The Deceivers from Within

The evening air hung heavy with the scent of wild lilies as Jesus and his disciples made their way up the grassy slopes of the Mount of Olives. The setting sun cast long shadows across Jerusalem below, its golden light catching the white limestone of the Temple walls. Jesus had been unusually quiet during their ascent, his expression thoughtful and somewhat troubled. The disciples exchanged questioning glances, sensing that their Master had something important to share.

As they reached a secluded grove of ancient olive trees, Jesus settled himself on a weathered stone, gesturing for his followers to gather around. Peter, James, and John took their customary places closest to him, while the others formed a loose circle. The fading daylight filtered through the silvery leaves above, creating shifting patterns on the ground at their feet.

“My beloved friends,” Jesus began, his voice carrying a weight of urgency that immediately commanded their full attention. “There is something I must tell you about the days to come, when I am no longer walking beside you in the flesh.”

Andrew leaned forward, his weather-worn face creased with concern. “Master, why do you speak of leaving us?”

Jesus smiled gently at his first-called disciple. “The time approaches when these things must be. But what troubles my heart more is what you will face after I return to my Father. For many will come in my name, clothed in garments of scarlet and purple, speaking words that sound like honey but carry the sting of serpents.”

Thomas, ever the questioner, furrowed his brow. “Lord, why do you speak of scarlet and purple? Are these not the colors of kings and merchants?”

“Indeed, Thomas,” Jesus replied, picking up a handful of earth and letting it sift slowly through his fingers. “Just as this dust might be painted with bright colors to appear as gold, so will these false teachers adorn themselves with the trappings of worldly success and authority. They will wear scarlet to mimic the blood of martyrs, though they have sacrificed nothing. They will clothe themselves in purple to suggest nobility of spirit, though their hearts are far from the Kingdom.”

Peter’s voice rose with characteristic passion. “Master, tell us how we will know them! How can we protect your flock from these wolves?”

Jesus gazed at Peter with deep affection, knowing both the fisherman’s fierce loyalty and his future role in shepherding the early church. “Listen carefully, for this teaching is like a lamp that must burn bright in the darkness to come. These false prophets will be known by their fruits, not by their appearance or their words alone.”

He paused, plucking a leaf from a nearby branch and holding it up to the fading light. “See how this leaf appears whole from a distance? Yet look closer.” The disciples leaned in as Jesus pointed out tiny holes where insects had eaten away at the leaf’s surface. “So it is with these deceivers. From afar, their teachings may seem complete and beautiful, but examined closely, they are full of hollow places where truth should dwell.”

John, the beloved disciple, spoke softly. “But surely, Lord, your true followers will not be deceived by such things?”

Jesus’s eyes held a shadow of sorrow. “Oh, my dear ones, if it were so simple. These teachers will not come wielding swords or speaking obvious blasphemies. They will come with subtle distortions, mixing truth with falsehood as a baker mixes a little leaven into pure flour until the whole batch is leavened.”

He continued, his voice taking on the familiar rhythm of teaching. “They will speak much of prosperity and earthly blessing, turning the gospel of the Kingdom into a transaction of coins. They will promise freedom while being themselves enslaved to corruption. They will build great houses of cedar while my little ones go hungry. They will adorn themselves in scarlet and purple while widows give their last mite.”

Judas Iscariot shifted uncomfortably at these words, though the others took little notice. Jesus’s gaze swept over him with infinite compassion before continuing.

“But you might ask, ‘How then shall we live? How shall we teach?’ Let me tell you plainly: The true shepherd cares nothing for the color of his robe but everything for the welfare of his sheep. The true teacher seeks not to adorn himself with precious garments but to clothe others in righteousness. The true prophet speaks not to gain wealth or followers but because the fire of truth burns in his bones and he cannot contain it.”

Matthew, the former tax collector, had been taking mental notes throughout this discourse, his analytical mind gathering every detail. “Master,” he ventured, “these false teachers you speak of – will they not claim to perform miracles and signs? How will simple believers distinguish truth from deception?”

Jesus nodded approvingly at the question. “You have touched upon something crucial, Matthew. Yes, they will perform signs and wonders that would deceive, if possible, even the elect. They will heal the sick – for a price. They will prophesy – for a profit. They will claim dreams and visions – while building their own kingdoms rather than mine.”

He picked up a small stone from the ground, smooth and white. “But here is a truth as solid as this rock: My sheep know my voice. Those who truly belong to me will sense when something rings false, like a cracked bell that cannot produce a pure tone. The Spirit I will send will guide you into all truth.”

Bartholomew, who had been listening intently, spoke up. “But Lord, what of those who are young in faith? How can they be protected from such deception?”

Jesus’s face softened with tender concern. “This is why I charge you, my chosen ones, with such serious responsibility. You must be vigilant shepherds, not just fishers of men. It is not enough to bring people into the fold; you must watch over them, teach them, help them grow strong in truth.”

He stood now, pacing slowly within their circle, his words carrying the weight of prophecy. “The time will come when men will not endure sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them teachers who say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn away from truth and wander into myths and fables.”

Peter’s hand clenched involuntarily, as if already preparing to defend against these future threats. “Then we must drive them out forcefully, Master! We must protect the flock!”

Jesus laid a calming hand on Peter’s shoulder. “My impetuous Rock, remember how I dealt with those who opposed me. Did I call down fire from heaven? Did I summon legions of angels? No, I spoke truth in love, demonstrated the Father’s heart through compassion, and allowed my actions to testify to my authority.”

He addressed them all now, his voice carrying across the evening air with crystal clarity. “When you encounter these false teachers in their fine robes, do not meet their pride with pride, or their deception with anger. Instead, let your lives be marked by such authentic love, such genuine service, such transparent truth that the contrast becomes obvious to all who have eyes to see.”

