Snakes & Doves

Matthew 10:16 gives us a very confusing command: ”Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves”. This passage raises a lot of questions. Firstly, these are two entirely different types of creatures. And there is also the question of why we, as sheep, are among wolves. Several challenging concepts bear investigation, and as we look at this Scripture, we will hopefully better understand why Christ gave us these parallels. This command takes a lot of consideration, and in this blog, I would like to look into and attempt to figure out what exactly this means for the believer.

Sheep & Wolves

We should first look at the beginning of the verse, where it talks about the sheep and the wolves. Within Scripture, believers are oftentimes referred to as sheep, which provides us with a helpful comparison. First, just like sheep, we, as Christians, need the protection of Christ the Shepherd whose word guides us: “My sheep hear my voice and follow me.” Sheep are also known to get themselves into unique situations that could be avoided if better attention was given. This can often parallel our behavior, as we can fall into situations, behaviors, and sin because we are distracted or unfocused. Another way we relate to sheep is that many times when one sheep wanders astray, many others follow them, causing an even larger problem for the shepherd. Similarly, when we slip into sin or wander from God’s path, those around us can be tempted and more easily fall into the same path. Lastly, a shepherd often has to take extra care in providing for the needs of his flock just to keep them alive. This shows the sheep’s dependence on the shepherd for the most basic survival needs; we depend on Christ for mere survival, and He is faithful to go the extra mile to care for His helpless sheep.

Wolves are known to be a predator of sheep and often easily catch their prey. As “sheep,” how do we avoid the wolves that are hunting us down to capture us? First, we need to evaluate who or what is considered “wolves” in our society. A few passages in Scripture direct us toward who the wolves are. The first passage comes from the verse just after 10:16, where Matthew warns the people that they will be delivered to the councils and scourged in the synagogues. This was said to make public examples of those in the wrong (those in the councils and those doing the scourging) to discourage others from following. The religious leaders of this time did not believe in the resurrected Christ, which is why they treated those who did with such malice. Those that oppose believers and take action against them are considered wolves. Not only was this a problem during the time of Jesus’ ministry, those a part of the early church were also burdened by a society that not only didn’t believe in Christ, but a group of religious leaders who sought to harm and kill those who did. So, just as those during Christ’s ministry had to be careful around religious leaders, the early church had to as well so they wouldn’t be the prey of a hunting wolf. Another example of the wolves is mentioned in Matthew 7. It says, “Beware of the false prophets that come in sheep's clothing but are actually wolves”(NKJV). From this, we can gather that these people are not communicating the truth of God’s word. Even further, these false prophets deliberately disguise themselves to persuade people away from the truth and those who believe the truth to spiritually destroy them. This description of the wolves helps us understand why Christ would command us to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves when recognizing those out to trick us and pull us away.

To avoid the wolves of society, the first step is to examine what they claim as truth and compare it to the Scriptures. We must be confident that the speaker is not adding to or subtracting from Scripture and that we are not letting our desires slip into the interpretation of the Word, but that we are genuinely seeking the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. Many times these false prophets will act like they are explaining the words of God, and it will sound good to the ear but is far from the truth. We must examine the fruits to see the genuine person, and then once we see a false prophet, we need to run.

Wise As Serpents

How are serpents wise? If you think about a snake, you know it is one of the most hated creatures and is often killed for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Because many individuals fear snakes (myself included), we either try to kill them or stay as far away from them as possible. However, consider why snakes are still prevalent in our lives and not a part of the endangered or protected species list. Despite adversity, they have a unique perspective that allows them to live, reproduce and maintain their status in the world. What is this perspective, and how can we begin to attain it in our Christian life?

First off, many snakes try not to draw attention to themselves and will continually evaluate their surroundings by monitoring their environment. This is a key aspect for the Christian in that we should always be watching and ready to look for those things that will prey on us. Also, when the snake is ready to devour its prey, they know exactly what is around them and what they can and cannot eat. For Christians, this is different, but getting to know the people around us to hopefully be ready to plant the seeds of the gospel will take a significant amount of patience. So, for the Christian, if the snake will find a way to not only survive by eating, but also continue to reproduce despite the adversities around it, how can we do the same? The key is finding the right environment, and the local church is a great safe place to allow this growth to occur. We can be aware of those around us who oppose our message and also be watchful for those who are ready to hear the gospel so that we can continue to thrive and reproduce. Lastly, snakes substantially impact the world as they do, believe it or not, have a great purpose in life. They are a vital part of the food chain cycle and help in many ways to get rid of pests, such as mice (another dislike of mine). For the Christian, uncovering the things that will discourage and inflict disease among believers is key to the survival of those around us. Believers are critical to ensuring Christianity will continue to thrive until the return of Christ.

While we do not want to be deceptive like the serpent in Genesis, there are characteristics of a wise serpent we can appreciate and implement in the Christian walk. Be aware of your surroundings, be watchful for how we can thrive and reproduce, be willing to weed out the things that infiltrate a community, and be strong in the face of adversity.

Harmless as Doves

This analogy is more challenging to comprehend. Many times, I’ve seen that doves symbolize peace. But what is it about this particular bird that makes it harmless? When I think about the symbolism of peace, I am reminded of the passage, “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9). As we are spreading the gospel and attempting to follow Christ, we should not be looking for a fight but should be pursuing peace. During the ministry of Jesus, we see that many times He was just teaching to those that would listen instead of causing disruption or lack of peace to get people to do so. The religious leaders always seemed to want to challenge Christ and His teaching, yet Jesus didn’t push back in adversity. So when you take this line of thought, being harmless as doves could mean that we ought not to act in a challenging or harsh way when attempting to spread the gospel. I am also reminded of the Scripture that a “soft answer turns away wrath” (Proverbs 15:1). David even reminds us in Psalm 34:14 that we are to depart from evil, to go seek and pursue peace. While many times we misinterpret that keeping peace means being loose with your beliefs or sacrificing what you think is right, nothing could be further from the truth. There will be times, as we saw in Christ’s ministry, when others are not peaceful; however, we can choose not to be an instigator and still be someone who defends the gospel message based on Scripture.

Looking at this passage in Matthew 10, we should take away several key concepts regarding our Christian walk. First, as sheep, we depend on the Shepherd to guide us. Second, we must be careful not to let the wolves entice us away from the pack, or we will be destroyed spiritually. Third, when working with those around us, we need to be aware of our surroundings and be ready to find the right time to show others the gospel message while digesting the Scriptures for ourselves slowly. Finally, when presenting the gospel, we must do so peacefully and not discourage others from listening to the truth, remembering the model of Christ.