Matthew 18:10, commentary and pictures

Christ warns His disciples in every age never to look down on, neglect or mistreat even one of His humble followers, however small or lowly they may seem, because their angels stand continually in God's presence.
These little ones are not only children in years but believers who are young or weak in faith, newly come to the kingdom, unsteady, inexperienced and still learning to obey.
To despise them is to treat them with indifference, partiality, harshness, contempt or oppression, by unkind words and acts, faultfinding, striving for supremacy, and misleading example that wounds them and drives them away.
Every least follower and every child has a guardian angel appointed from the earliest moment of life to minister, protect from evil, carry their needs to heaven, and keep a record of how they are treated.
Each soul is very precious in God's sight because Christ gave His own life and blood to seek and save the lost, so the weak, straying and repenting are to be met with tender sympathy, patient help and careful instruction that restores them.

Who Are the Little Ones

The little ones are not only children in years but believers who are little children in Christ, including those weak and trembling in faith, unsteady, newly come to faith and newly born into the kingdom. Those who are young in faith rather than the children once brought to Jesus are meant when harming them is warned against as worthy of a millstone about the neck and casting into the sea. Their angels are specially concerned for them, always beholding the Father's face and receiving commissions from His presence to care for them, which shows God's special care for all who believe in Christ.

They include vulnerable, inexperienced believers who are still learning to serve, pray, obey and understand, who lack opportunities, face a fierce enemy, and make mistakes while doing their best. Even weak, trembling souls with many defects and objectionable traits of character, whose steps waver and whose faith is weak, must not be lightly esteemed, for they are precious to God and the special charge of angels who delight to minister to them and are especially present where most needed. In their simplicity and trusting faith the weakest of the flock can serve God acceptably and will be honored in His kingdom, under the Good Shepherd's special care and intercession, since it is not the Father's will that any of them perish. The warning and assurance belong both to those new in faith and to longtime disciples who feel their own weakness, for they are disciples changed in outlook and character, and what is done for His saints counts as done for Christ.

They are humble, meek, lowly, teachable and submissive disciples, the least and weakest, who learn the Lord's way and believe in Christ and must be valued and served rather than regarded as beneath others. Their lowliness does not make them insignificant, for they are precious to God and angels who continually commune with the Father gladly minister to those most in need. Even those who seem small or less gifted are included, and the humblest earnest, self-denying service is a trust from God whose diligent use can increase its usefulness and whose far-reaching influence God sees, values and accepts. Those entrusted with spiritual influence must therefore treat souls gently, since unkindness and contempt can wound them or turn them away, while their angels have continual access to the Father showing the dignity and value God gives them.

They include literal children and youth, especially young girls, young children known to God, children brought to Jesus, and youth under care. Children belong to God and are precious to Him, with angels who always behold the Father's face, watch over them, have a work from God to do for them, watch children and youth being taught salvation, and carry to heaven every word spoken to them whether encouraging or discouraging. Their salvation deserves the care of every church member even when they are not of one's own family, as a call to take responsibility for children's welfare and cooperate with Christ in seeking and saving the lost.

They include those who have gone astray, are spiritually lost, fallen, repented or need sympathy, love and help, even poor outcasts and the most depraved in the depths of human woe and misery. The Son of Man came to save the lost, as the shepherd seeks one straying sheep and heaven rejoices over its rescue, for the Father does not will that even one of these little ones should perish. One soul is very precious in God's eyes, since Christ died that it might live through eternal ages, and through loving practical care and the gospel even outcasts can have God's moral image restored and be counted among His precious elect standing next to the throne.

They include fellow believers, new converts brought into the truth, fellow workers, young workers, restaurant workers and young helpers, household servants, apprentices and youth under care, who are members of God's family and the property of Jesus Christ purchased at infinite cost. As the child Jesus placed among His disciples was to be treated, so restaurant workers are to be given Christlike care, tenderness and a home-like environment, and workers generally are to be treated carefully and tenderly as members of a family. Those in responsibility, especially in the publishing work, must feel deep interest in apprentices and youth, pray earnestly with them together, first reform themselves, then work together under Christ as one head to reform youth with perfect love, compassion, tenderness and deeds of kindness.

