Matthew 18:13, commentary and pictures

If the lost sheep is recovered, the shepherd's delight over that one rescue is greater than over all those that never wandered. That delight is the joy of Christ and the Father and the angels of heaven over a repentant sinner rescued from Satan and brought back to God. The straying one stands for every endangered little one, helpless in sin and unable to find the way back alone, while the ninety-nine stand for those who stayed safe and do not need the same tender pitying care. To find it the Shepherd leaves the flock to seek the wanderer persistently at the cost of suffering and death, and He lays the same tender personal search for wanderers on all believers rather than abandoning them. The finding is not certain, and the reason for the joy is that it is the Father's will that not one of these little ones should perish.

Setting and Wording

The verse belongs to the instruction in Matthew 18 on dealing with erring church members, teaching the church to take care in correcting a person in the wrong kindly and without self-importance in order to save that person from ruin. That direction shows the church must be thoroughly organized so it can address cases of those who fall into error and sin. When that instruction is followed, with its joy over the straying sheep found and rejoiced over more than the ninety and nine that did not wander, a different atmosphere comes to families, schools, and churches.

It was spoken privately to the disciples during the stay in Galilee as part of the parable of the lost sheep about seeking the lost. That seeking is the work of Christ and angels to help people repent, and human beings are called to cooperate in it.

The conditional wording, if so be that he find it, shows that the sheep is not always found.

The chapter gives most positive instruction among the oracles of God for all who claim to be disciples of the meek and lowly Jesus, to be remembered, pondered, obeyed, and put into daily practice as principles upon which to act in all cases and under all circumstances. It calls for humility before God with sympathy and love for others, thorough conversion, single purpose and purity of motive, spiritual excellence rather than position, outward splendor or authority, love to God and neighbor, and tending to one's own faults rather than searching out faults in others and harming them by word. Its words to the disciples are high and holy educating lessons, including that the youth are Christ's property and that greater joy is over one found and restored than over those who did not go astray, so that those in responsibility must first reform under Christ the one head and then with perfect love and compassion, tenderness, deep interest, and earnest prayer educate, train, and reform the youth as branches in the same vine hearing with sanctified ears and seeing with sanctified eyes and speaking with sanctified tongues. The lesson also rebukes harshness toward a brother's wrong while one's own sins stand unconfessed, directing not to condemn but to go after the one who strayed, bring him back to God, and rejoice when he is found.

The same chapter forbids striving for supremacy, self-sufficiency, self-esteem, self-exaltation, and strife inwardly concealed and outwardly manifest to be first and highly esteemed by men. It forbids criticism and faultfinding, magnifying another's faults, stirring up anger against a fellow worker, harshness, dictatorial rule as kings, selfish narrow-mindedness, impatience, boasting, and overbearing conduct, requiring instead to strengthen and bless others, show respect, act with the spirit of Christ, guide and protect with wisdom, and set an example others can safely follow. Standing back on dignity when one's plans are not requested, taking satisfaction in the deficiencies of brethren, letting self come between the soul and God, and allowing words to hinder instead of building up the Redeemer's kingdom grieves the Saviour's Spirit and turns those who should be a blessing into a curse that retards the work, until the unsanctified element of strife for supremacy is cleansed from the soul temple so the Lord can manifest His power and grace. Such criticism and faultfinding is expressly the work of the devil. That work began in the heavenly courts where Satan obtained sympathy by claiming he could do most wonderful things if not hampered by the law of Jehovah, suggested a change in the government of God for the advantage of the heavenly family, deceived angels into assent by supposing he was in harmony with God and the Prince of heaven, put his own thoughts in their minds and then repeated them to the highest Authority as theirs, covered his tracks so he could not be detected, and spread suspicion and distrust of God and distrust of one another until rebellion had to be met by God's decision and the disloyal were expelled from heaven with the instigator of evil for the good of the loyal and true.

The next verse explains the joy, that it is the Father's will that not even one of these little ones should perish, showing the value of seeking and restoring those who are lost. That call requires God's people to seek the salvation of the lost and speak in season to those ready to perish, in humility and right relation with God.

Shepherd's Greater Joy

When the straying sheep is found, the shepherd rejoices over that one more than over the ninety and nine that did not stray, making the recovery of one gone astray a cause for special joy. That greater rejoicing belongs to the instruction of Matthew 18 that enlightens the eyes, showing the care due to little ones and lost ones and revealing the Father whose will is that not one of these little ones should perish. The lost sheep is one of Christ's little ones in danger of perishing, and its recovery calls not for neglect or contempt but for tender, active care that seeks rather than despises or drives further away. The weakest members of the flock receive the Good Shepherd's greatest care.

