Shrewdness is a quality that God’s people should possess. By shrewdness, I mean possessing divine wisdom that leads to thoughtful, wise, and sensible behavior. In the NT, Jesus instructed His disciples, saying, “I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matt 10:16). In this perilous world filled with potential harm from wolf-like individuals, Christians are urged not to adopt a similar aggressive stance or conform to worldly standards. Unlike wolves, who hunt for self-interest, believers are called to emulate the traits of sheep and innocent doves—animals that pose no threat and actively avoid unnecessary conflict. As followers of Christ, our role is that of peacemakers rather than troublemakers. Despite the dangers and hostile forces at play in the world, Jesus doesn’t remove us from the environment but advises us to be “shrewd as serpents” (Matt 10:16b). The word shrewd translates the Greek adjective phronimos (φρόνιμος), which pertains to “understanding associated with insight and wisdom, sensible, thoughtful, prudent, wise.”[1] The OT meaning is similar.[2] In the context of Jesus’ guidance, being shrewd as a serpent is portrayed as a positive and desirable quality, for the snake will generally move quietly through its environment, unnoticed by others, avoiding trouble, until threatened. However, this wisdom should be balanced with the characteristic of being “innocent as doves”, which connotes maintaining a virtuous and innocent character. Pursuing innocence without wisdom will lead to naivety, and this should be avoided. Therefore, Christians are called to exercise wisdom when navigating potential threats, and avoiding unnecessary danger when possible.[3] The directive is to be simultaneously toughminded and tenderhearted—wise and discerning, yet harmless as sheep and innocent as doves.
Interestingly, the Greek adjective phronimos (φρόνιμος) was used by Jesus when describing an unrighteous steward (Luke 16:8)—a financial planner—who mishandled his master’s wealth (Luke 16:1-2). Recognizing that his time was running short, the dishonest steward astutely evaluated his situation and took shrewd measures to protect his own financial interests (Luke 16:3-7). Jesus reported the words of the steward’s master, who “praised the unrighteous manager because he had acted shrewdly” (Luke 16:8a). That is, the master praised the steward for his ingenuity. Jesus then drew a comparison between the wicked steward and believers, saying, “for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light” (Luke 16:8b). The “sons of this age” are those who live by worldly values that promote dishonesty and self-interest. The “sons of light” refers to believers who live by the light of God’s Word and pursue righteousness and selfless living. It is generally true that Christians are not as shrewd or aggressive in planning for their eternal home and rewards in heaven as unbelievers are about their temporal home on earth. Jesus then advised His disciples, saying, “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will receive you into the eternal dwellings” (Luke 16:9). Though this is a difficult saying, the simple takeaway is: Christians can learn from unbelievers by learning to think ahead and plan for the future, albeit by honest means. According to John Martin, “The dishonest manager had not done a good thing. But he had been careful to plan ahead, using material things to insure a secure future. Jesus was not teaching that His disciples should be dishonest. He was teaching that they should use material things for future spiritual benefit. This was a good lesson from a bad example.”[4] From these passages on shrewdness, the following applications are drawn:
- Be wise in this world: believers should approach the challenges of the world with wisdom, insight, and prudence. This means making thoughtful and strategic decisions, understanding the environment, and being aware of potential dangers.
- Be harmless and gentle: while being shrewd, believers are directed to avoid engaging in harmful, deceitful, or malicious behavior. This underscores the idea of combining toughness of mind with tenderness of heart.
- Avoid being naïve: the caution against innocence coupled with ignorance highlights the need for believers to be discerning and not naïve. While maintaining a pure and gentle spirit, it’s important to be aware of the realities of the world and exercise discernment in interactions and decision-making.
- Learn from negative examples: the reference to the unrighteous steward serves as a negative example from which positive lessons can be drawn. Believers are encouraged to learn from the shrewdness displayed by the steward in planning for the future, without endorsing dishonesty. It emphasizes the importance of using material resources wisely for spiritual benefit.
- Use resources strategically: Jesus’ advice to “make friends for yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness” encourages believers to use their material resources wisely and strategically. This suggests a focus on leveraging temporal resources for eternal purposes, emphasizing the importance of considering long-term spiritual benefits in one’s actions.
- Balance toughness and tenderness: Jesus’ message encourages a balance between being tough-minded and tender-hearted. Believers are called to navigate the world with wisdom and shrewdness, yet maintain a character marked by innocence, gentleness, and a commitment to peace.
In summary, the teachings of Jesus in Matthew 10:16 and Luke 16:1-9 call believers to navigate the challenges of the world with a balanced approach, being “shrewd as serpents” by exercising wisdom and strategic thinking, while also remaining harmless “as sheep” and “innocent as doves” by maintaining honesty and moral purity. These lessons underscore the importance of discernment, strategic use of resources, learning from both positive and negative examples, and ultimately leveraging worldly aspects for eternal purposes. The overall message advocates for a harmonious blend of toughness of mind and tenderness of heart in the pursuit of a wise and righteous life.
Dr. Steven R. Cook
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[1] William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 1066.
[2] In the Greek OT (the Septuagint), a few passages use phronimos (φρόνιμος) as a suitable synonym of the Hebrew word bin (בִּין), which means, “to be discerning, to have understanding” (HALOT, 122), as well as the Hebrew adjective chakam (חָכָם), which means, to be “skillful…clever, experienced…wise” (HALOT, 314). In two passages, it is shown that discernment and wisdom come from God. Joseph was said to be a man who was “discerning and wise” (Gen 41:39), and this because the Lord’s favor was upon him. And God told Solomon, “I have given you a wise and discerning heart” (1 Ki 3:12), which Solomon was to use to lead God’s people into righteous living. Throughout Proverbs, the phronimos person knows how to control his speech, for “the one who has discernment holds his tongue” (Prov 11:12). Additionally, he is described as one who stays calm, for “The truly wise person restrains his words, and the one who stays calm is discerning” (Prov 17:27). Furthermore, “knowledge is easy to one who has discernment” (Prov 14:6b), and this serves him well, as the “sensible person stays on the right path” (Prov 15:21), which is the path of righteousness that God has laid out for the one who fears Him. Concerning Proverbs 15:21, John Kitchen notes, “The idea is that, while the fool gleefully stumbles headlong toward destruction as he chases every fleeting pleasure, the ‘man of understanding’ chooses his course carefully, weighing each choice by what is right before God and man” (Proverbs: A Mentor Commentary, 338). The phronimos person seeks knowledge, as “The mind of the discerning acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks it” (Prov 18:15). And he is correctable, for “A rebuke goes deeper into one who has discernment than a hundred blows into a fool” (Prov 17:10), and “correct a discerning person, and he will gain knowledge” (Prov 19:25b).
[3] Jesus used the word phronimos when teaching His disciples, saying, “everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise [phronimos] man who built his house on the rock” (Matt 7:24). In this context, wisdom in both the acquisition of divine revelation (“hears these words of Mine”) and the application of it to everyday life (“and acts on them”).
[4] John A. Martin, “Luke,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 246.
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