Who Are the “Little Ones” in Matthew 10:42?

I was thinking the other day about what Jesus Christ taught on the “little ones.” He said, “And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward” (Matt. 10:42).¹ Who are these “little ones”?

Here the phrases “one of these little ones” and “because he is a disciple” go hand-in-hand. In other words, “The phrase little ones…refers not to children as such but to disciples in general, as they share the vulnerability and the lowly status of children.”² Jesus is thus speaking of the little ones and the disciples synonymously. To be a disciple is to be a little one. The same can be said for the “prophet” and “righteous person” (Matt. 10:41), these too are synonymous with the little ones.

Jesus employs the same analogy between “little ones” and disciples in the following passages:

Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea (Matt. 18:3-6).

See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish (Matt. 18:10-14).

Even though little ones refer to the disciples of Jesus, I suppose that would never preclude actual children. Cannot even a child be a disciple of Jesus? Of course, they can! Disciples are learners. Both children and adults can learn at the feet of the Teacher — Jesus Christ.

Now, the giving of a cup of cold water to a thirsty disciple is a simple and minimal act of hospitality; however, it is a little thing that could mean all the difference in the world, especially in a dry climate area like ancient Palestine whey keeping hydrated is essential. Imbued within this act of compassion is the reception of the little one, specifically the message delivered by the little one. In other words, “He who welcomes Christ’s messengers (whether apostles, prophets, or disciples, vv. 40–42) will be rewarded with eternal life (v. 39).”³ Giving a cup of water to a disciple is moreover connected the parable of the sheep and goats in Matthew 25, wherein “the giving of drink (among other things) to ‘one of the least of these my brothers’ amounts to having done it to Jesus.”⁴.

Jesus Christ delivered good news to the disciples, the disciples received the good news and delivered the same good news to others. This giving and receiving of good news has been passed on for over two thousand years. God gives eternal life to those who receive the good news. There is never really a prerequisite to receiving the good news. No vision quests. No learning of secret passwords. No self-abasement. No bodily mutilations. No epic wars to fight. The good news is received by a simple gesture of faith. More than mere intellectual ascent, it is the kind of faith that makes all the difference in the world. It is about being reconciled to God and being daily transformed into the likeness of Christ. Moreover, it is about sojourning with the Lord to eternal glory.

— WGN

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Notes:

1. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Mt 10:41–42.
2. Richard T. France, New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, ed. D. A. Carson et al., 4th ed. (Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994), 918.
3. Knox Chamblin, Evangelical Commentary on the Bible, vol. 3, ed. Walter A. Elwell (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1995), 734
4. Donald A. Hagner, Word Biblical Commentary: Matthew 1-13, vol. 33A, ed. David A Hubbard and Glenn W. Barker (Dallas, TX: Word Books, 1993), 296