The rejoicing is the joy of Christ, the Chief Shepherd's joy, the joy of God the Father, and joy among the angels of heaven over one soul redeemed. It is joy over one soul redeemed over whom Satan had triumphed, now rescued and wrenched from Satan's hand and from his grasp. Faithful shepherds seek to bring the wanderer back, and heaven rejoices when the lost are found, calling Christ's followers to cooperate with God and the angels in rescuing fallen people. That rescue teaches tenderness and care toward those gone wrong who need sympathy and love.

The joy is over a repentant sinner, over an erring person rescued from Satan's grasp and brought back to God, over a believer gone astray found and restored, and over a person converted and restored. The perishing souls are helpless in sin and liable to be destroyed by the arts and snares of Satan, yet Jesus as Shepherd knows His sheep, gave His life for them, and goes to seek them even before they seek Him. He keeps seeking those who wander with tireless care until He finds and restores them, and there is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner that repents than over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance. The parable presents the repentant sinner as a special cause of joy, illustrating Christ's work of rescuing the lost.

One soul redeemed is precious, very precious in the sight of God and valued by Christ, for whom Christ died that he might live through the eternal ages. Christ would have died for one soul alone in order that that one might live through the eternal ages, showing the value He places on each person lost and found. Rescue work is therefore not in vain even when only a few accept grace, and God's blessing rests richly on uniting human effort with the divine to reach to the very depths of human woe and misery to find that one. Christ's example of leaving the ninety-nine to seek the found sheep calls His followers to work and sacrifice to seek and save those who are perishing, since each soul is of great value.

To succeed in saving one soul from ruin, even after failing ninety-nine times in a hundred, is a noble deed for the Master's cause. The joy over the one found calls for patient, humble work in helping those who most need aid, not scorning the simplicity of the work but looking to the blessed result. It forbids saying in the heart, let them go, they are not worth saving, when laborers do not meet expectations, for Christ came to save those who were lost and died to save miserable sinners even though those He benefited lightly esteemed His work, refused His help, and finally put Him to death. Working in the same spirit and manner shown by His example, and leaving results with God, accomplishes good that cannot be measured in this life, and working among the humble and lowly leading them to the Saviour is as honorable as working among the rich and great.

Identity of the Sheep

The straying sheep is one of Christ's little ones in danger of perishing, and its finding brings greater rejoicing than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. These little ones are Christ's disciples changed in views and character to be meek and lowly in heart, docile and submissive as little children. The assurance belongs both to those new in the faith and to those who have known the truth longer yet feel their nothingness, for all God's children are precious in His sight and He loves and cares for the weakest and feeblest. The lost one is one who needs care and protection in religious life, and the weakest members of the flock receive the Good Shepherd's greatest care, for not one is to perish. Children and youth are included, for they are the property of Jesus Christ, and joy is greater over one found and restored than over those who did not go astray.

The little ones also include those who do not know as much and do not yet understand all they should, but who will understand if given opportunity and a Christlike example. To despise them, or by word or wrong course of action to mislead their feet into stumbling through crooked paths, deeply grieves the Holy Spirit. The sheep is helpless in sin and liable to be destroyed by the arts and snares of Satan, cared for as a shepherd cares for the sheep of his flock with mercy, forbearance, patience and love. A soul that has wandered from God cannot find its way back unaided, and divine love must seek and rescue the helpless sinner. Left unrecovered the lost sheep may wander until it perishes, yet those who have strayed may be distressed and unable to find God while longing for pardon and peace, even distressed, nearly overcome by unbelief.

The lost cannot find the way back to God without help but must be sought and carried back, for a straying soul is as helpless as a lost sheep. The Shepherd therefore searches with compassion, sorrow and persistence, accepting hardship and self-denial, and Christians are to offer relief and work in Christ's way rather than leave such people discouraged and in darkness. The sheep includes poor outcasts who have destroyed the moral image of God in themselves and are in the depths of hell, to be gathered by the gospel net and reached only in Christ's way by relieving suffering and teaching righteousness. Laboring in love to feed, cleanse, clothe and care for their souls prepares them to know someone cares, and many thus ministered to through human agencies cooperating with the divine will be saved, seek to restore the moral image of God in others for whom Christ paid with His blood, be called precious and elect, and stand next to the throne.