What Despising Them Means

Take heed is a charge to every disciple in every age not to despise, neglect, mistreat, oppress, or look down on even one of the little ones, however seemingly insignificant, lowly, or in need, because their angels continually behold the Father's face and the lost-sheep illustration that follows shows the Father's will that not one should perish. Those who live for Christ seek the good of His little ones rather than gratifying themselves, cherishing and teaching children after His example of love and care. To despise them is to selfishly neglect them or hold them in contempt.

Contempt shows itself in treating a soul with indifference, partiality, favoritism, harshness, severity, dictatorship, disrespect, unkind thoughts, words and actions, suspicion, coldness, and crushing oppression, driven by human preference and likes and dislikes. Wounding, bruising, and exasperating brethren, especially in sacred work and business meetings, breaks the command and proves unfitness to handle sacred things or represent Christ until the hard, cruel spirit is purged and the heart transformed, for humility, loving neighbor as self, mercy, kindness, and encouragement even to those who make mistakes are required instead of self-superiority. It includes being unforgiving and exacting, judging and condemning and thus discouraging, searching for faults and criticizing a fellow worker, which offends God and obstructs unity in shared work. Each person must instead take Christ's principles into personal life, love God wholly and neighbor as self, tend and purify his own thoughts rather than focus on others' faults, since careless words can lodge in minds and cause harm.

Despising also includes dissension, self-esteem, self-exaltation, inward concealed strife for supremacy and manifest striving to be first and to be highly esteemed, which must be cleansed from the soul temple because this unsanctified element grieves the Saviour, hinders the work, turns men who ought to be a blessing into a curse that retards instead of advances the work, and keeps the Lord from manifesting His power and grace. It includes misleading by word or wrong example, making crooked paths that cause feet to stumble, bruising and harshly handling, shaking, sudden seizure, forcing the will, passion, anger and arbitrary rule, and doing anything that wounds, drives away, or pushes souls onto Satan's battleground, hurting and destroying God's property, which is sin Christ will not uphold. Those entrusted with spiritual influence must treat souls gently, since unkindness can wound or turn them away from Christ, and the warning is reinforced by the declaration that it would be better to be cast into the sea with a millstone than to offend one of these little ones. In its setting Jesus applies the warning to disciples competing for greatness, showing that prideful ambition is unworthy of His kingdom and can harm the souls He receives as its subjects by giving them a bad example.

An offense or injustice against these vulnerable, inexperienced little ones still learning to serve, pray, and obey, who may lack opportunities, face a fierce enemy, and make mistakes while doing their best, counts as done to Christ Himself, for He identifies His interest with souls He purchased at infinite cost, and cruel treatment known in heaven is charged as done to Him. They need tender sympathy, compassion, and watchful care rather than judgment, neglect, or condemnation, and weak, trembling people with many defects and objectionable traits are under the special care of angels whose presence before the Father shows their importance to Him. Misleading or wounding them grieves the Holy Spirit and displeases their ministering angels, who watch over these souls, look with awe at Christ's mission and marvel at His love, with more joy over one sinner that repents than over ninety-nine just persons needing no repentance. Heavenly angels watch how people treat one another, and when they see tender sympathy for those who have done wrong they draw near and bring to mind words that comfort and soothe, warning against contemptuous thoughts or words toward even the least and against driving the erring farther from the Saviour.

Criticism and faultfinding is expressly the devil's own work, begun in the heavenly courts by deceiving angels, putting his own thoughts in their minds, sowing suspicion and distrust of God and of one another, and starting strife until the disloyal were expelled from heaven with him for the good of the loyal and true. The chapter is to be read and searched to trace out the cause of disaffection and its evil consequences, giving light that identifies and meets difficulties and divisions among believers. Those who cherish harsh ways must cut them off at any cost, for unless one comes to God's ideas, plans and ways one is under condemnation and needs conversion, and those easily provoked are especially urged to heed the instruction because disregarding it puts them in danger of being lost.

