Allow me to begin with an illustration: As Little Red Riding Hood is heading to her grandmother’s house; a wolf comes along and finds out where she lives. He travels ahead, enters the house, and eats the grandmother! When Little Red Riding Hood arrives, she notices her grandmother’s unusual appearance. She says, “What a deep voice you have!” “The better to greet you with,” replies the wolf. “My goodness! What big eyes you have!” “The better to see you with,” replies the wolf. “And what big hands you have!” “The better to embrace you with,” says the wolf. And lastly, “What a big mouth you have!” “The better to eat you with” he replies. At which point, the wolf jumps out of bed and gobbles her up!(1) Things are not always as they seem; and this is the lesson that Jesus shares in our passage today.
A Warning About False Teachers (v. 15)
15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
When we hear the word “prophet,” we might think of someone who sees and proclaims the future. In Deuteronomy 18:19-22, a “false prophet” is defined as one “who presumes to speak a word in [the Lord’s] name, which [He has] not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods” (v. 20); and the test of a false prophet is said to be this: “If the thing [he proclaims] does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken” (v. 22). Commentator Matthew Henry says that “prophets are properly such as foretell things to come,” but they can also be false teachers “who preach false doctrine” and “who teach that which is contrary to the truth as it is in Jesus.”(2)
The false prophets that Jesus referred to “are not [the] Pharisees or Sadducees.”(3) Commentator Adam Clarke says that by false prophets, we are meant to understand them as false preachers and “teachers of erroneous doctrines, who come professing a commission from God, but whose aim is not to bring the heavenly treasure to the people.”(4) They are instead focused on extracting earthly treasure for themselves. They are “teachers who preach for hire . . . ravenous wolves, whose design is to feed themselves with the fat, and clothe themselves with fleece, and thus ruin, instead of save the flock.”(5) They “magnify themselves, not Jesus Christ; and their purpose is to exploit people, not edify them.”(6)
Jesus called them “ravenous wolves” (v. 15), which is where we get our expression “a wolf in sheep’s clothing.” In that day and time, “when the shepherd watched his flocks upon the hillsides, his garment was a sheepskin, worn with the skin outside and the fleece inside.” In a similar fashion, the prophets, who were “shepherds” of God’s people, wore a sheepskin garment. This explains Elijah’s mantle (1 Kings 19:13, 19), which is described as a hairy cloak (2 Kings 1:8). Commentator William Barlcay tells us, “That the sheepskin mantle had become the uniform of the prophets . . . It was by that mantle that the prophet could be distinguished from other men. But sometimes that garb was worn by those who had no right to wear it . . . There were those who wore a prophet’s cloak, who lived anything but a prophet’s life.”(7)
In Acts 20:29-30, the Apostle Paul warned the elders at Ephesus, telling them, “After my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also, from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.” The aim of these “savage wolves” and false shepherds would be to gain a following for personal glory and financial gain. In 2 Corinthians 2:17, Paul said that he ministered in a different way, declaring this: “For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.”
In John 10:10, Jesus declared, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” We often identify the thief as Satan, but in context, Jesus was speaking about false teachers and preachers. Listen, as I continue reading from the passage. In verses 11-13, Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.” Jesus described a false teacher as being a just “hireling” (vv. 12, 13). He is not a shepherd, just someone paid to do a job; and as a result, he is not invested in the flock, and could care less about the welfare of the sheep.
The false teacher will abandon the flock to the wolves; and he is not any better than a wolf himself, as he is only there to feed his ravenous desire. Barlcay says, “The true shepherd cares for the flock more than he cares for his [own] life; the wolf cares for nothing but to satisfy his own gluttony and his own greed. The false prophet is in the business of teaching, not for what he can give to others, but for what he can get to himself.”(8)
No church wants a hireling, but modern churches promote a hireling culture. In the apostolic church, pastors were supported by the generous gifts of God’s people and by working a trade. Because they were responsible for earning a portion of their own income, pastors were not worried about offending people and losing their support. When a church forbids its pastor from preaching on hard truths, or tells him to preach only positive messages – with the looming threat of losing his income should he refuse to comply – then that church has created a “Yes Man,” and thus, a hireling. When a church views the pastor’s role as a “job” rather than a “calling,” it should not be surprised when the pastor begins to see it the same.
