Matthew 10:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

NIV: I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

NASB: Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be as wary as serpents, and as innocent as doves.

CSB: "Look, I'm sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves.

NLT: Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.

KJV: Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

NKJV: “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

Jesus is sending His twelve hand-picked disciples out to be apostles; this word literally means "sent ones." They have a specific mission: proclaim the coming of the kingdom of heaven from town to town in the region of Galilee (Matthew 10:5–8).

Here, Jesus begins to describe a longer-term mission. Most likely, in this moment, the disciples would not likely have fully understood that. What Christ refers to here will mostly happen after His death, resurrection, and return to heaven. During the Last Supper, Jesus will provide similar warnings and encouragements (John 15:18–20; 16:1–4).

The metaphor Christ uses here is a striking picture. Elsewhere, Jesus spoke of Himself as the "Good Shepherd" who would die to protect His flock (John 10:11), specifically from attacking wolves (John 10:12–14). The radical difference between believers in Christ and the rest of the world is captured in the symbolism of being sheep "sent" into the midst of wolves. At first, this may seem contradictory: a literal shepherd's job is to keep sheep away from danger. Jesus, though, has empowered this group of twelve men to act on His behalf; they will be equipped to face the dangers that come with such actions.

Jewish people would have been used to thinking of themselves as sheep surrounded by Gentile wolves. Jesus, though, is claiming this metaphor for His followers. They will face both Jewish and Gentile wolves as they do the dangerous work of declaring Jesus and His kingdom to the world.

In the culture of this time, snakes were symbolic of shrewdness and cunning. Doves were so innocent as to often seem completely clueless to danger. Jesus tells His followers to exercise whatever wise shrewdness they can to avoid conflict and danger without losing the dove-like innocence that will allow them to continue to proclaim the truth without fear. It will be a hard balance to keep, but it will be necessary for the mission to be successful.

While these words are spoken to a unique group of men, they still have meaning for Christian believers, today. Jesus does not endorse naïve, shallow belief. Nor does He allow believers to be bitter cynics or spiritual brawlers. Other passages of Scripture reemphasize the need for Christians to be both informed and sensible in their spiritual lives (1 Peter 3:15–16; Colossians 2:8).

Matthew 10:16–25 follows Jesus' instructions to His twelve apostles, giving them guidance for their impending missionary journey. Here, He begins to describe events that will follow His own resurrection and return to heaven. When that time comes, the apostles will be arrested and dragged before various courts and officials because they represent Christ and insist that He is the Son of God. The Holy Spirit will speak through them about Jesus. They will run from one town to another to avoid persecution, spreading the good news about Christ as they go. Jesus was persecuted, so they will be, as well. Much as Jesus will do during the Last Supper (John 16:25–33), He will encourage these men to stand firm in their faith.

Jesus gives His authority over disease, demons, and even death to His twelve hand-picked apostles. He gives them instructions in preparation both for a short-term trip to the towns of Galilee and their ministry after He has left the earth. First, they will preach His message of the kingdom in Israelite towns as they heal and cast out demons to demonstrate His power. Later, they will suffer great persecution as they represent Him before both Jews and Gentiles. They should not be afraid, though, and trust their Father to be with them and to reward them.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.