Matthew 18:10-14 10See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I say to you that their angels in heaven are always seeing the face of my Father who is in heaven. 12What does it seem to you? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them has wandered away, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and while going seeks the one that wandered away? 13And if he finds it, truly, I say to you that he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never wandered away. 14So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.
Children are still in the context and forefront of what Jesus has been teaching his disciples in this chapter. The old children’s song, “Jesus Love the Little Children” captures the essence of these verses. Children are high priority in God’s kingdom. Their value is highlighted in these verses.
The first thing Jesus says as he returns to the topic of children is a warning do not look down on (kataphronētēte). This verb can mean looking at someone with contempt or as of little value or unimportant. This is the way the world looks at the “little ones” of society, who include children and humble disciples considered of little worth by others. Some translations use the strong English word “despise.” Children and those with child-like faith are so important to God that they have guardian angels watching over them and defending them. This idea is unique in the Bible but suggests that God has assigned angels the special task of watching over his children. The angels are the go between the glory of the Almighty God and the humble children. Don’t mess with the children! The earliest and best manuscripts do not have verse 11, which seems to be a later insertion copying Luke 19:10.
Verses 12-13 give a simple illustration of the value of God’s children. Luke 15 records a similar parable but in a different context. There are two surprises in this parable. The first surprise is that he would leave the ninety-nine and go after the one who got lost. Every sheep is important to the shepherd, but especially the one who needed help the most. The shepherd puts all his effort into finding the one that had wandered off. The second surprise is how the shepherd rejoices over the one he found. It is not that he was unconcerned about the others but that there was so much great joy when the lost one was found. His joy in finding the lost sheep is greater than his joy that the others are safe. The assumed message of these verses is that the man represents God the Father who sees every “little one” as important. The world may despise, neglect, abuse, and reject the little ones who believe in Jesus, but to God, they are of the utmost importance. His will is that none of them be lost. Woe to those who hinder the search for those who have wandered away.
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