Lesson#20

RETURN TO SYLLABUS
THE PARABLES OF JESUS CHRIST
LESSON #20
THE PARABLE OF THE SHEEP AND WOLVES (MAT 10:16)

MEMORY VERSE: ACT 1:8

THE PARABLE OF THE SHEEP AND WOLVES (MAT 10:16)

READ MAT 10:1-28 FOR THE CONTEXT OF THE PARABLE.

THIS WAS JESUS’ FIRST EXPERIENCE TO SEND OUT HIS DISCIPLES TO MINISTER TO OTHERS. HE GAVE THEM THE POWER THEY WOULD NEED TO MINISTER.

JESUS GAVE HIS DISCIPLES A DIVINE COMMISSION (5):

THE WORD, "COMMANDED" MEANS THAT THEY WERE LEGALLY, MORALLY, AND ETHICALLY BOUND TO RESPOND.
COMPARE THIS COMMISSION WITH THE GREAT COMMISSION JUST BEFORE HIS ASCENSION

READ MAT 28:16-20 (MAR 16:15-18 LUK 24:46-48)

THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MAT 10 AND MAT 28:

JESUS SENDS OUT THE DISCIPLES MAT 10:1-28	THE GREAT COMMISSION MAT 28:16-20
THE DISCIPLES WERE TO AVOID GOING TO THE GENTILES AND THE SAMARITANS, WHO WERE HALF JEWS	BELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST MUST GO TO ALL PEOPLE EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD
THE DISCIPLES WERE TO DEPEND ON THE HOSPITALITY OF THOSE TO WHOM THEY MINISTERED TO MEET THEIR NEEDS	BELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST ARE TO SUPPLY THEIR OWN NEEDS

WHY ARE THERE DIFFERENCES?

IN MAT 10, THE DISCIPLES WILL STAY CLOSER TO HOME. IT IS A SHORT TERM MISSION TRIP.
THE DISCIPLES NEEDED EXPERIENCE:

THEIR PROVISIONS ARE LIMITED TO TEACH THEM FAITH SO THEY WILL TRUST IN GOD FOR THEIR NEEDS.

THE DISCIPLES DID NOT HAVE THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN THEM UNTIL AFTER THE CRUCIFIXION AND RESURRECTION.
THE KINGDOM OF GOD WAS FIRST TO BE OFFERED TO THE JEWS WHO WERE THEN TO TAKE THE KINGDOM TO THE GENTILES.

WHAT WERE THE DISCIPLES SUPPOSED TO DO?

THE DISCIPLES MUST PREACH THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN WHEN JESUS HAD NOT YET COME TO SET UP HIS MILLENNIAL KINGDOM ON EARTH AT THAT TIME?

JESUS MEANT THAT THE OPPORTUNITY OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD BEING BORN INSIDE OF A PERSON WAS NEAR AT HAND.

THE DISCIPLES MUST HEAL THE SICK, CLEANSE THE LEPERS, RAISE THE DEAD, CAST OUT DEMONS, SHARE THE LOVE OF GOD, AND MEET PEOPLE’S NEEDS.

TO WHOM WAS THE PARABLE SPOKEN?

JESUS SPOKE THE PARABLE IN MAT 10:16 TO THE DISCIPLES GETTING READY FOR THEIR FIRST MISSION TRIP.

WHAT IS THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THE PARABLE?

JESUS WAS SENDING HIS DISCIPLES TO MINISTER IN DIFFICULT SITUATIONS, AND HIS WORDS WERE TO PREPARE THEM. THE DISCIPLES MUST BE WISE BECAUSE THERE IS A SPIRITUAL ENEMY THAT WOULD NOT BE PLEASED WITH THEIR MINISTRY. THEY WERE ALSO TO BE GENTLE BECAUSE LOVE IS MAN’S GREATEST NEED.

WHO DO THE SHEEP REPRESENT?

JESUS HAD JUST SPOKEN ABOUT THE LOST MULTITUDES OF PEOPLE AS SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD. HOWEVER, NOW HE REFERS TO HIS DISCIPLES AS THE SHEEP, WHILE HE, JESUS, IS THE GOOD SHEPHERD.
THE USE OF SHEEP AS A BIBLICAL EXAMPLE:

THE BIBLE MENTIONS SHEEP IN METAPHOR IN THE OLD TESTAMENT AND THE NEW TESTAMENT.