The flock embraces the whole human family, Jew and Gentile, with the lost sheep representing people in need of salvation and fallen humanity as a whole. The ninety-nine represent the sinless worlds that loved Christ, whom He left to come to earth to uplift the fallen, becoming human and living among people while remaining free from sin. The sheep that stayed with the flock do not need the same tender, pitying care, so the shepherd gives priority to the one in danger and pursues it with winning invitations, not harsh words or force.

Christ's Saving Work

Christ leaves the ninety-nine to go into the mountains and deserts, into the wilderness, to seek the one that strayed, showing readiness to leave the gathered flock and the fold for the lost. When the lost sheep is found He rejoices more over that one than over the ninety-nine that did not stray and never left the fold, presenting the repentant sinner as a special cause of joy. The act shows the value He places on one lost person, that each soul is of great worth, and His example calls His followers to work and sacrifice to seek and save those who are perishing, using efforts and resources to the utmost and making sacrifices to bring even one sinner back to God. His love for souls cannot be measured, for He came to save every son and daughter of Adam, not only the few who accept Him.

Jesus as Shepherd is acquainted with His sheep, gave His life for them, and goes to seek them even before they seek Him. The lost sheep is a sinner in danger from sin and Satan, helpless and liable to be destroyed by Satan's arts and snares, and the work laid on believers is mercy, forbearance, patience and love toward such perishing souls as a shepherd cares for his flock. He keeps seeking those who wander with tireless care until He finds and restores them, and heaven rejoices when an erring person is rescued from Satan's grasp and brought back to God. He pursues the strayed with winning invitations, not harsh words or force, devotes His energies to finding it, gives priority to the one in danger, and does not need to give the same tender, pitying care to the sheep that stayed with the flock. Seeking and personally bringing back the wandering soul is necessary work, not to be neglected or excused, done with tender, personal, persistent care rather than waiting for the erring to make the first move.

Bringing back the lost is costly, for the Shepherd crosses danger and darkness, sheds blood for it, and is wounded to rescue the one who has wandered and is helpless. The self-denial, self-sacrifice, humiliation and crucifixion He endured as the redemption price of a lost world proves the value of every soul, showing He came not for those who are faultless and lovely but for those who are lost. He does not abandon His wounded, bruised, weak and tempted sheep to Satan, but strengthens and delivers all who trust in Him, and His joy when the lost one is found reveals that personal care and determination. That same joy explains why a holy Teacher sent from God ate with publicans and sinners, because He knew sinners to be saved would be at their tables and in all His words He scattered seeds of truth to save them, laying the pattern for ambassadors commissioned by God to study how to reach souls and to be found in every place where there are souls in need of a Saviour. The verse means the Son of man came to seek and save that which was lost, because it is not the will of the Father in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

Tender Search for Wanderers

The verse lays on all who believe the work of seeking those who have strayed, as a shepherd cares for his flock, with mercy, forbearance, patience and love toward perishing souls who are helpless in sin and liable to be destroyed. That seeking is to give interest, love and compassion to the lost without neglecting them, and to recover them by persistent compassionate effort rather than accusing, discouraging, condemning or abandoning them. The lost and erring so sought are precious, and heaven rejoices more over one repentant sinner than over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance.

Those to be searched for and welcomed back into the fold are the weak, erring, inexperienced and apostate, including those who have given up the Sabbath or left the church. They are not to be waited for to return on their own, abandoned when they resist counsel or choose to leave, pushed away, cut off, or left to Satan, but to be gone after with diligent effort, helped toward heaven with compassion, and restored through healing care. Those who are difficult or objectionable especially need help, prayer, loving guidance and mercy to keep them from despair.

The search must be tender and personal, not rigid, scolding, harsh, contemptuous or condemning, for a brother who has gone astray is to be sought and restored rather than despised, driven further away, or treated harshly by one rigid about faults while his own sins stand unconfessed. The erring are to be approached alone in meekness and love, gotten close to, pleaded with tenderly, fed by sharing rather than eating alone, met with Christlike tenderness, and brought back to God with no means left untried. Such recovery of one in danger of perishing is cause for special joy and care, fulfilling the Father's will that not one of these little ones should perish.