When churches reject sincere, bold, called-of-God pastors (because they sometime offend), then it leaves a vacuum that will be filled by those who will gladly pay the proper lip service to get a paycheck; and it appears that many churches today like their hirelings. You see, we sometimes reap what we sow when a ravenous wolf comes into the flock. In Proverbs chapter 30, we are told about some things which are “majestic” and “stately” (v. 29): “A lion, which is mighty among beasts and does not turn away from any . . . and a king whose troops are with him” (vv. 30-31). Let us encourage pastors to be as bold as lions, rather than cowardly wolves! In that way, we can start weeding out the false prophets, and discover true leaders who are worthy to have the support of the troops.
How to Identify False Teachers (vv. 16-18)
16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
Jesus said that we can identify false teachers “by their fruits” (v. 16). Clarke says that the term “fruit” is to be understood as “works.” “By these ‘works’ you may distinguish these ravenous wolves from true pastors.”(9) Evaluating someone “by their fruits” is not the same thing as passing judgement. Judgment is followed by a pronouncement of guilt (such as verbal criticism) and then a sentencing to punishment. Knowing or identifying someone “by their fruits” is simply a matter of using discernment. In Hebrews 5:14, we read how those who are mature in the faith will exercise their senses “to discern both good and evil.”
We read in 1 John 4:1-3, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God.” In 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21, Paul said, “Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good.” We are warned not to stifle the Spirit by refusing to hear prophecies or teaching. However, when we hear a message, we must use discernment. Commentator Matthew Henry says that when you suspect a false prophet, to “test them, and when you have discovered their falsehood, avoid them, having nothing to do with them.”(10)
Next, Jesus asked, “Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?” (v. 16). The “thornbush” that He referred to was “the buckthorn, which had little black berries, which closely resembled little grapes.”(11) There was also a thistle in the region “which had a flower, which, at least at a distance, might well be taken for a fig.”(12) A false prophet will look good from a distance, but on close examination will be discovered to be a fraud. You see, “there may be a superficial resemblance between the true and the false prophet. The false prophet may wear the right clothes and use the right language; but you cannot sustain life with the berries of a buckthorn or the flowers of a thistle; and the life of the soul can never be sustained with the food which the false prophet offers.”(13)
In verses 17-18, Jesus made a distinction between the “good tree” and the “bad tree,” and the kind of fruit they bear. The word for the tree that is “good” (agathos), means, “of good constitution and honorable.”(14) This tells us that a true prophet is guided by a standard of morality and stands firm in his faith and convictions. This kind of tree brings forth “good fruit” or kalos fruit. Kalos means, “excellent in its nature and characteristics” and “beautiful by reason of purity of heart and life.”(15) So, a true prophet will demonstrate integrity and purity in his life, and his teachings will encourage the same in others.
The word for the tree that is “bad” (sapros) “does not designate a rotten tree, but the wrong kind.”(16) This tells us that a false prophet will produce the wrong kind of teaching, contrary to the Bible. He will also produce the wrong kind of fruit, which is poneros fruit. This is not just “bad fruit,” but “evil fruit.” Poneros means, “degeneracy from original virtue,” “bringing toils, annoyances, and perils to the Christian faith” and “causing pain and trouble.”(17) Clarke says that an unregenerate heart will produce fruits of degeneracy and hypocrisy;(18) and should we follow the teachings of such a person, then we too will begin to live in compromise and experience the fruit of compromise, which is trials, tribulation, and trouble.
Listen as I share what Luke says about distinguishing the good tree from the bad tree. We read in Luke 6:43-45, “For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” A false teacher can be easily identified by corrupt behavior; but Luke tells us there is more to consider than just behavior. We know that a person can behave well in church and act terribly outside; so, we need to use something else as a gauge. We need to listen to what comes from a person’s mouth, because the mouth reveals the heart.
When you listen to a teacher’s messages, are they scripturally grounded? What about the topics? If he preaches on wealth and prosperity, for example, then perhaps his heart is greedy for money. Does he tell course jokes outside the pulpit? What does he talk about in regular conversation? Are his concerns about others or himself? Is he critical of others, gossips, and has a lot of negative things to say? What opinions does he express about the community? What views does he hold concerning politics, and are they biblically based? If they are constitutionally based, you can probably give him a free pass! Now, I have been using the pronoun “he,” but these same questions can be applied to women teachers as well.
