Wolf in sheep's clothing origin. Wolf in sheep's clothing meaning

Since I started encountering wolves in sheep's clothing, I have found myself reflecting on these situations and trying to learn something from them. My stories about them have some similarities with those that I have heard from others. I've written articles about this and that, so I wanted to take some time and learn something useful from these situations. We must know how to identify a wolf.

The Bible warns us: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.”(Matt. 7:15). It also says that in the last days many false prophets will arise and deceive many (Matt. 24:11). What this means to me is that we must learn to distinguish between a wolf in sheep's clothing and false prophets. This does not mean that we will become judgmental or cynical, it means that we will be able to protect ourselves and those around us. We must protect the sheep in our churches. Protect converts. We must do what God commands us in Matthew 10:16: “...be wise as serpents and simple as doves”. Many believers fall into a wolf's trap because they want to believe in the best in people. I do not encourage you to believe the worst, but I ask you to be wise.

The problem is that wolves in sheep's clothing look like sheep from afar. Until you get close to them. This is the danger of falling into the enemy's trap. But I have encountered wolves more than once, so I learned to quickly identify them. Below is a list of ways I have learned to tell the difference between a wolf and a sheep:

1. Wolves will have problems with spiritual authority. Jesus knew what authority was and what it meant to be under authority. He said that he did nothing except what he saw the Father do (John 15:19-20). True prophets are not rebels. They recognize power. In my experiences with wolves, I noticed that such people had problems with spiritual authority.

Wolves won't admit it, but watch them carefully. Is there spiritual authority over them? During one such encounter with a WWOSH (a wolf in sheep's clothing), the man pretended to have authority over him, but after I discovered that he was a wolf, his pastor, who was supposed to be his spiritual head, contacted me . It turned out that this VVOSH has been having problems with this for a long time. In the case of another VVOSH, I caught him lying to the pastor. If this happened once, you can still attribute it to the person’s immaturity. But in this situation it happened again and again.

2. Wolves will try to manipulate and control you. VVOSH can seem like the sweetest creatures on earth as long as they see that you can be controlled. They will use tactical intimidation and often you will not even understand what is really happening. This is not from God. God does not manipulate or control, and those who say that they are from God cannot do so.

3. When fighting wolves, remember - they thirst for blood. We are all familiar with conflict situations in which we act more than incorrectly, but the wolves take a step forward. Once they have tasted blood, they will try to taste it again through arguments and conflicts. Suddenly they will become angry. They will justify their actions using false Christian clichés. I once had a conversation with VVOSH, who thought that his task was to destroy anyone who even slightly contradicted him. He believed that God had appointed him to be a kind of “bouncer.” But God doesn't do that kind of thing. Even while hanging on the cross, Jesus said: “Father! Forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."(Luke 23:34). And while God doesn't expect you to be a pushover, I've seen wolves act like rabid animals. It is the nature of the spirit by which they are guided. Please be careful and remember that your enemy is not a person, but Satan, whom that person has given access to in his life. This is a spiritual question.

4. Wolves will behave one way with those with influence, but completely differently behind closed doors. Once I was on a prophetic team with a man who, as it turned out later, was VVOSH. He was one of the nicest people to the leaders and to me until the conflict arose. We were in a room prophesying to a woman. When she left, he turned to me and said that “Satan told him about me.” This man instantly turned from a prophesying lamb to one who was ready to attack me.

5. There is rotten fruit in the life of a wolf. The Bible is clear that we must learn to discern spiritual fruits in a person's life. Is he a man of peace, patience, goodness and self-control? Don't get me wrong: we all fail in these areas. But what situations seem to haunt them? Do they constantly wreak havoc and disorder? Constantly pissing you off?

6. Wolves are often very accurate in spiritual gifts. Please note that just because someone has a spiritual gift does not mean they are sent by God. Often I have seen people mistake wolves as such because they had some kind of gift or because the “prophetic word” seemed very plausible. Pastors, please do not place them in ministry simply because they have gifts. Watch their lives, otherwise, if you are not careful, they will devour your sheep.

