Bible Study 4.9.2002: The Lost Sheep, Matthew 18:10-14
Matthew 18:10-14
10 See that you do not look down on one of these little ones; for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven. 12 What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains, and go and search for the one that is lost? 13 And if it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that have not gone astray. 14 So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven for one of these little ones to perish.
Note: Verse 11 is only found in later traditions and reads: For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost (cf. Luke 19:10).
Parallel Passage to Matthew 18:10-14: Luke 15:1-7
1 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near Jesus to listen to Him. 2 And both the Pharisees and the scribes began to complain, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” 3 And so He told them this parable, saying, 4 “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the other ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he puts it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost!’ 7 I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.
Questions about Matthew 18:10-14
Is verse 10 an allegory? If so, what does this allegory represent?
How is verse 10 to be understood? And to what extent is the second sentence a justification for the first sentence?
Who are the “little ones”?
What is meant by “their angels”? Guardian Angels?
What does “the face of My Father” stand for?
Who are the addressees of the section? Who in Luke 15:1-7?
Is the passage a hypothetical case or a parable?
What are passages in the Old Testament that speak of the face of God?
Why “on the mountains”? (Cf. Luke 15:4: “open pasture”)
Read Luke 15:1-7! What are the differences to Matthew 18:10-14? What would be an explanation for these differences?
Why does the man not say to himself: “I have 99, why should I care about that one sheep?”?
Thoughts on Matthew 18:10-14
With the little ones, Jesus could mean several groups, such as children (Mt 18:1-5), people who are viewed as inferior in society, or people of little faith, i.e. people who are weak in faith. In context, Matthew 18:6, it is said that one of these little ones believes in Jesus, so Jesus will probably mean people who have little or weak faith. If so, then Matthew 18:10-14 is about little ones in the faith who go astray.
It is interesting how a comment drew my attention to the fact that Lk 15:1-7, in contrast to Mt 18:10-14, speaks of a sinner, i.e. probably an unbeliever, who is lost. Matthew 18 then speaks of believers and Luke 15 of unbelievers. The difference is also made clear by the words astray in Matthew and lost in Luke. Believers can also go astray, like the disciples did in Matthew 18:1-5, where Jesus says to them: “Truly I say to you, unless you change and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” With their question about who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven and the associated thinking, the disciples had lost their way and did go astray.
A quick side note to Jesus' words in Mt 18:3: Jesus tells the disciples that unless they repent and become like children, that is to humble themselves among other things, then they will not be saved. This text shows, as do other texts, e.g. Ezekiel 18 and 33, that believers, like the disciples in the text, can lose their salvation if they go astray and do not repent.
In Lk 15:1-7, tax collectors and sinners approached Jesus, which the Pharisees and scribes then grumbled about. Jesus then tells them the parable of the lost sheep. “them” can mean either all, or the tax collectors and sinners, or just the Pharisees and scribes. Jesus could thus have tailored the parable directly to his audience of Pharisees and scribes, but Jesus probably addressed all of his audience. In any case, we have different listeners: in Matthew the disciples and in Luke the tax collectors, sinners, Pharisees and scribes. Jesus most likely repeated the parable or the case of the lost sheep several times, which explains the differences in the gospels well. The differences in Jesus' speech can be easily explained by the different audiences.
Matthew 18:10 says, “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones; for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven.” How is this verse to be understood? And to what extent is the second sentence a justification for the first sentence?
Hebrews 1:13-14 says, “But to which of the angels has He ever said,
“Sit at My right hand,
Until I make Your enemies
A footstool for Your feet”?
Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to provide service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?” This question seems to suggest that the angels are ministering spirits sent out to minister to believers. Anyway, we find several sections in the Bible where angels help and minister to people, e.g. Daniel 3 and 6. “their angels” probably describes the belonging of the angels to the little ones, so these are probably the angels who help the little ones in faith and serve them.
Here is an interpretation: Jesus seems to mean that the angels who minister to the little ones stand constantly before God and can report to the Most High and the Most Powerful how the little ones are faring. So when the little ones are despised or mistreated, God knows about it and will respond according to His perfect nature. This can also mean punishment for those who despise. This interpretation would explain why the second part of the verse is a rationale: Don't despise the little ones because God cares about the little ones and God delivers justice in their favor and can correct you if you despise them. To despise the little ones is to exalt oneself haughtily. The Bible speaks against human pride. It says in 1.Corinthians 10:12, “Therefore let the one who thinks he stands watch out that he does not fall.” and in Proverbs 16:18 ,”Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling.” and in Hebrews 10:30-31, “For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
We also asked ourselves whether Matthew 18:10-14 is a parable. The parallel text in Lk 15:1-7 says right there that it is a parable. In Matthew 18:10-14, Jesus begins his descriptions with the conditional “if” in verses 12 and 13. Jesus seems to be describing a case that might be possible, and so he does not seem to be telling an imaginary story that tries to teach an important lesson, meaning: a parable.
My understanding of the story of the lost sheep is about the importance that God places on His children of weak faith. Jesus sums up the teaching in Matthew 18:14: “It is not the will of your Father in heaven that even one of these little ones should perish.” 1.Timothy 2:3-4 says, “This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” God wants all people to be saved. God wants the stray to come to the knowledge of the truth. The joy over one stray child who is found and thus finds his way back to the right theology and right way of life is greater than the joy of God over the many righteous who have not strayed. God goes after the stray child. The stray child is so important to God that he pays special attention to the child. There is great joy when a bad lifestyle and bad theology are put aside and the child stands in the truth again.