Wolf: I kidnapped you so that you would teach me some of your mannerisms. I assure you that I will let you go after the lessons.
Sheep: I am damn sure, your are going to feast on me as soon as the lessons are done! I can teach the mannerisms but your nature will remain the same!
1. False Prophets come in sheep’s clothing, in the habit of prophets which was plain and coarse; they wear a rough garment to deceive. Elijah’s mantle the Septuagint calls a sheep-skin mantle.
2. Every hypocrite is a goat in sheep’s clothing, but a false prophet is a wolf in sheep’s clothing; they are the worst enemy of a sheep who come to tear and devour.
3. Jesus uses the same words of John the Baptist (Every tree that brings not forth good fruit is cut down). Christ does not use newer words and expression just to add novelty, but tells the truth in the same way.
4. If men pretend to be prophets and are immoral, that disproves their pretensions; those are no true friends to the cross of Christ; whatever they profess their God is their belly and they mind earthly things Phil 3: 18, 19.
5. False prophets need not be necessarily people from other religions and denominations, but people who mislead the Church from within by living immoral life.(Duet 18:22)
Every priest is called to be a true prophet. Failing to make use of the formative period, one can eventually turn out to be a false prophet. We hear a lot of scandals, and they are the clear examples of sheep being devoured by wolves. Abuses by the leaders who hold responsibilities be it in family, office or institution are to be considered as the yielding of bad fruits. Every tree should take responsibility for itself to grow as a good tree to bear good fruits.
Courtesy
Matthew Henry’s Commentary
The New Interpreters’ Bible
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