Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Jesus spoke these words to His disciples as He sent them out as His representatives to face hostility for His sake. They mean that human beings are of far greater value to God than many small birds, so they need not fear that they are forgotten or uncared for. The Father notices when even one sparrow falls and preserves it by His care, He numbers the very hairs of the head and keeps every detail of each life ever before Him, joining infinite majesty with tender mercy. Heaven itself has fixed this worth, and it is revealed by the death of Christ on the cross who purchased sinners with His blood so they would not perish but have everlasting life. Therefore believers need not fear opposition, persecution, danger, hunger, prison, or death, nor trials, pain, distress, or anxiety about daily needs, for Jesus knows every sorrow and gives grace to endure.
Setting and Hearers
Jesus spoke the words as instruction to the disciples as He sent them out as His representatives. The tenth chapter of Matthew belongs to instruction for the present time, especially for messengers of Christ who face hostility. The encouragement is given to meet trials and discouragements and sore temptation when new trials lie ahead.
It applies where receiving Christ to the saving of the soul brings division, with the part of the family that refuses to believe set in enmity against those who do believe. In that place of division, the assurance stands that the Father does not let even one sparrow fall to the ground apart from Him, and that the very hairs of the head are all numbered, so believers are of more value than many sparrows and need not fear.
Human Worth Declared
Human beings are of far greater value to God than many sparrows or small birds, and therefore they need not fear that they are forgotten or uncared for. The Father does not let even one little sparrow fall to the ground without Him, but preserves birds by His protecting care, and He numbers the very hairs of the head. His greatness does not prevent Him from caring for the lives of the weakest of His creatures, for His providence joins majesty with mercy and love. This gives assurance that He provides for human needs so they can trust their heavenly Father, and that He hears the cries of the helpless, distressed, and needy who seek Him in prayer. It is encouragement to meet trials and discouragements and sore temptation when new trials are ahead, even where accepting Christ to the saving of the soul brings division with the unbelieving part of the family set in enmity against believers. That same care stands against the destroyer, whose hatred of God leads him to delight in destroying even creatures that cannot speak.
Heaven has fixed the worth of each person, and no praise from deceiving human lips can make anyone of any more value than Heaven has accounted. The God who created the heavens and marshaled the stars in their order notices the fall of a sparrow, and He will not overlook those He declares to be of more value than many sparrows.
Divine attention is given in proportion to the rank occupied in the scale of creation. The little brown sparrow, apparently the most inferior of birds, is watched over by Providence so that not one falls without the notice of the heavenly Father, and every tree, shrub, flower, lily, and grass that clothes the earth, with every ray of rain and sunshine, also shares His notice and care to bear testimony that God loves man. Man is far above bird and grass because he was formed in God's image and given intellect to comprehend greater things than nature, to be carried into a higher department of truth and to have the divine mind opened to him, so Heaven bestows far greater regard and attention upon him. Hence His children are never absent from His mind, even the hairs of the head are numbered, and in the book of providence, the volume of life, every particular of each one's history is recorded as a page, and the value of the human soul cannot be exaggerated.
God's Watchful Providence
The Father marks when even one little sparrow falls to the ground, and by His protecting care the birds are preserved, and not even a leaf falls without His will. His notice of the sparrow proves His close care for those declared to be of more worth than many sparrows and many small birds, so they need not fear being forgotten. He numbers the very hairs of the head and knows each life in detail, with every particular of each history recorded and never absent from His mind, watching even the little sparrow flitting from bough to bough. He knows each person's needs and weaknesses, hears sincere prayer, and is moved by pain, grief, affliction and trials.
His greatness does not prevent care for the weakest, for His providence joins majesty with mercy and love and reaches into individual lives. Believers stand under the same providence that guides the march of the stars and keeps each star under supervision, that created the heavens and marshaled the stars in their order, and that upholds the worlds by His power. That Protector who watches the convulsions of empires watches every movement of His church on earth, and He sees every work that disappoints waiting hopes and anxious desires for His work to move on with decided success. The mind is led from nature up through nature to nature's God, for He gives attention to every part of creation that seems insignificant, every tree, shrub, flower, lily, grass, and every ray of rain and sunshine, to bear testimony of His love for man.
