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Christ provides the simple criterion, 'You will know them by their fruits'.That is, we can know false prophets by their qualities or characteristics. Moreover, Christ indicates that they must have the characteristics that are appropriate to their claims: 'Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?' Grapes are found on the grape vine, figs on fig trees, and thorns on thorn bushes. A true prophet will have the qualities of a prophet - divine attributes - and a false prophet will not have such qualities. (98:3) Some will be deceived, but Christ's words are clear: if we follow His criterion, we will know the good from the bad. He does not say we will be unable to know them even though we examine their qualities. Similarly, Baha'u'llah expresses this criterion with these words: (98:4) The proof of the sun is the light thereof, which shineth and envelopeth all things. (Certitude 209) (98:5) In other words, the light of the sun is the quality by which we are able to recognize the sun's reality. Sunlight is proof of the sun. Likewise, a true prophet is one who raises the spiritually dead to life, who gives sight to the spiritually blind, and who provides spiritual bread to those who hunger for the truth. 'Abdu'l-Baha likens a true Prophet to a spiritual Teacher:
(98:6)
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