Their Angels Before God

Every follower of Christ, even the least, has a guardian angel appointed to minister to him, and every saint and every child has an unseen heavenly watcher beside him attending continually from the earliest moment of life. These angels always have access to the Father's presence, shield the righteous from Satan and the power of evil, encamp around them to deliver them, watch over and encourage them, and carry news of their distress, danger, discouragement and oppression to heaven. Jesus sends help by them to keep souls from straying, and God may send another angel when needed to rescue, strengthen, encourage and guard against earthly influence.

Their angels do always behold the face of the Father in heaven, remaining in constant communion with Him, receiving commissions from Him, and carrying on heaven's nearness and care for earth. They have at all times access to God's presence and behold His glory, and this gives God's people, exposed to the deceptive power and unsleeping malice of the prince of darkness, assurance of unceasing guardianship. Angels are concerned with and assigned to guard human beings, seeking to draw each soul to Christ while there is hope, watching every movement as helpers while all heaven is interested in the welfare of those working for eternity. They are usually invisible, but at times their light may be seen, and their watchful presence shows divine love guarding those in their care.

Weak souls with many faults are the special charge of the angels of God, and trembling souls with hard struggles against self, wrong inclinations, hereditary tendencies and discouraging surroundings have angels ever present with them where they are most needed. The angels who behold the Father's face delight to minister to them and are especially present with them, and serving people who seem wretched or inferior is not humiliating work but service performed by pure, sinless beings from heaven. Those who are stronger or more favored are to support the weak and join in the angels' care, laboring together to ransom those who have strayed and bring them back in harmony, peace and oneness.

These heavenly watchers guard God's children on earth and are commissioned to prevent Satan from gaining advantage over those who refuse evil. They enter dangerous places to rescue them from Satan's snares, and their presence drives evil angels back. They warn and guide but do not force the will, leading away from danger and opposing a wrong course when counsel is yielded to, but when warnings are persistently rejected and a person chooses his own way, the angels leave and Satan gains influence over will and mind.

Angels watch every act and know every word, and they carry to heaven every word spoken to children whether it encourages or discourages them, so speech toward children must be careful and kind. A guardian angel stays near those who sincerely pray for help, prompting them toward a better course and guiding words and actions so they do not lead others into wrongdoing, and angels choose words, influence actions, and keep a record in heaven of words, actions and influence for good or evil. They grieve over lightness, frivolity and straying when people disregard this care and go astray, and they rejoice when the faithful remain faithful and praise God.

The angels would prefer to remain by God in the pavilion of the Eternal beholding His glory, yet they leave the heavenly courts to bring divine help to men, giving opportunity to cooperate with heavenly intelligences as laborers together with God. Their work is to strengthen the weak, to bring the human family into close brotherhood and oneness like that between the Father and the Son, to place before men the possibility of gaining fitness for the presence of God so they too may see His face, and to impress the minds of children alongside their teachers. God commissions them to minister to those in need, and people who join their purpose can receive their help in doing God's work, including supporting institutions that serve Him and building up every institution under angelic ministration and missions nigh and afar off.

An angel continually guards and strengthens the believer, and God can send another when needed to rescue from harmful earthly influence and keep from straying. The ministering angels who always behold the Father's face watch over souls and are not pleased to see believers treated indifferently, and they look with awe and amazement on Christ's mission and marvel at His love. There is more joy in the presence of the angels over one sinner that repents than over ninety and nine just persons who need no repentance, and when saints keep their eyes on the heavenly prize and praise God the angels carry glad news to heaven where angels rejoice in song.

Setting in Matthew Eighteen

The verse belongs to Christ's lesson that disciples must become humble like little children, taking His principles into personal life by loving God wholly and neighbor as self, which are the terms of eternal life. Each person is to tend and purify his own thoughts rather than fasten on the faults of others, for careless words can lodge in another mind and do harm. It is a practical lesson to be remembered, pondered and obeyed, turning from self to make personal effort to help those outside Christ, with humility and simplicity joined to courage in defending what is right. His followers must remain humble and loving like little ones, must not cause believers to stumble, and must give children careful attention.