He is a living, watchful Father and the orderer of all things, watching over the interests of His sons and daughters with care infinitely greater than a careful, tender earthly father has for his children. He is too wise to err and too good to do them harm, and His love toward them is wise, great and unbounded, guarding their true interests for temporal life and for eternal interests. He knows all necessities for what to eat and drink and wear and is able and willing to supply them, so there is no need to worry but to learn perfect trust. He sees how His servants are treated and where they can do greater good, and by His Spirit moves them to another part of His vineyard, guiding and training them for greater consecration and a higher life.
Satan's effort to destroy even speechless creatures reflects his hatred of God and of all that the Saviour cares for, and he delights in destroying them. Studying nature as evidence that nothing is beneath His notice can soften the soul and teach precious lessons about God, for the smallest living things reveal His love and give reason to trust His care for people who are worth more than sparrows.
Courage Without Fear
Fear ye not therefore means there is no reason to fear being forgotten or left without care, for the Father watches even the weakest of His creatures so that no sparrow falls to the ground without Him and the very hairs of the head are all numbered. His greatness does not keep Him from attending to individual lives, but joins majesty with mercy and love, preserving the birds by protecting care and providing for their needs as a pledge that human beings of far greater worth can trust Him with food, drink, clothing and every necessity. The same Protector who guides the march of the stars and keeps each star under supervision watches the convulsions of empires and every movement of His church, seeing every labor that disappoints waiting hopes and anxious desires for the advance of God's work. Heaven itself has fixed the worth of each person as more than many sparrows, so no praise from deceiving human lips can add to that value, and He who marshaled the stars will not overlook those He so esteems.
Therefore there is no need to fear opposition, persecution, threats, danger, hunger and apparent abandonment while carrying out the mission, for God watches over every detail of life and will not forget His own. Even where persecution strikes, in prison, under torture, sword and death for the truth, and even in crisis facing death for the Word, fear is removed by the assurance that not even a sparrow or a leaf falls without the Father's will and that His care for His people is far greater still. Dying for the Word is a light and small matter because the Word made flesh Himself died, and those who die with Him will live with Him, passing through death as He did before them to be where He is and dwell with Him forever.
The same promise meets trials, discouragements, sore temptation, pain, distress, affliction, anxiety about daily needs, and disappointment of hopes for God's work, giving encouragement when new trials lie ahead and when division comes through accepting Christ. God tenderly watches each person in every circumstance, notices needs and weaknesses, hears sincere prayer, knows pain and distress, and is moved by grief, affliction and trial, so trust in His care frees from undue anxiety. Christ is touched with the feeling of human infirmities, understands difficulties and distresses, feels every sigh and throb of anguish with tender sympathy, and gives grace to endure the afflictions He allows so that faith will not fail. Believers may therefore hang their helpless souls upon Christ without fear, believe and trust and speak faith, and meet difficulties cheerfully.
No one need think himself too vile to approach Him or doubt His pity, for God is full of mercy and compassion and not a stern judge. Christ pledges present help and intercession as Advocate, with power to save against Satan's power to deceive, discourage, destroy even speechless creatures out of hatred for all the Saviour cares for, and hide the Father's love by making sinners feel too sinful to ask for pity. The despairing person should not despair but look to Jesus, refuse Satan, hang the helpless soul on Christ, and find peace in Him in tribulation, held in loving care as one of greater value than sparrows.
Redemption Proves Worth
God's estimate of human worth is revealed by the death of Christ on the cross, for the notice taken of even a sparrow's fall shows how precious to Him are the people for whom Christ died. That greater care rests on the fact that each person is formed in His image and the soul is precious in His sight. It is proved because God gave Jesus to die as a propitiation for the sins of the whole world, so that sinners would not perish but have everlasting life. Those so made and so loved are purchased with His blood.