7. Wolves were not always wolves. I don't believe that wolves have always been like this. Most often, these are gifted people who simply got lost at some point along the way. In my two serious encounters with wolves, both men were somewhat similar. These were people who had problems with their fathers, and their wounds were never healed. They were guided by the idea of ​​success, which was to take the path of morality. At some stage they were deceived and their minds were darkened. They both believed that they were used by God, but they did not bear fruit. The good news is that I believe that these people, along with other VVOSH, have not gone so far that they cannot repent and turn to God. I believe that the Lord still wants to use them, but first they will have to go through the process of circumcision.

Perhaps you (like me) have had the bitter experience of encountering a wolf in sheep's clothing. The good news is that now it will be easier for you to identify such a wolf. Wolves can be difficult people. Pray for them from a distance. Treat them as God commands you. Be wise and keep moving forward.

Anna M. Equino – A sought-after author, ministry guest, and prophetic voice. Her books Cursing the Church or Helping It? and Confessions of a Ninja Mom are available everywhere. The book "Marriage in Time" is being prepared for release in July 2017. Please visit its website annamaquino.com.

The expression is taken from the Bible. There is this warning: “Beware of false soothsayers: they come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inside they are ravenous wolves.” Well, yes, if a wolf puts on sheep's clothing, he will look quite meek. But it’s better not to come across such a sheep on the way. And this expression is used in relation to evil people who pretend to be kind.

Here the wolf is compared to a miner, whose work result is not related to sitting in one place, but to speed. There is an expression: “The journalist’s feet feed him.” The meaning is this: whoever had time, ate it. The wolf fits best in this expression because its prey depends on how fast it is.

If you're afraid of wolves, don't go into the forest.

The wolf represents “danger” in the forest, which may threaten, but it is not a fact that it will happen to you. This expression suggests that in any action there is danger, but you can’t be afraid of everything either.

Ravenous appetite.

Characterizes a very hungry person who sweeps away all the food from the table without even really understanding what he is eating.

Wolf ticket.

A negative summary, a negative description of someone. In the 19th century, the name of a document that denied access to public service, an educational institution, etc.

Wolf law.

In fact, lawlessness, the principle of the pack: the strongest is right. Wolves constantly squabble for primacy, so the expression came from there.

Hungry as wolf.

Refers to the extreme degree of hunger of an individual.

Sea wolf.

A seasoned, experienced sailor who has been on many sea voyages.

Work is not a wolf - it won’t run away into the forest.

How sometimes a person would be glad if the work ended quickly, but no: it needs to be done, it will not go anywhere on its own and will not run away at the first good opportunity, like even a tamed wolf into the forest.

To live with wolves is to howl like a wolf (I. Goethe, “Faust”)

Here the wolf characterizes a person who has power and loves submission. If a person chooses such a “wolf” as a friend, companion, or associates his life with him, then he will have to obey his rules, “dance to his tune.”
Live according to the laws of the society around you, that is, behave the same way in a negative environment.

No matter how much you feed the wolf, he keeps looking into the forest.

The wolf is a wild animal. You can feed him, try to tame him, but whenever possible he will return to the forest, to his usual habitat. And in a figurative sense, the phrase means that someone does not want to change their habits, their lifestyle under any circumstances. As a rule, the phrase has a negative connotation.

Look like a wolf.

The wolf is considered a predatory animal. Look like a wolf - with an angry, warning look.

Old wolf.

Poisoned wolf.

Even the howl of a wolf.

This phrase means hopeless things that just don’t work out.

The following proverbs can be turned into phraseological units characterizing the predatory characteristics of a person:

The wolf molts every year, but does not change its custom.
The wolf is not a horse's friend.
The wolf is wolfish and tears.
A wolf and a sick man can handle a sheep.
The wolf will not gather the sheep.
The wolf is not a shepherd, and the goat is not a gardener.
A wolf changes its fur, but never its teeth.
Wolves prowl - looking for prey.
Wolves can smell where sheep spend the night.
Born a wolf, never become a sheep.
It hit the wolf in the teeth: consider it lost.
The wolf's mouth and the priest's eyes are an insatiable pit.
The wolf's womb is sewn from seven sheepskins.
Wolf skin howls in the city.
Seeing a wolf goat, he forgets the thunderstorm.
The wolf called the goat to a feast, but the goat did not come.
The wolf called the sheep to godfather - she didn’t go.
A wolf cannot hide in sheep's clothing.

