Matthew 7:15
“ Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”
-- KJV
False Prophets
This one is hits hard. This one, if I am right, can change you from the inside out like it has me.
I am not going through this daily exercise to prove my brilliance. In fact, I take no other credit for this work than that I can type. I feel compelled to do what I am doing. I am amazed at what I am finding in some of this scripture study. I am perplexed at the questions I am asking, and the answers I am finding. The only part of this project that I completely understand is the change in my spirit as a result of the work. So lets break this one down.
At first glance there is an obvious question raised. Who exactly are these "false prophets" who I have to beware of? When I thought about that, I immediately called to mind my disdain for, or lack of trust in, pretty much everybody. We are told by the placators that people are generally good. I never believed that. I accept that I bear a lot of responsibility for that deduction, given my propensity to seek out those whose intentions may not be pure. Historically. Then it occurred to me that there is a different angle to consider. The good tend to not seek out the not so good. They tend to spend their time quietly, raising their families or solving the worlds problems, be they big or small.
It is the parasites among us who seek us out with vigor and fortitude. Statistically, those who actively seek us out are probably not seeking to help, but to harm.
But then I looked as something even deeper when meditating on this particular set of verses. Ferocious. Ravening. What the heck does ravening mean? Obviously, we are led to believe that it equates to ferocious. That's the thing though. It doesnen't.
Lazy = Death
Matthew 7:15-20
WEB
15
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.
16
By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles?
17
Even so, every good tree produces good fruit, but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit.
18
A good tree can’t produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit.
19
Every tree that doesn’t grow good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20
Therefore by their fruits you will know them."
Version Study & Takeaway
The Linguistic Trap:
If you were to look at the NIV translation of the Holy Bible, you will find that the word ravening is replaced with ferocious. Why? Is it because today's Christians are too lazy to look up the word ravening? Perhaps that is the assumption of a publisher hiding behind the legal protection of a copyright. Could it bet a simple misunderstanding? Maybe the translators of the NIV bible didn't have access to a Greek dictionary, and were up against a deadline.
So, it is time to look at the Greek word that started it all: ἅρπαγες (harpages).
The meaning of the original Greek word forces one to ask two serious questions. How could they get it so wrong? And how can so many men of the cloth not warn us?
Harpages infers deep, malicious intent. It is fair to call a wild wolf ferocious. I'm not sure it is fair to call a wolf ravening, though. The original Greek context strongly suggests that the actions of those who would harm us while professing to help us are more aligned with a leopard—at least, in my mind.
It is safe to say that death by either predator would be considered a ferocious end to the one about to become lunch, but there is a profound difference. If a wolf is not hungry as it watches you from the tree line, it is likely to let you pass. The leopard won't. Hungry or not, with a leopard, you are toast. The leopard enjoys the kill. The wolf enjoys the meal.
The Takeaway:
Does the teacher tell you the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? Or do they tell you what they think you want to hear? Or worse—only what they want you to know?
Do they teach you how to think, or what to think?
What difference does it make? It may take an eternity to answer that question.