How would PBers define a Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

[Edward]

"“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves." Matthew 7:15

A question was raised on another thread as to how PBers would define a 'wolf in sheep's clothing' particularly in connection with a person's state of election or salvation.

If anyone wants to weigh in, please leave the persons and issues being discussed on the other thread on that other thread, and let's address things in a general or universal sense here.

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

I stated this, "I think it is used in a general way to implicate someone's being deceptive. It isn't necessarily saying someone is a devil. Just my humble opinion."

 

[VictorBravo]

1. Prophet
2. False
3. Inward true state.

So, first it has to be someone who acts in the office of prophet, either by claiming to proclaim and teach God's word or claiming to speak for God directly.

Second, what that person teaches or speaks is false.

Third, internal motives are wolf-like: to deceive and lead astray the sheep.

My view is that the inwardly third element can include self-deception: i.e. the "teacher" may genuinely believe he or she is a true teacher and not see the inward deception driving the teaching. "The heart is desperately wicked."

It also includes those who are self-aware of their deception.

Our only defense is to measure these elements by the objective statements in the Word of God.

 

[KMK]

How about 'Christian lawyers.'

 

[VictorBravo]

How about 'Christian lawyers.'

Zing...zap. I will now go examine my deceptive heart.

 

[Zach]

I'd add that Acts 20 ought to be instructive, since it wasn't included in the original post and the language used about Mrs. Byrd that sparked this discussion more closely reflects that found in Acts. Similar to what Victor mentioned in his comment about the connection to the word prophet in Matthew 7, the context in vv. 29 & 30 seems to strongly imply a connection to church office. I don't think I would limit it to officers, but that seems to be the strongest and most natural setting for the phrase in the context of Acts 20.

 

[py3ak]

I think one could distinguish between its Biblical and popular usage. In Matthew 7, the end of the false prophets who are wolves disguised like sheep is not good (Matt. 7:19)

But we often toss it around as an independent expression. When I hear someone use the expression that way it seems mostly to mean someone who presents (to use the jargon) as orthodox, while promoting false doctrine.

Depending on your frame of reference, then, the pope might be a wolf in sheep's clothing (because of his use of the name of Christ); or he might be a wolf in wolf's clothing (because the papistical system is not a very sheeplike exterior). The essential outward element is disguise; that may probably involve an inward element of hypocrisy, but the emphasis is on the outside.

 

[Jerusalem Blade]

I would think many "wolves in sheep's clothing" fall into the category of self-deceived – thinking themselves genuine sheep, but not.

 

[Edward]

I would think many "wolves in sheep's clothing" fall into the category of self-deceived – thinking themselves genuine sheep, but not.

As you say, many perhaps. But some are quite intentional.

 

[Jack K]

I think I limit that label to someone who has a devious design to prey on the sheep by appearing to be no threat. Since that person is by nature out to use and harm God's people for his own benefit, I would presume he is not saved. If that person is merely in error, but not intentionally predatory, I probably would not think of him as "a wolf in sheep's clothing." (I'm not saying everyone has to think that way, or that it necessarily fits the Bible's usage. Just reporting on how I tend to think when I hear that phrase.)

 

[ZackF]

Maybe WiSC is necessarily a post-hoc label due to the "sheep's clothing" part. Only after the person in question has established themself as wolf can we clear know. Before then the person was just merely wrong.

 

[Afterthought]

Some Bible dictionaries.

A Dictionary of the Bible: Pleroma-Zuzim

books.google.com

A historical ... dictionary of the holy Bible : John Brown : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Book digitized by Google from the library of Oxford University and uploaded to the Internet Archive by user tpb.

archive.org

Matthew Poole on Matthew 7:15

"The term

prophets in holy writ is of larger extent than to signify only such as foretold things to come; others also who taught the people, pretending authority from God so to do, were called prophets. Thus Bar-Jesus, Acts 13:6, is called

a false prophet. A false prophet is of the same significance with a false teacher. Against those our Saviour cautions his hearers, as being the most fatal and dangerous enemies to faith and holiness. Some of them indeed come

in sheep’s clothing, under very fair pretences, and a fair show of religion and strictness; but

they are ravening wolves, as dangerous to your souls as ravenous wolves are to a flock of sheep."