Christ lives to intercede for the helpless soul, so despair has no place and the helpless may hang upon Him in trust. His care as a living, watchful Father guards true interests and reaches beyond temporal life to eternal interests. Those who trust in Him are those who may become heirs of eternal life, and Heaven knows their circumstances and cares for them. Present help is pledged by an Advocate who is touched with the feeling of human infirmities and has power to save.
Trust and Duty Today
The assurance that human beings are worth far more than many sparrows invites steady trust with daily needs rather than leaning on weak human strength. Because the Father notices even the fall of a little sparrow and hears the cries of the helpless, distressed, and needy, those who seek Him in prayer may come with confidence that they are heard and helped. Each person is precious to Him with personal and attentive care, so no sorrow, anxiety, joy, sincere prayer, or other concern is too small or too difficult for Him to notice, and none need fear being forgotten. He knows all necessities of food, drink, and clothing and is able and willing to supply them, calling men and women to lay aside worry, come to Him, cast every care upon Him, and learn perfect trust.
He who orders all things watches over the interests of His sons and daughters with care infinitely greater than that of a careful, tender earthly father. He sees how His servants are treated and where they can do greater good, and by His Spirit moves them to another part of His vineyard, guiding and training them for greater consecration and a higher life. The same God who created the stars and keeps them marshaled in perfect order numbers the very hairs of the head, and He goes with, strengthens, supports, and helps those in the path of duty. He is too wise to err and too good to do harm, and His love is wise, great, and unbounded, so doubt is groundless. Those who work in full view of heaven receive divine strength to represent Him rightly, and His strong promises warrant comfort, faith, and strong courage to go forward even with pain, suffering, and opposition, until pain and suffering sink into nothingness for those who go where He leads depending on Him.
That watchful notice calls servants to show tenderness and sympathy toward people who need help, since no suffering lies outside His attention. It makes it duty to work for the colored people of the South after release from slavery, teaching them how to care for themselves instead of leaving that field unworked, for He sees that race left uncared for and uneducated. Those who leave the Southern field largely unworked, make only feeble efforts, then allow means to be diverted into wrong channels or use selfishly the means lent to bless humanity, refuse to obey as unfaithful stewards. He has especially tender pity for those carrying life's heaviest burdens, including the unemployed and homeless, who may meet trials and difficulties cheerfully trusting that God will make up with His best favors what the world neglects to give.
The same care that comforts also warns, for the people for whom Christ died are precious to Him, and His estimate of humanity is revealed by the cross. God will therefore judge those who cause pain, sorrow, disappointment, grief, or loss to His people, and those who take careless attitudes toward not grieving His children stand rebuked. He who numbers each hair and marks a sparrow's fall also sees every departure from truth, honor, and integrity even in ordinary duties and religious life, and He holds accountable those whose influence exposes souls to temptation, perpetuates misery and crime, and helps bring ruin through drunkenness. He keeps a reckoning with nations and sees all evil done toward fellow men, so those who do wrong while saying He does not know will meet long-deferred vengeance. He bears long with rebellion until the cup of iniquity is almost full and mercy is nearly passed, then shows Himself as the living God by withdrawing protection, letting the destroyer work malignity upon the children of disobedience, and requiring an account, while those who have worked nobly will be blessed unless the neglectful repent and answer at the bar of heaven.
He does not overlook parents' efforts to correct and guide their children faithfully, however feeble those efforts may seem, but is ready to help them with His Spirit and grace and to reward them. The God who marks the fall of little sparrows knows every member of a family by name and looks upon them with pitying tenderness, love, and pity. Even where Satan is earnest and wily in spreading his net to entangle souls, and where appetite and hereditary tendencies to sin have been transmitted to children, He loves and pities them still. He will save every one from disgrace and sin if they accept Christ as Redeemer by living faith, leaving the course of sin, ceasing to do evil, and learning to do well.