In Christ's spiritual kingdom greatness is not position, outward splendor or authority but spiritual excellence manifested in true conversion. The instruction in Matthew 18 is most positive among God's oracles, giving principles for disciples of the meek and lowly Jesus to act upon in all cases and under all circumstances, and doing the wrongs pointed out there, including despising one of the little ones, dishonors God and mars His cause. Prideful ambition and competing for greatness are unworthy of His kingdom, and self-sufficiency with inward concealed strife for supremacy and manifest striving to be first must be cleansed from the soul temple. Such unsanctified striving grieves the Saviour, hinders the work, turns men who ought to be a blessing into a curse that retards instead of advances the work, keeps the Lord from manifesting His power and grace, and harms the souls received as subjects of His kingdom by giving them a bad example.

The warning not to despise stands with the warning not to cause believers to stumble, and not to offend or despise children whom Christ tenderly gathers and values. It is reinforced by the declaration that it would be better to have a millstone hung about the neck and be cast into the sea than to offend one of these little ones. Those young in faith are included here, for in one holding of the teaching the little ones in this warning are not the children brought to Jesus but persons beginning in faith.

The verse belongs to the Saviour's instruction for dealing with erring church members, to be carefully studied and followed in church discipline and in correcting faults in the church. The duty is to warn a person kindly and humbly of wrongdoing, to pray and to correct in a Christlike way rather than accuse, condemn, or leave a person in fault exposed to temptation, seeking to save rather than condemn. Its lesson calls for receiving correction, turning from wrongdoing, and healing dissension and alienation rather than strengthening them, for God does not desire believers to separate from one another and the accusing, divisive spirit that harms fellowship is to be rejected. Neglect and loveless treatment can discourage a straying soul and help drive it farther from the fold, so those who fail to seek the lost are held responsible for them, while Christ does not drive the wanderer back with scolding but bears the sheep and rejoices when it is restored.

The following parable shows the Father's concern for each straying one, for the Son of Man came to save the lost. As a man with a hundred sheep leaves the ninety-nine to seek one gone astray, so Christ is ready to leave the gathered flock and seek a lost, straying sheep, rejoicing more over the one found than over those that did not stray, and more over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine who need no repentance. This illustration gives the little ones great value before God and applies the lesson by showing His will that not one should perish.

It is not the Father's will that even one of these little ones should perish, and this whole teaching should open the eyes. It grounds respect, protection and careful treatment of the vulnerable, including those who have gone astray or need sympathy and love, and calls those who teach and serve to heed Christ's lesson and protect rather than harm. It calls for seeking those who have gone astray to help save them, with joy in heaven when even one who strayed is rescued, and working with God and the angels to save fallen people brings joy in heaven.

Leaders and those in responsibility must carry out the chapter by treating God's people with care rather than ruling over them as kings or lords. They must give counsel that protects and strengthens the people, even wise counsel, and set an example others can safely follow. Their position does not excuse impatience, boasting or overbearing conduct, and selfishness and narrow-mindedness are to be rejected, for impatient, boastful or overbearing conduct misleads those within their influence.

Worth and Salvation of Souls

The little ones are precious to God and closely attended by heaven, under His care as a personal God in heaven, and their lowliness does not make them insignificant. No follower of Christ is to be despised, not even the weakest believer, for their angels continually behold the Father's face, and Christ's care and intercession extend not only to the eminent but also to the little ones. The Good Shepherd gives special care to the weakest of the flock, and in their simplicity and trusting faith the weak can serve God acceptably and will be honored in His kingdom, for it is not the Father's will that any of them should perish. This regard grounds respect and protection for the vulnerable, calling those who teach and serve to value and minister to the least and weakest rather than regard anyone as beneath them, whether new in faith or longtime believers who feel their own weakness, whether meek, lowly, teachable and submissive disciples or those who have gone astray. God cares deeply even for the weakest and feeblest, and what is done for His saints counts as done for Christ.