The well-known expression “a wolf in sheep’s clothing” has become a reality.

Phraseologisms characterizing people who have a favorable attitude only towards their immediate environment:

A wolf won't eat a wolf.
A wolf will not crush a wolf's tail.

However, people characterized by wolf traits are not invincible supervillains:

The wolf guards the sheep, and the shooter guards the wolf.
Fear the wolf - and run from the squirrel.
The wolves are fed and the sheep are safe.

Characterizes two antagonistic groups of people (or a state of affairs in which the interests of both groups are taken into account). Although the mind of the new generation has transformed the proverb, giving it a new meaning: “And the wolves are fed, and the sheep are safe, and the shepherd has eternal memory.”

Let the goat into the garden and hire a wolf as a shepherd.

Characterizes a person who does not know how to understand people.

The townspeople, whose earnings were interrupted, grumbled dissatisfiedly: “Again, Tambov wolves are prowling around the yards, they are driving down the price.” The popular proverb “the Tambov wolf is your comrade” was born in 1920-1922 during the so-called Antonov rebellion in the Tambov region.
The “Tambov wolf” entered the all-Union lexicon in 1956 with the light hand of the screenwriters of the detective film “The Rumyantsev Case”.

0 Modern young people sometimes hear some catchphrase or expression and instantly get lost and fall into a stupor, not understanding what their interlocutor wanted to say. After all, we use most sayings, relying solely on traditions and context, and without this, beautiful phraseological units turn only into " White noise"However, isn't it better to establish exactly where this or that stable expression came from? Today we will talk about another interesting saying, this Wolf in sheep's clothing, which means you can find out a little below. If you add our online dictionary to your bookmarks, you will no longer have to frantically search for the necessary decodings of a particular word or phrase. On this website resource we regularly publish articles on the topic of street slang, fashion slang, prison argot, etc.
However, before continuing, I would like to point you to a couple of other sensible publications on the topic of phraseological units. For example, what does it mean that Being determines consciousness; how to understand Keep a tight rein; the meaning of the expression Drive the fool; what does it mean to ride on ears, etc.
So, let's continue, Wolf in Sheep's Clothing, meaning?

Wolf in sheep's clothing- this is what they call a hypocrite today, a dangerous person who, for his own benefit, pretends to be caring, good, honest and kind, which easily deceives people who trust him

Wolf in sheep's clothing is someone who hides evil intentions under the guise of virtue.

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.".

Jesus really turned out to be right, because after him, for thousands of years, many unscrupulous citizens with his name on their lips promised salvation. Moreover, what is typical is that a specific false messiah had to protect them, and people, like sheep, followed these people expecting a miracle.
Be that as it may, as long as poverty, hunger, misery exist, there will always be a person who is ready to fill his pocket with this. After all, it’s no secret that all sects were created for only one purpose, to generate income for their founder and leader.

Do you think I don't like creative people? And yet, yes, I can’t stand them. Just think about who is more important to the people, a singer or a miner? However, why does this woman of low social responsibility earn tens, if not thousands of times more than a miner who risks his life every day?

Actually, even in the smallest groups, all sorts of intrigues, instigations and whispers begin to weave. This usually happens in women's communities, because ladies hate their rivals and treat them very negatively. In fact, a wolf in sheep's clothing can be found almost anywhere, it is not as rare as you might think.
However, such a phraseological unit is not held in high esteem these days, and it is usually replaced by various synonyms, which I already mentioned above, the most suitable of which would be - hypocrite.

After reading this informative article, you have finally figured out What does Wolf in sheep's clothing mean?, its meaning, and now you can always understand what we are talking about if you suddenly find this phrase again.

Wolves in sheep's clothing can be found in almost any environment. You can't get rid of them, but if you spot them, you can avoid their traps.

Work in any competitive industry long enough and you are bound to encounter a wolf in sheep's clothing. This is a powerful image.

