Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Matthew 7:15

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep`s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves." — Matthew 7:15 (ASV)

Jesus foresaw the continued existence of his newly formed community for a sustained period. He was doubtless steeped in the OT reports of earlier false prophets (Jeremiah 6:13–15; Jeremiah 8:8–12; Ezekiel 13; Jeremiah 22:27; Zephaniah 3:4) and knew such people would infiltrate this new community. Warnings against false prophets are necessarily based on the conviction that not all prophets are true, that truth can be violated, and that the Gospel’s enemies usually conceal their hostility and try to pass themselves off as fellow believers. At first glance they use orthodox language, show biblical piety, and are indistinguishable from true prophets (cf. 10:41). Thus it is vital to know how to distinguish sheep from wolves in sheep’s clothing. Behind this saying is Jesus’ view of himself as the true prophet (cf. 21:11, 46).

Neither the damage these false prophets do nor their brand of false teaching is stated; but the flow of the Sermon on the Mount as well as its OT background suggest that they do not acknowledge or teach the narrow way to life subject to persecution (vv.13–14; cf. Jeremiah 8:11; Ezekiel 13).