Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
All Commentaries on Matthew 10:16 Go To Matthew 10
John Chrysostom
AD 407
Having made them feel confident about their necessary food, and opened unto them all men's houses, and having invested their entrance with an appearance to attract veneration, charging them not to come in as wanderers, and beggars, but as much more venerable than those who received them (for this He signifies by His saying, the workman is worthy of his hire; and by His commanding them to inquire, who was worthy, and there to remain, and enjoining them to salute such as receive them; and by His threatening such as receive them not with those incurable evils): having I say, in this way cast out their anxiety, and armed them with the display of miracles, and made them as it were all iron and adamant, by delivering them from all worldly things, and enfranchising them from all temporal care: He speaks in what follows of the evils also that were to befall them; not only those that were to happen soon after, but those too that were to be in long course of time; from the first, even long beforehand, preparing them for the war against the devil. Yea, and many advantages were hence secured; and first, that they learned the power of His foreknowledge; secondly, that no one should suspect, that through weakness of their Master came these evils upon them; thirdly, that such as undergo these things should not be dismayed by their falling out unexpectedly, and against hope; fourthly, that they might not at the very time of the cross be troubled on hearing these things. For indeed, they were just so affected at that time; when also He upbraided them, saying, Because I have said these things unto you, sorrow has filled your hearts; and none of you asks me, where are You going? John 16:6, 5 And yet He had said nothing as yet touching Himself, as that He should be bound, and scourged, and put to death, that He might not hereby also confound their minds; but for the present He announces before what should happen to themselves.
Then, that they might learn that this system of war is new, and the manner of the array unwonted; as He sends them bare, and with one coat, and unshod, and without staff, and without girdle or scrip, and bids them be maintained by such as receive them; so neither here did He stay His speech, but to signify His unspeakable power, He says, Even thus setting out, exhibit the gentleness of sheep, and this, though you are to go unto wolves; and not simply unto wolves, but into the midst of wolves.
And He bids them have not only gentleness as sheep, but also the harmlessness of the dove. For thus shall I best show forth my might, when sheep get the better of wolves, and being in the midst of wolves, and receiving a thousand bites, so far from being consumed, do even work a change on them a thing far greater and more marvellous than killing them, to alter their spirit, and to reform their mind; and this, being only twelve, while the whole world is filled with the wolves.
Let us then be ashamed, who do the contrary, who set like wolves upon our enemies. For so long as we are sheep, we conquer: though ten thousand wolves prowl around, we overcome and prevail. But if we become wolves, we are worsted, for the help of our Shepherd departs from us: for He feeds not wolves, but sheep: and He forsakes you, and retires, for neither do you allow His might to be shown. Because, as He accounts the whole triumph His own, if you being ill used, show forth gentleness; so if you follow it up and give blows, you obscure His victory.
2. But do thou consider, I pray you, who they are that hear these injunctions, so hard and laborious: the timid and ignorant; the unlettered and uninstructed; such as are in every respect obscure, who have never been trained up in the Gentile laws, who do not readily present themselves in the public places; the fishermen, the publicans, men full of innumerable deficiencies. For if these things were enough to confound even the lofty and great, how were they not enough to cast down and dismay them that were in all respects untried, and had never entertained any noble imagination? But they did not cast them down.
And very naturally, some one may perhaps say; because He gave them power to cleanse lepers, to drive out devils. I would answer as follows: Nay, this very thing was enough especially to perplex them, that for all their raising the dead, they were to undergo these intolerable evils, both judgments, and executions, and the wars which all would wage on them, and the common hatred of the world; and that such terrors await them, while themselves are working miracles.
3. What then is their consolation for all these things? The power of Him that sends them. Wherefore also He puts this before all, saying, Behold, I send you. This suffices for your encouragement, this for confidence, and fearing none of your assailants.
Do you see authority? Do you see prerogative? Do you see invincible might? Now His meaning is like this: Be not troubled (so He speaks), that sending you among wolves, I command you to be like sheep and like doves. For I might indeed have done the contrary, and have suffered you to undergo nothing terrible, nor as sheep to be exposed to wolves; I might have rendered you more formidable than lions; but it is expedient that so it should be. This makes you also more glorious; this proclaims also my power.
This He said also unto Paul: My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9 It is I, now mark it, who have caused you so to be. For in saying, I send you forth as sheep, He intimates this. Do not therefore despond, for I know, I know certainly, that in this way more than any other ye will be invincible to all.
After this, that they may contribute something on their own part also, and that all might not seem to be of His grace, nor they supposed to be crowned at random, and vainly, He says, Be therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But what, it might be said, will our wisdom avail in so great dangers? Nay, how shall we be able to have wisdom at all, when so many waves are drenching us all over? For let a sheep be ever so wise, when it is in the midst of wolves, and so many wolves, what will it be able to do? Let the dove be ever so harmless, what will it profit, when so many hawks are assailing it? In the brutes indeed, not at all: but in you as much as possible.
But let us see what manner of wisdom He here requires. That of the serpent, He says. For even as that animal gives up everything, and if its very body must be cut off, does not very earnestly defend it, so that it may save its head; in like manner do thou also, says He, give up every thing but the faith; though goods, body, life itself, must be yielded. For that is the head and the root; and if that be preserved, though thou lose all, you will recover all with so much the more splendor.
On this account then He neither commanded to be merely a simple and single-hearted sort of person, nor merely wise; but has mixed up both these, so that they may become virtue; taking in the wisdom of the serpent that we may not be wounded in our vitals; and the harmlessness of the dove, that we may not retaliate on our wrongdoers, nor avenge ourselves on them that lay snares; since wisdom again is useless, except this be added. Now what, I ask, could be more strict than these injunctions? Why, was it not enough to suffer wrong? Nay, says He, but I do not permit you so much as to be indignant. For this is the dove. As though one should cast a reed into fire, and command it not to be burnt by the fire, but to quench it.
However, let us not be troubled; nay, for these things have come to pass, and have had an accomplishment, and have been shown in very deed, and men became wise as serpents, and harmless as doves; not being of another nature, but of the same with us.
Let not then any one account His injunctions impracticable. For He beyond all others knows the nature of things; He knows that fierceness is not quenched by fierceness, but by gentleness. And if in men's actual deeds too you would see this result, read the book of the Acts of the Apostles, and you will see how often, when the people of the Jews had risen up against them and were sharpening their teeth, these men, imitating the dove, and answering with suitable meekness, did away with their wrath, quenched their madness, broke their impetuosity. As when they said, Did not we strictly command you, that you should not speak in this name? Acts 5:28 although able to work any number of miracles, they neither said nor did anything harsh, but answered for themselves with all meekness, saying, Whether it be right to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. Acts 4:19
Have you seen the harmlessness of the dove? Behold the wisdom of the serpent. For we cannot but speak the things, which we know and have heard. Acts 4:20 Do you see how we must be perfect on all points, so as neither to be abased by dangers, nor provoked by anger?
