Matthew 7:15-16

a Beware of false prophets,

b Who come to you in sheep's clothing,

b But inwardly they are ravening wolves.

a By their fruits you will know them.

‘Beware of false prophets.' The false prophets come ‘as though in sheep's clothing'. That is, they somehow linked themselves with the Name of Jesus and professed to be teaching what He taught. But really their teaching was false and they came with false motives. ‘In sheep's clothing' may signify that while they came with false motives, and therefore as wolves, they did so as wolves ‘clothed in sheepskin', that is, seeking to give the impression that they were sheep among the flock, and at one with the flock, even though underneath their disguise they were wolves, or alternately it may suggest that they came as though dressed in sheepskin clothing so as to give the impression that they were true shepherds, while having the heart of a wolf. The former fits the parallel better, but both are possible. (He mentions similar people in John 10:12 in a slightly different guise). We must remember that we do not have to try to make Jesus' illustrations logical. They were often intended as exaggerations so as to get over the point. But the point in either case is that they were trying to give the impression that they were one with sheep, while really being out for themselves. ‘The sheep' regularly indicate God's people in their helplessness (Matthew 9:36; Psalms 78:52; Psalms 79:13; Psalms 95:7; Psalms 100:3; Psalms 119:176; Isaiah 53:6; Jeremiah 23:1; Jeremiah 50:6; Ezekiel 34:6; Ezekiel 34:11; Micah 2:12; Zechariah 13:7). The ravening wolves are found in Ezekiel 22:27; compare Zephaniah 3:3.

The thought of false shepherds is found in Jeremiah 23:1; Jeremiah 50:6; Ezekiel 34:8; Zechariah 11:16. If the thought here then is that these false prophets are like those shepherds then Jesus sees them as pretending to speak from God and to be interested in the people's welfare, while in fact teaching subtle falsity and out for their own gain. (For example, they say ‘peace, peace,' where there is no peace - Jeremiah 8:11). We could certainly see this as in a secondary way including many of the Scribes and Pharisees (compare Matthew 16:11), and the chief priests in Jerusalem and Judea, for once established the term could have in mind any teachers who used His people with false motives in mind or for gain (Mark 7:11; Luke 20:47 compare 2 Peter 2:3), but at this stage in the ministry in Galilee these would hardly have entered into the equation. So the people listening to Jesus might well rather have been intended by Him to see Him here as thinking about some ‘less orthodox' preachers in Galilee who claimed to be able to guide the people (compare Simon the sorcerer who was no doubt already at work in Samaria -Acts 8), and who as exorcisers and wonder-workers, made the most of their abilities so as to fleece the people. We should note, however, that while Jesus accepted that there were such He did not condemn all such preachers (Luke 9:49). If they were teaching the truth He as very happy about their work.

Furthermore Jesus had only to consider the history of His people and the hearts of men to recognise that such false prophets would continue to spring up, both from among His wider group of disciples, and from among travelling exorcisers and wonder-workers (Acts 13:6; Acts 19:13) who did believe that their powers came from God, and some of whom would take the opportunity of aligning themselves with Jesus because of His popularity (Matthew 7:22). We know that certain types of Jews regularly did engage in such exorcising and wonder-working activities. And such Jews were often held in some awe by Gentiles who recognised how ancient were their Law books on which they laid such stress, and because they knew that they could lay claim to calling on the ancient expertise, and even assistance, of famed men of the past like Solomon (see titles of Jesus in the inroduction).

Thus He would want His listeners to note the danger that, while some of these men might be genuine and acceptable (so Luke 9:49), others of these ‘prophets' might really be ‘ravening wolves'. Their message might appear to be orthodox, but they would really be coming to ‘devour them' (compare Luke 20:47) and lead them astray. That probably included obtaining money from them, or sponging on them by becoming guests in their houses and taking advantage of their hospitality. (We know from the Didache that that would in fact also become a danger with Christian prophets). But such people could disturb the flock, use up their possessions, and might even bring harm to them spiritually. So Jesus stresses that they had tested, and if necessary avoided, while if found spurious clearly their teaching not heeded. Meanwhile they could be identified from their ‘fruits'. In other words He had no doubt that the teachers to be avoided would manifest themselves in some way by what they did and what they said. He is thus pointing out that they will be recognisable, either from their behaviour, or from what results from their preaching. For once they arrive, any who think about it carefully will soon recognise whether they are taking advantage of the people's needs for their own gain, and whether their teaching is in line with His. (This was the kind of accusation against which Paul was constantly having to defend himself and against which he had to protect himself - see 2 Corinthians 11:8; 2 Corinthians 12:17. Note also how he presents in his defence that he can perform better and more genuine wonders than his opponents - 2 Corinthians 12:12. This all indicates the types of people who continued to attach themselves to the Name of Jesus and wander around teaching for their own benefit. It was a religious age and Jesus had a great reputation).

In Matthew 10:16 ‘the wolves' will presumably include the civic leaders and their religious counterparts, for we must remember that the Jewish lay leaders also liked to give the impression that they were deeply religious. But that is not so here. Here the emphasis is on wandering ‘prophets' and may well have had in mind some whom He knew ‘followed up' His ministry, after He had moved on to another region, taking advantage of His Name by using it against evils spirits (compare Acts 19:13), and generally engaging in sorcery (compare Acts 13:6), and doing it in order to persuade the people to support them and in order to obtain money from them (compare 2 Peter 2:3). The ‘ravening' was probably initially financial rather than physical. (We can compare how today successful city wide campaigns soon draw out heretical sects seeking to take advantage of them, and how once they have converted people many of them soon begin to tap their financial resources).

But the principle behind His words undoubtedly goes wider than just these and He may well also have had in mind that such people would continue to arise in the future. Thus the term He used could be applied to anyone who led His people astray, whether by claiming to be the Messiah or by making out that they were teachers of Scripture. Paul can apply precisely the same picture to heretics who would seek to lead the church astray (Acts 20:29; 2 Peter 2:1), a picture and idea which he no doubt drew from the teaching of Jesus, and Jesus Himself may well have been intending to indicate that such people would also continue to arise in the future.

It is a warning to us today. We have to learn to say with Isaiah, ‘to the Law and to the Testimony, if they speak not according to this word (the Scriptures) it is because there is no light in them' (Isaiah 8:20). For many false prophets still prevail today.