test or judge. For every sin will be forgiven, but this sin will not be forgiven. But not everyone who speaks in the Spirit is a prophet; he is a prophet only if he holds to the ways of the Lord. Therefore, by their ways, the false prophet and the true prophet will be known. And every prophet who orders a meal in the Spirit must not eat from it, unless he is a false prophet. And every prophet who teaches the truth, if he does not do what he teaches, is a false prophet. And every prophet, prove true, who works for the mystery of the Church in the world, yet does not teach others to do what he himself does, must not be judged among you. With God, he has his judgment. The ancient prophets did the same. But if anyone says in the Spirit, "Give me money or something else," you must not listen to him. But if he tells you to give for the sake of others who are in need, let no one judge him. But let everyone who comes in the name of the Lord be received. Afterward, you must test him and know him, for you will have understanding right and left. If the one who comes is a traveler, help him as much as you are able. But he must not stay with you except for two or three days, if need be. But if he wants to live with you, and he is a craftsman, let him work and eat. But if he has no trade, use your understanding and see to it that as a Christian, he does not live with you doing nothing. But if he does not want to do this, he is a shame. Be careful to keep your distance from such people. But every true prophet who wants to live among you is worthy of his support. In the same way, a true teacher is worthy like a worker of his support. Therefore, every first fruit of the products of the winepress and the threshing floor of oxen and of sheep, you must take and give to the prophets, for they are your high priests. But if you do not have a prophet, give it to the poor. If you make a batch of dough, take the first fruit and give it according to the commandment. In the same way, when you open a jar of wine or oil, take the first fruit and give it to the prophets. And from money, silver, clothing, and every possession, take the first fruit, as it seems good to you, and give according to the commandment. Watch for your life's sake. Do not let your lamps go out, and do not let your loins be unprepared. Be ready, because you do not know the hour when our Lord comes. But often you must come together, seeking the things that are fitting for your souls. The whole time of your faith will not profit you if you are not made perfect in the last time. For in the last days, false prophets and corrupters will be multiplied. The sheep will be turned into wolves, and love will be turned into hate. When lawlessness increases, they will hate, persecute, and betray one another. Then the world deceiver will appear as the Son of God. He will do signs and wonders, and the earth will be delivered into his hands. He will do evil things that have never happened since the beginning. Then the creation of men will come into the fire of trial. Many will stumble and will perish, but those who endure in their faith will be saved from under the curse itself. And then the signs of the truth will appear. First, the sign of an outspreading in heaven. Then, the sign of the sound of the trumpet. And third, the resurrection of the dead. Yet not of all, but as it is said, "The Lord shall come, and all his saints with him." Then the world will see the Lord coming upon the clouds of heaven.

DIONYSIUS OF ALEXANDRIA: Just as the wisdom that comes from the Gentiles, by changing people into holy persons, makes them friends of God and prophets, so, in the opposite way, wickedness, by changing people into unholy persons, shows that they are enemies of God and false prophets.

LACTANTIUS: But since many heresies have existed and the people of God have been torn into divisions because demons stirred them up, we must briefly point out the truth. We must place it in its own proper home. Then, if anyone wants to draw the water of life, he will not be carried to broken cisterns that hold no water. Instead, he will know the overflowing fountain of God. When he is watered by it, he can enjoy everlasting light. First of all, it is right that we know two things: one, that he himself and his messengers foretold that there must be many sects and heresies. These would break the unity of the Holy Body. Two, that they warned us to be on guard with the greatest care, so that we would not ever fall into the traps and lies of our enemy. God has willed that we should struggle against that enemy. Then we must know that he gave us sure commands. We should always store them up in our minds. Many people forget them. They leave the heavenly road and make crooked paths for themselves, full of twists and steep drops. By these paths, they can lead the careless and simple part of the people into the darkness of death. I will explain how this happened. There were some in our religion whose faith was not firmly established, or they were less learned or less careful. They tore the unity and divided the church. But those whose faith was unstable, when they claimed that they knew and worshiped God, were aiming to increase their wealth and honor. They reached for the highest priestly power. When they were defeated by others who were stronger, they chose to break away with their supporters. They did this rather than put up with those placed over them. Before that, they themselves had wanted to be placed over those same people. But some people were not well taught in heavenly learning. They could not answer the accusers of the truth. These accusers objected that it was either impossible or inconsistent that God should be shut up in the womb of a woman. They said that the majesty of heaven could not be brought down to such weakness that he would become an object of contempt and laughter. They said he would become a shame and a joke to people. Finally, they said that he would even suffer tortures and be fastened to the cursed cross. When these people could not defend and refute all these things, either by ability or by learning, they failed. They did not fully understand the force and meaning of these truths. So they were turned away from the right path. They corrupted the sacred writings. In this way, they made for themselves a new teaching with no root and no firmness. But some people, lured by the prediction of false prophets, fell away from the knowledge of God. Both the true prophets and he himself had foretold about these false prophets. These people left the true tradition. But all of these people, trapped by the tricks of demons, lost the name and worship of God because of their carelessness. They should have seen these tricks coming and guarded against them. For when they are called Phrygians or Novatians or Valentinians or Marcionites or Anthropians or Arians or by any other name, they have stopped being Christians. They have lost the name of Christ and have taken on human and outward names. Therefore, the Catholic Church alone keeps the true worship. This is the fountain of truth. This is the home of the faith. This is the temple of God. If anyone does not enter it or if anyone goes out from it, he is cut off from the hope of life and eternal salvation. No one should fool himself by keeping up stubborn fighting. The struggle is about life and salvation. Unless this is watched carefully and kept clearly in mind, it will be lost and put out. But because all the separate gatherings of heretics call themselves Christians more than others do and think that their group is the Catholic Church, this must be understood. The true Catholic Church is the one where there is confession and repentance. It deals in a healing way with the sins and wounds that the weakness of the flesh is likely to suffer. I have told these things for now as a warning. I do this so that no one who wants to avoid error will be caught in an even greater error just because he does not know the hidden truth. Later, in a special and separate work, we will more fully and more widely argue against all divisions of falsehoods.

CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA: A person's way of life shows who really knows the commandments. A man's life matches his words. A tree is known by its fruit, not by its blossoms and leaves. So knowledge comes from fruit and from behavior, not from talk and from blossoms. We say that knowledge is not just talk; it is a certain divine knowledge. It is a light that is lit in the soul because a person obeys the commandments. This light shows everything that is still in the process of becoming. It helps the person know himself. It teaches him to come to possess God. Apollonius: But who is this new teacher, Montanus, a heretic? His works and teaching tell us. This is the man who taught the breaking up of marriage. He pushed people to fast. He cleverly plans how to take gifts, calling them voluntary offerings. He gives payments to those who spread his teaching in public so that, through overeating, the teaching may win out. So we tell you that these first prophetesses, as soon as they were filled with the Spirit, left their husbands. Do you not think that all Scripture forbids a prophet to receive gifts and money? Therefore, when I see that the prophetess has received gold and silver and expensive clothing, how can I avoid disapproving of her? The Lord has said, "Provide neither gold nor silver nor two coats apiece." But these men have done the exact opposite. They have broken the command by getting these forbidden things. We will show that those who are called prophets and martyrs among them get money not only from the rich but also from the poor, from orphans and from widows. And if they are sure they are right to do this, let them come forward and discuss it. Then, if they are proven wrong, they may stop breaking the command from now on. The fruits of the prophet must be tested, for "from its fruit is the tree known." If they deny that their prophets have taken gifts, then let them at least admit this. If they are proven to have taken them, they are not prophets, and we will give ten thousand proofs that they have. It is right that all the fruits of a prophet should be examined. Tell me, does a prophet dye his hair? Does a prophet darken his eyelids with makeup? Is a prophet in love with fancy clothes? Does a prophet play at gaming tables and dice? Does a prophet lend money and charge interest? Let them admit whether these things are allowed or not. For my part, I will prove that these practices have happened among them.

ORIGEN: A tree may be called good if, by its power to choose, it chooses good things; or it may be called evil if it chooses evil things. In the same way, each person, based on the desires of their own purpose, will be called either a good olive tree if they walk on the road of virtue, or a wild olive tree if they follow the opposite path. This is why even the Lord was saying in the Gospel: "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree evil and its fruit evil." He said this to show that a tree, good or evil, is made, not born. Clement of Alexandria: On laughter: People who copy silly feelings, or rather feelings that deserve to be laughed at, should be driven out of our community. Since all kinds of speech flow from the mind and from behavior, silly words could not be spoken unless they came from silly actions. The saying: "It is not a good tree which produces corrupt fruit, nor a corrupt tree which produces good fruit" should be applied here. Speech is the fruit of the mind. If jokers who make everything into a joke are to be put out of our society, then we ourselves must not, in any way, stir up laughter. It would be foolish to be found copying things that we are not even allowed to listen to. It would be even more foolish for a person to make himself a laughingstock, that is, the target of insult and mockery. If we could not stand to make a ridiculous show of ourselves, like we see some people do in processions, how could we properly stand to have the inner person made ridiculous and to have it done right to our face? Therefore, we should never, by our own choice, take on a silly character. So how can we give ourselves to being and seeming ridiculous in our conversation? That would twist speech, which is the most precious of all human gifts. It is shameful to set yourself to do this. The talk of jokers of this kind is not fit for our ears, because the very words they use make us familiar with shameful actions. Pleasantry is allowed, but not joking that is foolish and out of control. Also, even laughter must be kept under control. When it is let out in the right way, it shows good order, but when it comes out in a different way, it shows a lack of self-control.

TERTULLIAN: "The good tree does not bring forth corrupt fruit, and the corrupt tree does not bring forth good fruit." This means that an honest mind and true faith cannot produce evil deeds, any more than an evil attitude can produce good deeds.

HIPPOLYTUS: for he is unfruitful when he is controlled by the flesh, and he stirs up the desires of the flesh. This, he says, is what was spoken: "Every tree not producing good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

HIPPOLYTUS: there will not be chaff and wood made for fire, but mature fruit, fully formed, equal and similar to the unbegotten and unlimited power. But if a tree remains by itself and does not produce fully formed fruit, it is completely destroyed. For he says, "The axe is already near, and it is laid at the roots of the tree." Every tree, he says, that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

CYPRIAN: It is not worth much to be baptized and to receive the Eucharist unless a person benefits from it in actions and in the way they live. In the first epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? So run, so that you may obtain it. They do it to receive a crown that will not last, but we do it to receive a crown that will never perish." In the Gospel according to Matthew, "Every tree that does not bring forth good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire." Also in the same place, "Many will say to me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, and in your name cast out devils, and in your name done great works?' And then I will say to them, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.'"