THE CLASSIC OLD TESTAMENT PASSAGE IS PSA 23.

READ PSA 23

CHARACTERISTICS OF SHEEP:

=1= SHEEP NEED TO BE LED. CATTLE ARE DRIVEN FROM BEHIND, BUT SHEEP BECOME EASILY LOST UNLESS THEY ARE LED.
=2= SHEEP ARE EASILY FRIGHTENED.
=3= SHEEP NEED PROTECTION AS THEY ARE DEFENSELESS AND HELPLESS.
=4= ANOINTING WITH OIL ON THE HEAD MAKES SHEEP FEEL GOOD.

DISCUSSION: HOW DO THE ABOVE CHARACTERISTICS OF SHEEP RELATE TO THE DISCIPLES ON THEIR FIRST MISSION TRIP?

WHO DO THE WOLVES REPRESENT IN THE PARABLE?

THE WOLVES REPRESENT THOSE PEOPLE WHO PERSECUTE, REJECT, RIDICULE, RAVAGE, AND KILL.

JESUS IDENTIFIES THE WOLVES IN MAT 10:

IN VERSE 17 THE WOLVES ARE THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS.
IN VERSE 18 THE WOLVES ARE THE GOVERNMENT LEADERS.
IN VERSE 21 THE WOLVES ARE FAMILY MEMBERS.
IN VERSE 22 THE WOLVES ARE MEN IN GENERAL.

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF WOLVES:

WOLVES HAVE A GREAT STAMINA AND CAN TRAVEL FOR HOURS WITHOUT STOPPING.
WOLVES ARE A FAITHFUL MATE AND HAVE STRONG FAMILY TIES
WOLVES PREY ON HELPLESS ANIMALS, USUALLY SHEEP, THAT ARE SICK OR SEPARATED FROM THE FLOCK.

DISCUSSION: IF WOLVES REPRESENT THE ENEMY (SATAN) OF THE SHEEP (BELIEVERS), HOW DO THE ABOVE CHARACTERISTICS OF WOLVES RELATE TO THE PARABLE?

JESUS GIVES SOME INSTRUCTIONS TO THE DISCIPLES:

=1= THE DISCIPLES MUST BE "WISE AS SERPENTS". WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

THE SERPENT IS THE SYMBOL FOR SATAN FROM THE FALL OF ADAM AND EVE IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN. IN THE GARDEN, SATAN IS WISE AND CUNNING. HE KNOWS THE WEAKNESSES OF MAN.
THE DISCIPLES, THEREFORE, MUST HAVE THE WISDOM THAT SATAN OFTEN SEEMS TO HAVE.

THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT OUR ENEMY, SATAN, IS NO DUMMY.

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF SERPENTS (SNAKES):

SNAKES ARE DEAF TO SOUND CARRIED BY THE AIR. THEY HEAR BY VIBRATIONS THROUGH THE GROUND.
THE BODY OF THE SNAKE ADAPTS TO THE LAY OF THE GROUND AS IT MOVES.
THE TEMPERATURE OF THE SNAKE’S BODY IS THE SAME AS THE TEMPERATURE OF HIS ENVIRONMENT.
THE SERPENT AVOIDS TOO MUCH HEAT BECAUSE HIS BODY WON’T TOLERATE IT.
THE EYES OF THE SNAKE ARE ALWAYS OPEN AND AWARE OF HIS SURROUNDINGS.
THE SKIN OF THE SNAKE HAS HARDENED OILS THAT PREVENT THE SNAKE FROM PICKING UP THE DIRT OF HIS ENVIRONMENT.

DISCUSSION: HOW DO THE ABOVE CHARACTERISTICS OF SNAKES APPLY TO THE DISCIPLES IN THE PARABLE?

PAUL IS AN EXAMPLE:

READ 1COR 9:19-23

=2= THE DISCIPLES MUST BE "HARMLESS AS DOVES". WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

THE BELIEVER IS TO HAVE PURE MOTIVES. HE MUST NOT BE POISONOUS LIKE THE SNAKE. HIS MOTIVE MUST BE A MOTIVE OF LOVE.
HARMLESS DOES NOT MEAN HELPLESS.

JESUS COUPLED THE WISDOM OF A SERPENT WITH THE HARMLESSNESS OF A DOVE.