Jesus spoke these words to His disciples as He sent them out as His representatives to face hostility for His sake. They mean that human beings are of far greater value to God than many small birds, so they need not fear that they are forgotten or uncared for. The Father notices when even one sparrow falls and preserves it by His care, He numbers the very hairs of the head and keeps every detail of each life ever before Him, joining infinite majesty with tender mercy. Heaven itself has fixed this worth, and it is revealed by the death of Christ on the cross who purchased sinners with His blood so they would not perish but have everlasting life. Therefore believers need not fear opposition, persecution, danger, hunger, prison, or death, nor trials, pain, distress, or anxiety about daily needs, for Jesus knows every sorrow and gives grace to endure.
Setting and Hearers
Jesus spoke the words as instruction to the disciples as He sent them out as His representatives. The tenth chapter of Matthew belongs to instruction for the present time, especially for messengers of Christ who face hostility. The encouragement is given to meet trials and discouragements and sore temptation when new trials lie ahead.
It applies where receiving Christ to the saving of the soul brings division, with the part of the family that refuses to believe set in enmity against those who do believe. In that place of division, the assurance stands that the Father does not let even one sparrow fall to the ground apart from Him, and that the very hairs of the head are all numbered, so believers are of more value than many sparrows and need not fear.
Human Worth Declared
Human beings are of far greater value to God than many sparrows or small birds, and therefore they need not fear that they are forgotten or uncared for. The Father does not let even one little sparrow fall to the ground without Him, but preserves birds by His protecting care, and He numbers the very hairs of the head. His greatness does not prevent Him from caring for the lives of the weakest of His creatures, for His providence joins majesty with mercy and love. This gives assurance that He provides for human needs so they can trust their heavenly Father, and that He hears the cries of the helpless, distressed, and needy who seek Him in prayer. It is encouragement to meet trials and discouragements and sore temptation when new trials are ahead, even where accepting Christ to the saving of the soul brings division with the unbelieving part of the family set in enmity against believers. That same care stands against the destroyer, whose hatred of God leads him to delight in destroying even creatures that cannot speak.
Heaven has fixed the worth of each person, and no praise from deceiving human lips can make anyone of any more value than Heaven has accounted. The God who created the heavens and marshaled the stars in their order notices the fall of a sparrow, and He will not overlook those He declares to be of more value than many sparrows.
Divine attention is given in proportion to the rank occupied in the scale of creation. The little brown sparrow, apparently the most inferior of birds, is watched over by Providence so that not one falls without the notice of the heavenly Father, and every tree, shrub, flower, lily, and grass that clothes the earth, with every ray of rain and sunshine, also shares His notice and care to bear testimony that God loves man. Man is far above bird and grass because he was formed in God's image and given intellect to comprehend greater things than nature, to be carried into a higher department of truth and to have the divine mind opened to him, so Heaven bestows far greater regard and attention upon him. Hence His children are never absent from His mind, even the hairs of the head are numbered, and in the book of providence, the volume of life, every particular of each one's history is recorded as a page, and the value of the human soul cannot be exaggerated.
God's Watchful Providence
The Father marks when even one little sparrow falls to the ground, and by His protecting care the birds are preserved, and not even a leaf falls without His will. His notice of the sparrow proves His close care for those declared to be of more worth than many sparrows and many small birds, so they need not fear being forgotten. He numbers the very hairs of the head and knows each life in detail, with every particular of each history recorded and never absent from His mind, watching even the little sparrow flitting from bough to bough. He knows each person's needs and weaknesses, hears sincere prayer, and is moved by pain, grief, affliction and trials.
His greatness does not prevent care for the weakest, for His providence joins majesty with mercy and love and reaches into individual lives. Believers stand under the same providence that guides the march of the stars and keeps each star under supervision, that created the heavens and marshaled the stars in their order, and that upholds the worlds by His power. That Protector who watches the convulsions of empires watches every movement of His church on earth, and He sees every work that disappoints waiting hopes and anxious desires for His work to move on with decided success. The mind is led from nature up through nature to nature's God, for He gives attention to every part of creation that seems insignificant, every tree, shrub, flower, lily, grass, and every ray of rain and sunshine, to bear testimony of His love for man.
