Gr. akeraios, “unmixed,” and thus “innocent,” or “simple.” While wary as a serpent, the Christian worker is to be as free from guile or craft as a dove.
Wise as serpents.
Gospel workers must be alert, quick to act when opportunity offers, aware of the dangers and difficulties that may be involved in a proposed course of action. They are to be prudent in their conduct and in dealing with difficult situations. They are to see through the devices of evil men, without practicing those devices themselves. However, there are certain traits characteristic of the serpent which they are not to imitate, any more than they are to imitate all the characteristics of the sheep. While they exercise the alertness of the serpent, they are not to imitate his wiliness.
As sheep.
See on v. 6. Workers for Christ are to exhibit certain traits that are characteristic of sheep, particularly that of gentleness in their dealings with others.
Compare the expression “harmless as doves.”
Behold.
Having concluded His exhortation of the Twelve with respect to points particularly applicable to the mission that lay immediately before them (vs. 5-15), Jesus now turns to problems of a more general nature, and gives instruction applicable to Christian workers to the close of time (vs. 16-42; see DA 352).