Bushes, thistles, briars and brambles are a thorny subject for English translators and expositors of the Hebrew Bible. It seems that the Greek writers of the Gospels did not have a soft time with them either.

In recording Jesus' warnings about "false prophets" (probably fake disciples), Matthew contrasts akantha (thorn bushes) with staphyle (grapes), and tribolos (thistle) with sykon (figs) (7:16); whereas, Luke contrasts akantha (thorn bushes) with sykon (figs), and batos (bramble bush) with staphyle (grapes) (6:44).

You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? (Matt 7:16, NKJ).

For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorn bushes, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush (Luke 6:44, NKJ).

Either the translators were unable to agree on spiny plant identification or Jesus may have referred to different plants on different occasions when using the same teaching illustration. He used a similar saying when confronted by accusers in Matthew 12:24-37; see verse 33.

No doubt Jesus used such illustrations many times. In the Hebrew Scriptures, plants and their fruit are referred to as illustrations too often to be listed. Joel 2:22 is one of the many including both figs and grapes: "...and the tree bears its fruit: the fig tree and the vine yield their strength" (NKJ). Similar proverbs are found in rabbinic literature. For examples: "The fruit of the righteous man is his good conduct" (Genesis Rabbah 16:3); and "The fruit of a tree de

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