But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control Galatians 5:22-23 ESV
A quick google search for “fruit of the spirit” results in images like this:
While these are lovely, heartfelt images created with great intentions, the “fruit” is depicted as several distinct kinds of fruit, sometimes all growing from a single tree, other times depicted separately. But doesn’t quite work logically or botanically.
A tree doesn’t have different fruits growing from its branches, and we certainly don’t say “the fruit of the lemon tree is apples & peaches”. We wouldn’t walk through an orchard and expect to see lemons, peaches and apples all hanging from the branches of a single tree.
In the same way, considering each item from Paul’s list as distinct fruits doesn’t make sense. In fact Paul, when describing the fruit of the Spirit, uses the singular Greek noun “karpos” for “fruit”. What might it look like if we understood this passage as attributes of a single type of fruit instead?
Let’s take my favourite, and objectively the best, variety of Apple: the Pink Lady. If I was walking through an orchard, how could I find a Pink Lady apple tree? I’m no botanist, so unfortunately I wouldn’t be able to distinguish the tree from its shape or its leaves, I’d need to see its fruit. To identify a Pink Lady apple tree I’d be looking at its fruit, specifically I’d be looking for these attributes:
- Type: apple
- Size: medium, comfortably fits in my hand
- Colour: pink with small light dots and hints of green
- Surface: smooth but not glossy w
- Texture: crisp, crunchy (not soft / floury) and juicy
- Taste: sweet with a slight tang
By considering these attributes I’d be able to determine the kind of tree I’m looking at. I’d also be able to determine if it’s a good Pink Lady apple or a bad one, I’d be able to distinguish a ripe, healthy, mature fruit from an unripe, unhealthy fruit. After all, isn’t this what Jesus taught us?
For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. Luke 6:43-44 ESV
This analogy also helps us understand the fruit of the Spirit. If we plucked and examined the fruit our life what qualities would we observe? What would that fruit tell others about the kind of tree it came from? Fruit that’s from the spirit would display these characteristics: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
So rather than thinking about a tree bearing different fruits, let’s re-imagine this mental image to one that more accurately (logically & botanically) captures Paul’s metaphor.
Just as we can tell much about a tree, its health, season and nature by it’s fruit, we can also diagnose our own trees by our fruit. Is our fruit ripe & mature? Does it display the hallmarks of healthy spiritual fruit? Perhaps we’re lacking some of the desired qualities, maybe patience or self control? Do we need some pruning, or further nourishment to produce full, sweet, God-glorifying fruit?
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. Psalm 1:1-3 ESV