Each soul is precious, very precious in God's eyes, for Christ gave Himself, His own life and blood on the cross to seek and save the lost, paying the ransom at infinite cost to make man a being of His throne. The purchase price was the Son of God yielding His honor, glory, royal throne and life, and because fellow men cost so much no one must treat a soul with indifference, partiality, favoritism, harshness, disrespect, unkind thoughts, words and actions, envy, jealousy, suspicion, standing off, criticizing or drawing away. Such contempt pushes souls onto Satan's battleground and hurts and destroys God's property, which is sin that Christ will not uphold, and ministering angels who always behold the Father's face are not pleased to see believers treated indifferently. Believers must instead regard themselves as missionaries among their own brethren, expelling envy, jealousy, evil surmising, angry feelings and every unchristlike expression, looking with rejoicing on every soul that has accepted Christ and manifesting toward others the tender, unselfish love Christ revealed to lost humanity, dealing tenderly, patiently, kindly and affectionately and laboring faithfully to lift up the desponding, the discouraged, those with unfavorable surroundings, and those who seek to obey truth with no encouragement at home.

The soul of a little child who believes in Christ is as precious in His sight as the angels around His throne, and must not be despised. God's perfection is as clearly seen in the tiniest insect as in the king of birds, so smallness gives no ground for contempt. Those who accept Christ as personal Saviour belong to His heavenly family and are not left to face life's trials alone. God regards them with tenderness surpassing even a father's or mother's love for a helpless child. Children are the Lord's little ones, members of His family whose angels always behold the Father's face, which makes their care and training a serious responsibility to develop good traits, restrain evil, and teach them to be useful, pure, gentle and fit to shine in God's courts.

Heaven is deeply interested in every penitent soul and in those who have not yet repented, hoping they will be saved. Angels are actively at work with Christ, helping needy souls, watching every act and knowing every word, desiring people to value God's Word and learn Christ's meekness, humility, gladness and love, and cooperating with human servants in leading people to repentance and in seeking and caring for those who are lost. The Son of Man came to save the lost, and as the shepherd seeks one straying sheep so heaven rejoices when even one who has strayed is rescued, with more joy in the presence of the angels over one sinner that repents than over ninety and nine just persons who need no repentance. Working with God and the angels to save fallen people brings joy in heaven.

Through loving practical care and the gospel, including feeding, cleansing and clothing by medical missionary work, outcasts in the depths of human woe and misery, poor outcasts and the most depraved, can be prepared to know someone cares for their souls. Faithful workers who take up this burden to find souls lost to Christ, to rescue them wrenched from Satan's hand and give them a chance they perhaps never had, have God's blessing and the cooperation of the angels of God. By such mercy many outcasts will have the moral image of God restored in them and will be called the elect of God, precious, standing next to the throne of God. The work will not be in vain even if but few accept grace.

Tender Care in Practice

Parents must not look down on children but govern them with tenderness and compassion, firm yet free from harsh, loud, angry, fretful or scolding words, keeping self under the control of God's Word and showing both His justice and mercy. Children have angels in heaven who always behold the face of the Father and have a God-given work to do for them, so parents who want that work done must cooperate with the angels by doing their own part with loving tenderness as Christ works. Too much management is to be avoided, guiding each child at a pace suited to strength, developing good traits while restraining evil, remaining calm and showing love even in correction and punishment. Their angels watch them in sadness, grief, sickness and suffering and carry their needs to God, whose light and presence come to comfort them, and because they belong to Christ parents should teach them to bring every perplexity to Him in prayer.

