Matthew 10:31

Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. FEAR YE NOT THEREFORE, YE ARE OF MORE VALUE THAN MANY SPARROWS. Was ever language of such simplicity felt to carry such weight as this does? But here lies much of the charm and power of our Lord's teaching....

31._You are of more value _This is true in general of all men, for the _sparrows _were created for their advantage. But this discourse relates peculiarly to the sons of God, who possess a far higher right than what they derive from creation. Now the rank which belongs to men arises solely from the undeserved kindness of God....

16-42 Our Lord warned his disciples to prepare for persecution. They were to avoid all things which gave advantage to their enemies, all meddling with worldly or political concerns, all appearance of evil or selfishness, and all underhand measures. Christ foretold troubles, not only that the troubles might not be a surprise, but that they might confirm their faith. He tells them what they should suffer, and from whom. Thus Christ has dealt fairly and faithfully with us, in telling us the worst we can meet with in his service; and he would have us deal so with ourselves, in sitting down and counting the cost. Persecutors are worse than beasts, in that they prey upon those of their own kind. The strongest bonds of love and duty, have often been broken through from enmity against Christ. Sufferings from friends and relations are very grievous; nothing cuts more. It appears plainly, that al...

Verse 31. _FEAR YE NOT - YE ARE OF MORE VALUE_] None can estimate the value of a soul, for which Christ has given his _blood_ and _life_! Have confidence in his goodness; for he who so dearly purchased thee will miraculously preserve and save thee. Did the poet intend to contradict Christ when he said: - "He sees with _equal_ eye, as God of all, A HERO perish, or a SPARROW _fall_?" How cold and meagre is this shallow deistical saying! But could the poet mean, that a _sparrow_ is of as much worth in the sight of God, who regards (if we may believe him) things only in _general_, as an _immortal soul_, purchased by the sacrifice of Christ?...

ARE NOT TWO SPARROWS ... - He encourages them not to fear by two striking considerations: first, that God takes care of sparrows, the smallest and least valuable of birds; and, secondly, by the fact that God numbers even the hairs of the head. The argument is, that if He takes care of birds of the least value, if He regards so small a thing as the hair of the head, and numbers it, He will certainly protect and provide for you. You need not, therefore, fear what man can do to you. SPARROWS - The sparrows are well-known birds in Syria. They are small; they are found in great numbers; they are tame, intrusive, and nestle everywhere. “They are extremely pertinacious in asserting their right of possession, and have not the least reverence for any place or thing. David alludes to these characteristics of the sparrow in Psalms 84

EXPOSITION For introductory notes to this chapter, see Matthew 9:35. MATTHEW 10:1 Parallel passages: Mark 6:7; Luke 9:1. The prayer (Matthew 9:38) is answered in the persons of those who were taught to pray. Christ establishes his new agency. AND WHEN HE HAD CALLED UNTO HIM. From the circle of the bystanders. HIS TWELVE DISCIPLES. Who had already been chosen to be specially with him (cf. Matthew 9:35, note; and...

FEAR YE NOT THEREFORE,.... Neither be afraid of men, nor distrust the providence of God; for if that reaches to the meanest of creatures, sparrows, and to that which is of the least account with men, the single hair of a man's head; much more must it regard the lives of men, and still more such useful lives as those of the disciples were, who were called to, and employed in preaching the everlasting Gospel; a work which so much concerned the glory of God, the interest of Christ, and the good of immortal souls: YE ARE OF MORE VALUE THAN MANY SPARROWS. Two of them were worth no more than a farthing; there must be a great multitude of them to be mentioned with any man: and indeed there is no comparison between the whole species of them and the life of a single man, and much less between them and the apostles of the Lamb. Any man is more valuable, as a man, than many sparrows, and much more...

Matthew 10:1. _And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease._ They were first Christ's disciples, and then he sent them forth as his apostles, clothed with power and authority very similar to his own. Matthew 10:2. _Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddeu;, Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him._ The twelve apostles linked the spiritual Israel with the twelve tribes of th

7. THE MESSENGERS OF THE KINGDOM. CHAPTER 10 _ 1. The Twelve Disciples. (Matthew 10:1 .) 2. Their Commission. (Matthew 10:5 .) 3. Persecutions Promised. (Matthew 10:16 .) 4. Words of Encouragement.(Matthew 10:24 .) 5. Not Peace but the Sword. (Matthew 10:34 .) 6. True Discipleship and Rewards. (Matthew 10:37 .)_ We learn now how our Lord, who is truly the Lord of the Harvest, sends forth the laborers. He does it as the King,

THE CHARGE TO THE TWELVE. The section forms the second of five passages into which Mt. col lected the sayings of Jesus. The Markan account (Matthew 6:7) is followed by Luke 9:1, but Luke 10:2 (the Seventy) is from Q; Matthew 10:5 combines the two sources. The mission is limited to Jews, hardly, in view of Matthew 10:6; Matthew 10:23, to the Jews of Galilee. Luke 10 omits the limitation; he wrote mainly for Gentiles. Indeed, when Mt. wrote, the limitation was obsolete. Yet it shows