He is a living, watchful Father and the orderer of all things, watching over the interests of His sons and daughters with care infinitely greater than a careful, tender earthly father has for his children. He is too wise to err and too good to do them harm, and His love toward them is wise, great and unbounded, guarding their true interests for temporal life and for eternal interests. He knows all necessities for what to eat and drink and wear and is able and willing to supply them, so there is no need to worry but to learn perfect trust. He sees how His servants are treated and where they can do greater good, and by His Spirit moves them to another part of His vineyard, guiding and training them for greater consecration and a higher life.
Satan's effort to destroy even speechless creatures reflects his hatred of God and of all that the Saviour cares for, and he delights in destroying them. Studying nature as evidence that nothing is beneath His notice can soften the soul and teach precious lessons about God, for the smallest living things reveal His love and give reason to trust His care for people who are worth more than sparrows.
Courage Without Fear
Fear ye not therefore means there is no reason to fear being forgotten or left without care, for the Father watches even the weakest of His creatures so that no sparrow falls to the ground without Him and the very hairs of the head are all numbered. His greatness does not keep Him from attending to individual lives, but joins majesty with mercy and love, preserving the birds by protecting care and providing for their needs as a pledge that human beings of far greater worth can trust Him with food, drink, clothing and every necessity. The same Protector who guides the march of the stars and keeps each star under supervision watches the convulsions of empires and every movement of His church, seeing every labor that disappoints waiting hopes and anxious desires for the advance of God's work. Heaven itself has fixed the worth of each person as more than many sparrows, so no praise from deceiving human lips can add to that value, and He who marshaled the stars will not overlook those He so esteems.
Therefore there is no need to fear opposition, persecution, threats, danger, hunger and apparent abandonment while carrying out the mission, for God watches over every detail of life and will not forget His own. Even where persecution strikes, in prison, under torture, sword and death for the truth, and even in crisis facing death for the Word, fear is removed by the assurance that not even a sparrow or a leaf falls without the Father's will and that His care for His people is far greater still. Dying for the Word is a light and small matter because the Word made flesh Himself died, and those who die with Him will live with Him, passing through death as He did before them to be where He is and dwell with Him forever.
The same promise meets trials, discouragements, sore temptation, pain, distress, affliction, anxiety about daily needs, and disappointment of hopes for God's work, giving encouragement when new trials lie ahead and when division comes through accepting Christ. God tenderly watches each person in every circumstance, notices needs and weaknesses, hears sincere prayer, knows pain and distress, and is moved by grief, affliction and trial, so trust in His care frees from undue anxiety. Christ is touched with the feeling of human infirmities, understands difficulties and distresses, feels every sigh and throb of anguish with tender sympathy, and gives grace to endure the afflictions He allows so that faith will not fail. Believers may therefore hang their helpless souls upon Christ without fear, believe and trust and speak faith, and meet difficulties cheerfully.
No one need think himself too vile to approach Him or doubt His pity, for God is full of mercy and compassion and not a stern judge. Christ pledges present help and intercession as Advocate, with power to save against Satan's power to deceive, discourage, destroy even speechless creatures out of hatred for all the Saviour cares for, and hide the Father's love by making sinners feel too sinful to ask for pity. The despairing person should not despair but look to Jesus, refuse Satan, hang the helpless soul on Christ, and find peace in Him in tribulation, held in loving care as one of greater value than sparrows.
Redemption Proves Worth
God's estimate of human worth is revealed by the death of Christ on the cross, for the notice taken of even a sparrow's fall shows how precious to Him are the people for whom Christ died. That greater care rests on the fact that each person is formed in His image and the soul is precious in His sight. It is proved because God gave Jesus to die as a propitiation for the sins of the whole world, so that sinners would not perish but have everlasting life. Those so made and so loved are purchased with His blood.
