Matthew 18:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

NIV: In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.

NASB: So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven for one of these little ones to perish.

CSB: In the same way, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones perish.

NLT: In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish.

KJV: Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

NKJV: Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

Christ seems to be saying, "Don't give up on any of those who believe in me." Why? Because God the Father is like a shepherd who never gives up on a single wandering sheep. He always searches for them and rejoices when they are found and brought back to the flock.

Jesus has warned the disciples not to despise or disrespect any of His "little ones," meaning those who believe in Him. This verse helps explain why. God places enormous value on each one of Jesus' followers. It is His Father's will that none of them should perish or die, and the Father is able to accomplish His will.

This verse does not mean that none of those who follow Jesus will die physically. Of course, most of Jesus' disciples were killed for continuing to preach the gospel in His name. Even those believers who lived long and natural lives died physically. Instead, we understand that Jesus means His Father's will is for every believer in Jesus to live eternally with Him in heaven, even those who go astray into sin and must be brought back.

Matthew 18:10–14 describes the great value God the Father places on everyone who believes in Jesus. This is often referred to as the Parable of the Lost Sheep. Jesus warns His disciples not to despises any of the believers, calling them "little ones." They are connected to the glory of God by their angels in heaven. God the Father is a like shepherd with a wandering sheep. He will leave all the others to go and bring that sheep back. The Father's will is that none of His own should perish.

Jesus uses two questions from the disciples to teach important lessons. The "greatest" in the kingdom is the one who humbles himself like a child. Temptation is unavoidable in earthly life, but it's worth going to extremes to avoid falling for it. Even so, those who fall should not be hated and despised. God the Father values them highly and wants none of them to perish. In fact, Jesus lays out a clear, careful process to confront sin in others before removing them from the community. Christ also replies to Peter's question about forgiveness with a parable. This story represents both God's amazing forgiveness, and the way we ought to respond as Christians.

Matthew 18 follows the action of the previous chapter with teaching from Jesus on several issues. These include humility, using the example of a child. Jesus also teaches about avoiding sin and offering forgiveness to others. Interestingly, the following chapter will also feature references to children and to wealth, as Christ continues to explain the will of God to His disciples.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.

Accessed 5/6/2024 2:15:04 PM