Beware the False Teachers
Paul is on his way to Jerusalem where he will be arrested and dragged off to Rome. On the way to Jerusalem he stops at Miletus and asks to see the elders of the church in Ephesus because he cares deeply for this congregation which is in a bustling city full of temptations and pressures. It is poignant scene: they have traveled about 70km to get there, Paul gives them a rousing commissioning and heartfelt goodbye and their meeting ends with them kneeling together in prayer.But it's Paul's warning about false teachers that is very instructive and sobering.
Using the image of the church as a flock of sheep, Paul describes the false teachers as "savage wolves" who will infiltrate the flock. No doubt Paul is referring to Jesus' warning about wolves in sheep's clothing and he recognises that the wolves will come "in among you" and "even from your own number".
Their modus operandi will be to "arise" (become prominent), "distort the truth" and "draw disciples away".
In this passage Paul does not clearly state the nature of the false teachers. From the bigger picture we get from the rest of Scripture, we know that the church in Ephesus was threatened by Gnosticism (which was a philosophical version of Christianity that downplayed Jesus' incarnation and emphasised the role of reason and rationalism). The church members were also constantly tempted by the sensual cults of the gods and goddesses of Ephesus. It is important to remember that there was a very violent riot led by Demetrius whose business in selling idols of the goddess Artemis was threatened by the growing church in Ephesus. (There's often a money motive behind false teachers.)
How should false teaching be resisted? Paul suggests a couple of things:
- Have caring leaders: Paul calls them to be shepherds of the flock. This is a well-known leadership image in both the OT and the teachings of Jesus.
- Recognise that false-teaching is subtle at first, but the marks of the wolves is that they don't care for the flock and that they will "arise". The Greek word here implies "rising to a position..." They also take advantage of leadership vacuums: "After I leave..."
- We have to be on our guard - we have to be vigilant.
- Leadership is earned through compassion and by going the "long haul". The longest time Paul spent with any congregation was with Ephesus and his ministry was marked with compassion and care.
The bottom line: a healthy church has caring leaders who are alert to false teachers who "arise", "distort truth" and "draw disciples away" from the truth.
| Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. (Acts20:28-31) |