Christ lives to intercede for the helpless soul, so despair has no place and the helpless may hang upon Him in trust. His care as a living, watchful Father guards true interests and reaches beyond temporal life to eternal interests. Those who trust in Him are those who may become heirs of eternal life, and Heaven knows their circumstances and cares for them. Present help is pledged by an Advocate who is touched with the feeling of human infirmities and has power to save.
Trust and Duty Today
The assurance that human beings are worth far more than many sparrows invites steady trust with daily needs rather than leaning on weak human strength. Because the Father notices even the fall of a little sparrow and hears the cries of the helpless, distressed, and needy, those who seek Him in prayer may come with confidence that they are heard and helped. Each person is precious to Him with personal and attentive care, so no sorrow, anxiety, joy, sincere prayer, or other concern is too small or too difficult for Him to notice, and none need fear being forgotten. He knows all necessities of food, drink, and clothing and is able and willing to supply them, calling men and women to lay aside worry, come to Him, cast every care upon Him, and learn perfect trust.
He who orders all things watches over the interests of His sons and daughters with care infinitely greater than that of a careful, tender earthly father. He sees how His servants are treated and where they can do greater good, and by His Spirit moves them to another part of His vineyard, guiding and training them for greater consecration and a higher life. The same God who created the stars and keeps them marshaled in perfect order numbers the very hairs of the head, and He goes with, strengthens, supports, and helps those in the path of duty. He is too wise to err and too good to do harm, and His love is wise, great, and unbounded, so doubt is groundless. Those who work in full view of heaven receive divine strength to represent Him rightly, and His strong promises warrant comfort, faith, and strong courage to go forward even with pain, suffering, and opposition, until pain and suffering sink into nothingness for those who go where He leads depending on Him.
That watchful notice calls servants to show tenderness and sympathy toward people who need help, since no suffering lies outside His attention. It makes it duty to work for the colored people of the South after release from slavery, teaching them how to care for themselves instead of leaving that field unworked, for He sees that race left uncared for and uneducated. Those who leave the Southern field largely unworked, make only feeble efforts, then allow means to be diverted into wrong channels or use selfishly the means lent to bless humanity, refuse to obey as unfaithful stewards. He has especially tender pity for those carrying life's heaviest burdens, including the unemployed and homeless, who may meet trials and difficulties cheerfully trusting that God will make up with His best favors what the world neglects to give.
The same care that comforts also warns, for the people for whom Christ died are precious to Him, and His estimate of humanity is revealed by the cross. God will therefore judge those who cause pain, sorrow, disappointment, grief, or loss to His people, and those who take careless attitudes toward not grieving His children stand rebuked. He who numbers each hair and marks a sparrow's fall also sees every departure from truth, honor, and integrity even in ordinary duties and religious life, and He holds accountable those whose influence exposes souls to temptation, perpetuates misery and crime, and helps bring ruin through drunkenness. He keeps a reckoning with nations and sees all evil done toward fellow men, so those who do wrong while saying He does not know will meet long-deferred vengeance. He bears long with rebellion until the cup of iniquity is almost full and mercy is nearly passed, then shows Himself as the living God by withdrawing protection, letting the destroyer work malignity upon the children of disobedience, and requiring an account, while those who have worked nobly will be blessed unless the neglectful repent and answer at the bar of heaven.
He does not overlook parents' efforts to correct and guide their children faithfully, however feeble those efforts may seem, but is ready to help them with His Spirit and grace and to reward them. The God who marks the fall of little sparrows knows every member of a family by name and looks upon them with pitying tenderness, love, and pity. Even where Satan is earnest and wily in spreading his net to entangle souls, and where appetite and hereditary tendencies to sin have been transmitted to children, He loves and pities them still. He will save every one from disgrace and sin if they accept Christ as Redeemer by living faith, leaving the course of sin, ceasing to do evil, and learning to do well.