On the flip side, someone can “say” all the right things and not “live” the right things. In Ephesians chapter 5, Paul said, “Let no one deceive you with empty words” (v. 6). He went on to say, “Walk as children of the light. For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth, finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness” (vv. 8-11). In other words, “Do not just talk the talk and refuse to walk the walk. Bear good fruit found in the things which are good, righteous, and true; things that issue forth from the Holy Spirit.” They are called “the fruit of the Spirit” (v. 9). Down in verse 22, Paul lists the fruit of the Spirit as love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These go beyond words, as they are godly attitudes and behaviors.
The Penalty for False Teachers (vv. 19-20)
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
Hebrews 13:17 says, “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account.” Pastors and teachers are responsible for people souls, and they are accountable to God. Go back to Hebrews 10:30-31, and we read this: “‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. And again, ‘The LORD will judge His people.’ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Pastors and teachers must be careful to bring forth good fruit and lead people in the way of righteousness; otherwise, they will be seen as bad trees, disobedient and ungodly, to be cut down and thrown into the fire! Now, this statement refers to some kind of judgment or punishment.
There is a two-fold application for the word “fire.” Allow me to preface the first application by pointing out how sometimes pastors and teachers can get caught up in the latest trend, fall into deception, and unknowingly proclaim false doctrine. They have failed to rightly divide the Word of truth for themselves, before sharing it with others. So, the first application is “the refiner’s fire,” where believers face testing and trials, to shape and correct their understanding and character. In Isaiah 48:10, the Lord declared, “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction,” and in Revelation 3:19, Jesus declared, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.” So, pastors and teachers can sometimes stumble in their walk with God and have to face the fire.
Now let us look at the second application. There are pastors and teachers who intentionally proclaim what is untrue. They do not even believe in Jesus. They have infiltrated the church to gain a following to boost their ego and plunder the wealth; and their message is as far removed from sound doctrine as possible! The unbeliever is the quintessential false prophet. So, the second application for the word fire is “the fires of hell,” which is reserved for unbelievers. In the very next verse, which is Matthew 7:21, Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” The opposite of not entering the kingdom of heaven is going to hell. In verse 22, Jesus continued to say that there are people serving Him who do not know Him; which is the true meaning of “false prophet.”
Time of Reflection
In closing, I want us to consider what it means to know Him. Someone who knows Jesus has confessed their faith in Him as Savior and Lord. In Matthew 10:32, Jesus said, “Whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.” If we declare that we know Jesus, He will declare that He knows us. However, before we can declare knowing Him, we must truly believe in Him. Romans 10:9-10 says, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” How can we ever confess Him if we do not believe with all our heart that He died for our sins on the cross and rose from the dead?
For those who do not believe, they really need to consider how “it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31); and this is not just a warning for false prophets and teachers. If you feel a weight of conviction that you need to confess Jesus as Savior and Lord, then I invite you to come, walk the aisle, and pray to receive Him into your heart and life.
NOTES
(1) “Little Red Riding Hood,” Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Red_Riding_Hood (Accessed February 23, 2024).
(2) Matthew Henry, “New Testament,” The NIV Matthew Henry Commentary in One Volume (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992), p. 35.
(3) Frank Stagg, “Matthew,” The Broadman Bible Commentary, vol.8 (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1969), p. 121.
(4) Adam Clarke, Clarke’s Commentary, vol. 5 (New York: Abingdon Press), p. 96.
(5) Ibid., pp. 96-97.
(6) Warren Wiersbe, “The Complete New Testament in One Volume,” The Wiersbe Bible Commentary (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2007), p. 26.
(7) William Barclay, “The Gospel of Matthew,” The Daily Study Bible, vol. 1 (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1958), p. 286.
(8) Ibid., p. 288.
(9) Clarke, p. 97.
(10) Henry, p. 35.
(11) Barclay, p. 288.
(12) Ibid., p. 288.
(13) Ibid., p. 288.
(14) Blue Letter Bible: https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g18/kjv/tr/0-1/ (Accessed February 21, 2024).
(15) Blue Letter Bible: https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g2570/kjv/tr/0-1/ (Accessed February 21, 2024).
(16) Stagg, p. 122.
(17) Blue Letter Bible: https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4190/kjv/tr/0-1/ (Accessed February 21, 2024).
(18) Clarke, p. 97.