That care teaches tenderness, sympathy and love toward those who have gone wrong and need help. It calls God's people to seek the salvation of the lost by speaking in season to those ready to perish, a work that requires humility and a right relation with God, and it shows that God does not desire anyone to separate from fellow believers. Christ's own deep interest in this shepherd work is full of tenderness, compassion, gentleness and love, making His people's needs and sufferings His own, and His life is the example. His servants must therefore have hearts of tender affection and sincere love and exercise toward His followers the same tender, pitying love He has exercised, for Christ's love in the heart gives evidence of itself by seeking the lost in the path He trod to win them to Him.

The same work reaches poor outcasts who have destroyed the moral image of God in themselves and are in the depths of hell, gathering them by the gospel net only in Christ's way, by relieving suffering and teaching righteousness. It labors in love to feed, cleanse, clothe and care for their souls, to prepare them to know someone cares, with angels of God cooperating with human agencies who make every effort and give them opportunities to save perishing souls wrenched from Satan's triumph. Many thus ministered to will be saved, will seek to restore the moral image of God in others for whom Christ paid with His blood, will be called the elect of God, precious, and will stand next to the throne. Those who have the precious light of truth must therefore not shut themselves within themselves but share it, keep seeking more truth and clearer understanding, and earnestly desire that others join in the faith, including those outside the fold whom Christ came at immeasurable cost to reach.

Wider Mission Applications

True shepherds and under-shepherds do more than preach, living the gospel themselves and visiting members to know each one's condition so fitting truth can be presented, especially to bring backsliders to conviction and strengthen the weak, watching over their charge as those who must give an account. The faithful minister as shepherd seeking the lost does not shrink from opposition nor refuse new places because of darkness and conflict, does not study ease and convenience but meets people where they are with stirring appeals and practical as well as doctrinal teaching backed by example, forgetting self so fully in the search that weariness and cold and hunger go unnoticed, with the single object to save the lost at whatever expense to himself, uninfluenced by wages because the commission is from Heaven and the reward is expected when the entrusted work is done. Ministers and all workers are to use efforts and resources to the utmost with sacrifice to bring even one sinner back to God, for the value set on one straying person calls for following that example, and neglecting the work betrays a sacred trust, while no peril or cost is too great and heaven rejoices when the sheep is found.

Workers are to leave the ninety and nine in the fold and enter new districts for the destitute in error, superstition and darkness, sacrificing ease and pleasure to labor earnestly and perseveringly in simplicity, prayer, house-to-house and fireside labor, witnessing even at table and sowing truth everywhere as was done for those for whom death was suffered, thereby laying up treasure beside the throne, through continual reliance and continual self-denial that guards against discouragement and worry, remembering that in every place there are souls needed by the Lord whom the devil seeks to bind. The world was opened as the field to search for the lost and declare a sin-pardoning Saviour to all, preaching to every creature with assurance many would respond, witnessing in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the uttermost earth after tarrying until endued with power from on high, by authority of Him who was crucified and rose, to whom all power in heaven and earth is given and who is present to the end. Lost sheep are souls who can still be found and restored, to be hunted with deepest interest by personal labor that brings people to keep the Sabbath, for without it destroyable souls that might have been restored are lost, so effort belongs to the unconverted outside the fold rather than mainly to those already knowing truth, and where one worker is in the field for every hundred needed the ninety-nine missing should be brought in. The joy over the recovered wanderer illustrates self-forgetful care in seeking salvation for those far from the fold.

Bible teachers are to do personal work that goes out to search for the lost, gives clear instruction, follows up those awakened to investigate truth, reaches those unreachable by public meetings, and searches diligently for the interested until they come to knowledge of the truth. Parents are to seek straying children earnestly and rest until every child is in the fold, making home pleasant and cheerful while caring for salvation for time and eternity. Teachers are to put away iron of soul, passion, harshness and arbitrary action at any cost, become as little children, place themselves on the child's level in mind and spirit, understand the child's trials as great to it as adult trials are to adults, never seize suddenly, shake, force the will or bruise, since bruising the child bruises their own soul more and destroys manhood, but take the erring alone to pray and talk, show the divine will, deal as tenderly as they have been dealt with, bind with love, tenderness and forbearance, and show kindness to those the adversary seeks to lead if forgiveness is desired. Those in responsibility are to first reform under the one Head and then with perfect love, compassion, tenderness, deep interest and earnest prayer educate, train and reform youth as property to be restored with greater joy than over those who did not stray, hearing with sanctified ears, seeing with sanctified eyes and speaking with sanctified tongues as branches in one vine, practicing daily self-denial to seek and save the lost and bring wanderers back.