IF A BELIEVER HAS WISDOM TO UNDERSTAND HIS ENEMY (SATAN), HE WILL NOT PUT HIMSELF INTO SITUATIONS WHERE HE MUST COMMIT SIN TO GET OUT OF THEM.

THE BIBLE USES A DOVE TO SYMBOLIZE THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT AND THE NEW TESTAMENT.(GEN 8:8-9 MAT 3:16)
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF DOVES:

THE DOVE IS A PRETTY BIRD WITH A SOFT VOICE.
THE DOVE IS A DEVOTED MATE BUT A CARELESS HOUSEKEEPER.

THEIR NESTS ARE MADE OF A FEW STICKS PLACED LOOSELY TOGETHER.
OFTEN THEY WILL EVEN TAKE OVER THE ABANDONED NEST OF ANOTHER BIRD.

THE DOVE IS NOT A BIRD OF PREY THAT ATTACKS

DISCUSSION: HOW DO THE ABOVE CHARACTERISTICS OF DOVES RELATE TO THE PARABLE?

SUMMARY AND APPLICATION:

ONLY GOD, BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, CAN RECONCILE ALL THESE SUPPOSEDLY OPPOSING CHARACTERISTICS IN US, SO WE CAN SUCCESSFULLY MINISTER TO OTHERS.

PAUL EXHIBITS THESE QUALITIES AND SO SHOULD WE:

READ 2COR 12:14-19 READ PHI 2:12-16

ANY BELIEVER GOING TO DO THE MASTER’S BUSINESS WHO LACKS WISDOM IS NOT HARMLESS.
ANY BELIEVER GOING TO DO THE MASTER’S BUSINESS WHO IS NOT HARMLESS IS ALSO NOT WISE.

HOMEWORK
THE PARABLE OF SPARROWS AND HAIRS (MAT 10:29-31) AND
THE PARABLE OF THE SWORD AND THE FOES (MAT 10:32-38)
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.

APPLICATION OF THE PARABLE OF SHEEP AND WOLVES (MAT 10:16)

IN APPLYING THE CHARACTERISTICS OF SHEEP BEING LED BY THE SPIRIT AND TRUSTING BY FAITH IN THE SHEPHERD, WHAT CHANGES SHOULD YOU MAKE IN YOUR LIFE TODAY TO BE MORE LIKE SHEEP?

IN APPLYING THE CHARACTERISTICS OF WOLVES WHO PREY ON THE WEAK AND HELPLESS, WHAT CHANGES SHOULD YOU MAKE IN YOUR LIFE TODAY SO AS NOT BE LIKE THE WOLVES?

IN APPLYING THE CHARACTERISTICS OF SOFT-SPOKEN DOVES WITH THE HEAVENLY PRIORITY OF FAITHFULNESS TO THE LORD, WHAT CHANGES SHOULD YOU MAKE IN YOUR LIFE TODAY TO BE MORE LIKE DOVES?

IN APPLYING THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A SNAKE’S WISDOM, HIS ADAPTABILITY TO THE ENVIRONMENT, CONSTANT ALERTNESS, NOT PICKING UP THE FILTH OF THE WORLD SYSTEM, AND AVOIDING HEAT (ARGUMENTS), WHAT CHANGES SHOULD YOU MAKE IN YOUR LIFE TODAY?

PREPARATION FOR THE PARABLE OF SPARROWS AND HAIRS (MAT 10:29-31) AND THE PARABLE OF THE SWORD AND THE FOES (MAT 10:32-38)

READ MAT 10:16-42 FOR THE CONTEXT OF THESE TWO PARABLES.

THE PARABLE OF SPARROWS AND HAIRS (MAT 10:29-31)

WHAT IS THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THIS PARABLE?

WHY DO YOU THINK JESUS USED THE ILLUSTRATION OF SPARROWS AND HAIRS?

THE PARABLE OF THE SWORD AND THE FOES (MAT 10:32-38)

WHAT IS THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THIS PARABLE?

WHAT DOES THE SWORD REPRESENT IN VERSE 34?

HOW DO YOU RECONCILE THE CENTRAL TRUTHS OF THESE TWO PARABLES AND THE FACT THAT ALL THE DISCIPLES WERE MARTYRED EXCEPT FOR JOHN? (IN OTHER WORDS, HOW FAR DOES GOD’S PROTECTION GO?)

MEMORY VERSE: MAT 10:39