Teachers, ministers and Sabbath-school workers must humble themselves, become as little children, put themselves on the child's level, and deal with human minds as tenderly as Christ has dealt with sinners. Shaking, sudden seizure, forcing the will, passion, anger, harshness and arbitrary rule are forbidden, and in their place are required love, tenderness, forbearance, kindness and forgiveness, with correction done alone with prayer and talk that shows the will of Christ and binds the child to the heart. The trials of a child are great to it, and the lost whom Satan seeks to lead astray must be sought and saved rather than discouraged and driven to desperation, cherishing no harsh ways at any cost. Angels who behold God watch children and youth being taught the way of salvation, so tenderness in teaching will show faithfulness or unfaithfulness to Christ before them. Ministers and Sabbath-school teachers are to feed the lambs, repeat the story of Jesus' love at every suitable opportunity, leave a little corner in every sermon for children, and by that love win many to the fold with words that stay as apples of gold in pictures of silver. Nervous, easily irritated teachers should not be placed over children, no passionate word or gesture should mar the work lest students imbibe the same spirit, and schools for small children as well as older students are to be kept in such order and principle of government that God's angels can walk through the room and behold the order and government of heaven.

Restaurant workers, especially young helpers, household servants, humble workers, apprentices and youth in training must not be despised or treated carelessly, for their angels continually behold the Father in heaven. They are to be treated carefully and tenderly as members of a family in a home-like environment, as God's helping hands and precious souls purchased by Christ, not looked down on or treated as unimportant. Those in responsibility must feel deep interest in youth, pray earnestly with them, remember this charge in all educating and training, first reform themselves, then work together under Christ to reform youth with perfect love, compassion, tenderness and deeds of kindness. Young workers who believe in Christ have dignity and heavenly care, so mistreating or neglecting them is a serious matter calling for sympathy, respect, care for health and fair dealing rather than exploitation.

Weak, vulnerable, inexperienced believers still learning to serve, pray and obey, who lack opportunities, face a fierce enemy and make mistakes while doing their best, must be met with tender sympathy, compassion and watchful care. An offense against them counts as against Christ, heaven regards them, and it is not the Father's will that even one perish, so help must not deepen pain or drive toward despair. The straying are to be sought with persistent personal care as the lost sheep is sought, for Christ does not drive the wanderer back with scolding but bears the sheep and rejoices when restored, while neglect and loveless treatment discourage and drive farther from the fold. Those needing care and protection in religious experience call for prayer and kind, Christlike correction rather than accusation, exposure to temptation, neglect or condemnation, and for laboring with forbearance and grace to bring back the erring instead of standing off in self-righteous criticism, condemnation and judging of motives.

Those who have repented and been restored must not be despised or condemned for past sins but encouraged, for heaven rejoices over their restoration and no one may condemn those God has pardoned. The fallen are to be encouraged and not driven away from the Saviour, treated with tender concern, since wanderers will not return without someone seeking and bringing them back. Love is tested and proved through patience toward the inexperienced and the humblest child of God who needs most help and may try patience, yet must still be met with love, tenderness and teaching of truth by instruction and example. Believers are to regard themselves as missionaries among brethren, expelling envy, jealousy, evil surmising, angry feelings and every unchristlike expression, and rejoicing over every soul that has accepted Christ with the tender, unselfish love Christ revealed.

In homes where cheerfulness, courtesy and love dwell God's angels abide, and this care reaches children and youth at home, in school life and in Sabbath school where efforts are made to draw them toward evil. Children should be told that angels watch over them, attend before God, help parents and teachers impress right instruction, and know what they do, to encourage right speech and action. Even very young children are known to God, He takes account of their small acts including helpful work at home and blesses them, and telling them of watchful care draws young hearts to Jesus and shows His love. Parents must be what they want their children to be to win them by love, praying with them when they wander and correcting in humility, gentleness and love without apparent anger, allowing no fretful word in the house and no speech that educates children to dishonor God. Such restraint of temper and speech belongs to daily preparation to unite with heaven's family, for character is tested in this life whether one will be a peaceable subject of God's kingdom.

Care and Bible instruction given to children, including orphans and children not of one's own family, honors their value before God. Children belong to God and their salvation deserves the care of every church member, who shares responsibility for their welfare and cooperates with Christ in seeking and saving the lost.