What does it mean to be as "wise as serpants and as innocent as doves?"?

Answer 1

Hildegarde of Bingen, a medieval German nun is credited with advising : Be wise as serpents, traditionally a serpent is thought to be very wily, not easily fooled, and innocent as doves, meaning do no harm.

Answer 2

Serpents are wise in the sense that a snake tricked Eve in the Garden of Eden. Doves are innocent because they are white but also because this is the shape in which the Holy Spirit revealed himself

Answer 3

Wise as a serpent means to be wise by being sneaky to do things and be very cunning. And as innocent as doves because they symbolize peace and everyone thinks they are very lovely and inncoent.

For example the snake was very wise because it tricked adam and eve into eating the apple.

Answer 4

It means to be wise from the Lord and innocent under the Lord's protection.

Answer 5

serpents represent being wise most likely because they are pretty smart when it comes to hunting
innocent dove means you are pure or naive you don't know if somthing is wrong

whole thing ummmm your in contact with your natural instincts???

Answer 6

Well satan decieved Eve in the garden of Eden , so he had to be clever, and doves are white, and white represents purity and purity is innocence so yeah

Answer 7

It means that God gave you a brain, with which to wisely. As you become wiser (through education, reading Proverbs), you will realize that other people are not as wise as you. You should love these people, not harm them.

Answer 8

To know and understand what is going on but not to bet someone over the head with the truth or give someone ammunition to blow you brains out (metaphor).

Answer 9

Well, except for a fringe group of Christian-handled serpents, you won't see many serpents in church and even the Christian-handled don't give the church any money.

Answer 10

To know the wisdom of innocents.