A shepherd watches over his flock to protect them from harm. It will drive away any predator that tries to sneak into the herd. But a smart wolf, wearing a sheep's skin as a cover, can sneak through the vigilant shepherd and get into the herd unnoticed

This story is not only a colorful description, it is a warning to all of us to beware of the wolf in sheep's clothing. They may seem innocent, but they have ulterior motives. They will use different tactics to cover up their intentions.

A person who is kind to you but discredits you when you are not around is a wolf in sheep's clothing. A wolf in sheep's clothing may extract ideas from you and then pass them off as his own in order to get a promotion. They always take care of themselves at the cost of other people.

This type of cover has its advantages.

People don't go out of their way to manipulate others if they don't get anything out of it. Wolves are able to hide emotions - this gives the wolf a chance to manipulate others in order to improve his own situation. They know that what they are trying to do will not be exciting, or it may lead to difficulties if they express themselves openly.

They will be able to do what they want with less interference if they use their acting skills. As long as people understand their real motives, the wolf will have what he wants.

Signs of a wolf in sheep's clothing

1. They live to gain power instead of supporting others. The wolf uses people as a means to achieve goals to get what he wants. They don't care what happens to others. The wolf at work can make you look bad during a presentation so that they themselves look great in the eyes of the boss.
2. Wolves seem cute on the outside, but they will show you their teeth. If wolves showed their true nature, people would not communicate with them. They develop a friendly or kind personality, but they cannot play around the clock. Eventually they will show their aggressive tendencies. A wealthy person who enjoys breaking the law may make significant donations to charity to convince people that he is kind and caring. These donations mostly help them stay out of trouble, but if someone snubs them, they will destroy that person's reputation to silence criticism.
3. They manipulate emotions to get what they want. Wolves know that they can gain an advantage by appealing to your emotions. They figure out what you want and need, and they give you enough to keep you quiet and compliant. Imagine that your boss is a wolf in sheep's clothing and you want to ask for time off. He may try to play on your feelings of guilt and insecurity so that you skip vacation or take fewer days off.
4. At first the wolf charms you. Wolves are experts at manipulating others. They seem interested in whatever you're doing, and you'll feel like they care. Once you are where they want you, they will do just enough to keep you hooked. This is a colleague who started out by being your friend, but ended up dumping responsibility on you. When he sees that you are annoyed, he will surprise you with something to charm you even more. Then he will continue to do what he wants.
5. Figure out the wolf- the surest way to make them fuss. When this person tries to make up a story, it won't make much sense because they are improvising. A classic example of this is your significant other whom you suspect of cheating. When you ask them why they came back so late, they will either get annoyed or come up with a weak excuse.

How to spot a wolf

Understand everything so that you have as many facts as possible before you start working with them. Observe how they respond in certain situations, or present them with hypothetical problems to see how they respond.

A job candidate might tell you that she is always positive and considers herself a team player. This is what every employer wants to hear. During interviews, ask candidates to work in groups to solve problems and see how they handle the situation. The “positive team player” candidate is domineering and negative. You have identified the wolf.

Wolves will tell you something that they will benefit from as a result. Gather evidence that will support their position or vice versa and see what happens. There is a possibility that when you choose a side that supports their plan, they will act like your best friends. If you don't agree, they will become aggressive.

Spotting a potential wolf - especially if you're among sheep - can be quite difficult. If your instinct is that a wolf is lurking among the other sheep, pay attention and be sure to take the following step:

Ask questions, the more the merrier.

There is nothing wrong with asking questions to uncover the truth. The safety of everyone in your group is at risk. Because wolves often make up stories, you can identify them when their stories are missing details.

When they talk about something, ask, “Why do you think that?” or “How do you know this is true?” They will have a hard time coming up with enough information to cover up the lie.

Because wolves are always pretending to be something they are not, they usually don't have a well-thought-out reason for why they say something. In a dispute, they will not understand the essence of the problem.

They may also tell you what they think you want to hear, but when pressed for more information, they have nothing to add. Their knowledge is superficial. No matter how you try to encourage discussion, they will not be able to continue the conversation on the topic.

Wolves are everywhere

As much as we would like to believe that everyone has the best intentions, this is not always the case. Some people only do things they can benefit from and don't care who they hurt in the process.