Sheep clothing bible verse free#

Sheep clothing bible verse free#

It may be queried, whether our Lord has not respect to the Scribes and Pharisees, who sat in Moses's chair, and taught, for doctrines, the commandments of men? and of whose doctrines he elsewhere bids men beware: for whatever plausible pretences for holiness and righteousness might appear in them, they were repugnant to the word of God, and destructive to the souls of men such as their doctrines of free will, justification by the works of the law, the traditions of the elders, &c. Or false teachers for not such who pretended to foretell things to come, but such who set up themselves to be teachers of others, are here meant see 2 Peter 2:1. Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleBeware of false prophets. Applied to the false teachers, it means that they assumed the appearance of holiness in order that they might the more readily get the property of the people. Ravening wolves - Rapacious voraciously devouring hungry even to rage. To come in sheep's clothing is to assume the appearance of sanctity and innocence, when the heart is evil. Who come in sheep's clothing - The sheep is an emblem of innocence, sincerity, and harmlessness. It probably had reference to the false teachers then among the Jews. A false prophet is a teacher of incorrect doctrine, or one falsely and unjustly laying claims to divine inspiration. As prophets, however, were commonly regarded as public instructors on the subject of religion, the word came to denote all who were religious teachers. Can it be expected by you, in a common way, that you should reap spiritual advantage, or should obtain religious improvement, from the teaching of wicked men, or of men whom God has not called to that work?īarnes' Notes on the BibleFalse prophets - The word prophet originally means one who foretells future events. They also are false prophets who, though they may declare the very truth, and that clearly and fully, yet do not adorn, but bring a reproach upon it by their unholy conduct and therefore are not sent of God by his Spirit, but come in their own name to declare God’s word: hence, which is their grand mark, they do not turn men from the power of Satan unto God. True prophets convert sinners to God or at least confirm and strengthen those that are converted. Wesley, “whereby to know true from false prophets: and one that may be applied by people of the meanest capacity, who are not accustomed to deep reasoning.

“A wolf in sheep’s clothing,” says Doddridge, is “grown into a proverb for a wicked man that makes a great profession of religion, yet cannot dissemble so well as not to be discovered by attentive observation which was just the character of the Pharisees in our Saviour’s days.” Ye shall know them by their fruits - “A short, plain, easy rule,” says Mr. Who come to you in sheep’s clothing - With a form of godliness and fair professions of love but inwardly they are ravening wolves - Not feeding but destroying souls feeding themselves by the destruction of the flock. All those are false prophets who teach any other way than that which our Lord hath here marked out. Beware of false prophets - Who in their preaching describe a broad way to heaven: it is their prophesying, their teaching the broad way, rather than walking in it themselves, that is here chiefly spoken of. It is possible, though not, I think, probable, that there may be some allusion to the “rough garments,” the “sheep-skins and goat-skins” of Hebrews 11:37, worn by false prophets of the hermit or ascetic type.īenson Commentary Matthew 7:15-16. So far a special feature is added to the general allegory of John 10:12 and Acts 20:29.

Which come to you in sheep’s clothing.-The illustration implies something like the conception of the wolf disguising himself as a sheep in order to gain entrance into the fold. Even at the time when our Lord was speaking, the influence of such men as Judas of Galilee ( Acts 5:37), Theudas, and other popular leaders, was still fresh in men’s memories. The true gift of prophecy is always followed by its counterfeit. Such teachers, claiming authority as inspired, there had been in the days of Isaiah and Jeremiah, and there would be again. How was the narrow way to be found? Who would act as guide? Many would offer their help who would simply lead men to the destruction which they sought to escape. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(15) Beware of false prophets.-The sequence again is below the surface.