James, who had been unusually quiet, finally spoke. “But Master, what if some of our own number should turn to these ways? What if the deception comes from within?”

A profound sadness crossed Jesus’s face, and his eyes seemed to see far into the future. “Ah, James, you have discerned a painful truth. Yes, even from among your own number will arise those who distort the message for their own gain. This is why you must guard your own hearts first and foremost. For if the shepherd is corrupted, how great will be the damage to the flock!”

The disciples fell silent, each wrestling with the weight of this responsibility. The sun had nearly set now, and the first stars were beginning to appear in the deepening blue above Jerusalem. Jesus waited, allowing them time to absorb his words.

Finally, Philip asked the question that burned in all their hearts. “Master, how can we possibly stand against such deception? We are simple men – fishermen, tax collectors, ordinary people. How can we hope to discern and combat such subtle evil?”

Jesus’s face blazed with sudden joy, and his answer rang with authority. “Ah, now you are asking the right question! For in acknowledging your own inadequacy, you have taken the first step toward true wisdom. Listen well, for this is the key: You cannot stand against this deception in your own strength or wisdom. But I will not leave you as orphans.”

He stretched out his hands to them, encompassing them all in his gaze. “I will send you the Spirit of Truth, who will guide you into all truth. He will remind you of everything I have taught you. He will give you wisdom beyond your own understanding, discernment sharper than any two-edged sword, and courage that no threat can shake.”

The disciples leaned in, hanging on every word as Jesus continued. “When you encounter these false teachers in their scarlet and purple robes, remember these things: First, test everything against the words I have taught you. If anyone preaches a gospel different from what you have received, even if they come as an angel from heaven, do not believe them.”

He began to count off points on his fingers, a teaching method they had come to know well. “Second, look at the fruit of their lives, not the brightness of their garments. Do they demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? Or do they exhibit pride, greed, and a love of power?”

“Third, watch how they treat the least of these – the poor, the widow, the orphan, the outcast. Do they truly serve, or do they seek to be served? Do they give freely, or do they always ask for payment? Do they lift burdens, or do they add to them?”

“Fourth, observe their relationship with money and power. Do they use their position to enrich themselves? Do they love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces? Do they build their own kingdoms or mine?”

“Fifth, and most importantly, know that these false teachers can only succeed where there is spiritual immaturity and biblical illiteracy. Therefore, your primary defense against them is to ground people deeply in truth, to help them develop their own relationship with the Father, and to teach them to discern truth from error.”

As Jesus spoke these words, a cool breeze stirred through the olive grove, carrying with it the distant sounds of the city below. The disciples sat in thoughtful silence, their minds struggling to grasp the full implications of this teaching.

John, who often grasped the heart of Jesus’s messages most quickly, spoke up. “Master, it seems you are telling us that the greatest defense against these false teachers is not confrontation but transformation – the transformation of believers into mature disciples who can discern truth from error.”

Jesus beamed at his youngest disciple. “You have understood well, beloved John. For just as a strong tree cannot be easily uprooted by the wind, so a believer who is deeply rooted in truth cannot be easily swayed by false teaching, no matter how attractive it appears.”

He stood now, his figure silhouetted against the darkening sky. “Remember this night, my friends. Remember these words. For the time is coming when many will attempt to distort the simple truth of the Kingdom for their own gain. They will create complicated systems where I taught simple truth. They will build hierarchies where I taught servant leadership. They will demand payment where I offered grace freely.”

His voice grew more intense, yet remained filled with love. “But take heart! Though these things must come, they cannot prevail against my church built on the rock of truth. The gates of hell itself cannot stand against it. And you, my chosen ones, will play a crucial role in establishing and protecting this truth.”

Peter stood as well, his voice thick with emotion. “Master, we pledge ourselves to this task. We will guard the truth you have taught us with our very lives if necessary.”

Jesus looked at Peter with a mixture of love and foreknowledge, knowing both the fisherman’s future denials and his ultimate faithfulness unto death. “Simon, Simon, you will all be tested in ways you cannot imagine. But remember this: it is not your strength that will prevail, but my faithfulness. It is not your wisdom that will triumph, but the guidance of the Spirit I will send.”

He gathered them all into a closer circle now, his voice dropping to an intimate tone. “My beloved friends, I tell you these things not to frighten you but to prepare you. The battle against false teaching will not be won through force or argument alone, but through lives transformed by truth and love. When people see authentic faith lived out in simplicity and power, the counterfeit will become obvious.”

As if to emphasize this point, a gust of wind swept through the grove, causing the branches above them to sway and dance in the starlight. Jesus pointed upward. “See how the wind moves these branches? You cannot see the wind itself, but you can see its effects. So it will be with true teaching and false. You will know them by their fruits, by the lives they produce, by the character they form.”

He placed his hands on their shoulders, one by one, blessing them. “Go forth as wise as serpents but innocent as doves. Do not be afraid of those who come in scarlet and purple, speaking grand words and performing signs. Simply live the truth I have taught you, love as I have loved you, serve as I have served you. The truth needs no elaborate decoration; it shines with its own light.”

The disciples stood in silence for a long moment, the weight of this teaching settling into their hearts. Below them, the lights of Jerusalem twinkled in the gathering darkness, a reminder of the world that waited to hear the message they would carry.

Finally, Jesus spoke once more, his voice filled with both authority and tenderness. “Remember, my friends: the Kingdom of God does not come with outward show or elegant trappings. It comes in power but wears the garment of humility. It speaks truth but wraps it in love. It offers freedom but demands surrender. Let this be your standard against which to measure all teaching, whether it comes clothed in scarlet and purple or in the simple garments of a servant.”