Animal Illustration

Matthew 10:16  Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

Jesus uses four animals in this illustration. Two animals describe people categories and the other two are used to describe personal attributes and actions. The sheep are God's elect and Christ's servants and the wolves are the predatory servants of Satan. The serpents and doves are used to describe how the sheep are to act.

Neither the serpent nor the dove by itself is a good example. It is no good to be subtle as a snake (Gen 3:1) with no direction. It is no good to be harmless like a dove with no zeal (Hos 7:11). However, when combined we find wisdom.

A wise snake without love is a tyrant.

A harmless dove without wisdom is a coward.

The dove without backbone hides from every danger, flies from every conflict and hides from every opposition.

But a harmless servant of Christ, who wisely walks through this world, sees and understands the times and what is going on with a Biblical mind, renewed and transformed by the Spirit and the word will glorify Christ - for they will be Christ like.