Serpents and Doves…
“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. ~Matthew 10-16 NKJB
This is a tight rope that we are asked to walk. Most of the time we don’t really think of “serpents” as being wise, with the exception of the serpent that visited Eve. The serpent, in the Holy Bible, that visited Eve, was a representative of the devil. Doves, most of us know, are harmless in their nature and not really very bright.
What is Jesus telling us with this verse? Merriam-Webster defines a serpent as “a treacherous person“. “Treacherous”, according to Merriam-Webster as “likely to betray trust”.
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Does Jesus intend to use the word “serpent” as defined by Merriam-Webster or is there another definition that is being used?
Jesus was using similes (figures of speech that compare two unlike things) to instruct His disciples in how to behave in their ministry. Just before He tells them to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves, He warns them that they were being sent out “like sheep among wolves.”
The world, then as now, was hostile to believers—not incidentally hostile, but purposefully hostile. Wolves are intentional about the harm they inflict upon sheep. In such an environment, the question becomes: “How can we advance the kingdom of God effectively without becoming predatory ourselves?” Jesus taught His followers that, to be Christlike in a godless world, they must combine the wisdom of the serpent with the harmlessness of the dove.
In using these similes, Jesus invokes the common proverbial view of serpents and doves. The serpent was “subtle” or “crafty” or “shrewd” in Genesis 3:1. The dove, on the other hand, was thought of as innocent and harmless—doves were listed among the “clean animals” and were used for sacrifices (Leviticus 14:22). To this very day, doves are used as symbols of peace, and snakes are thought of as “sneaky.” Source
“Crafty” or “shrewd” seems to be the context that Jesus is intending for the Disciples to walk among the wolves in the world. Then, as today, there are many people we will encounter that wish to do us harm and, as pointed out above, in some cases will be purposeful in doing so. We must be aware, we must be on guard while at the same time go about doing what must be done in order to advance the Kingdom.
There is much more that can and should be discussed about this single verse. Once again we see the richness of Jesus’ teachings and the depth in which the Father, speaking through the Son, teaches the world how important it is to raise our intellect while at the same time remaining humble, peaceful and loving. It, indeed, can be a tight-rope we walk at times. Thank goodness we are readying for the task. Are you ready to walk among the wolves?
Either the Gospel is the divine Word of God teaching us how to live and how to be a reflection of Him, or it’s nothing more than a historical account of events.
