Matthew 10:16 16Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the middle of wolves; therefore, be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
After calling his disciples to faith and obedience in his sending, he then warns them of what they would face in their mission. He uses three images to grab their attention about the dangers they would face. Sheep had the reputation of weakness and vulnerability and the need for protection from various dangers. Jesus often calls or alludes to disciples as being like sheep. Wolves were the major threat since sheep were one of their primary and preferred meals. Jesus warned the disciples already about religious sounding prophets who would be dressed in sheets’ clothing but actually be ferocious wolves inside (7:15). The people who threaten Jesus’ disciples are not just the false prophets, but sometimes our biggest enemies are those right in our midst.
The solution is to be aware of the danger. The type of wisdom (pronimoi) serpents have is being prudent, thoughtful, and careful. In their wisdom, disciples should not be deceitful like the serpent in the garden of Eden but innocent as doves. Doves were associated with purity because of their white color. Disciples innocence and purity could be part of what gets them into danger because they are unwilling to compromise to fit in with the culture. They needed to remember the one who was sending them. They were not going out with their own authority but with the authority and power of Jesus.
For older posts, click here.