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Explanation for:
Matthew
18
:
13
And if it so be that he find it: Amen I say to you, he rejoiceth more for that, than for the ninety-nine that went not astray.
9
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{"arr":[{"author-name":"Jerome of Stridon","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88dcd3432c6dd41375498_Jerome%20of%20Stridon.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"It is fitting that He, who once declared, \\"Take heed lest one of these little ones be despised,\\" incorporates the parable of the ninety-nine sheep left on the hills and the one sheep that strayed, which the good shepherd retrieves and returns to the flock due to its inability to move from profound weakness. Some interpret this shepherd as the one who, despite being in the form of God, did not see equality with God as something to cling to, but instead humbled Himself by taking on the likeness of a servant, remaining obedient to the Father even unto death, specifically the death on the cross (Philippians 2:6-8). It is through this act that He descended to earth to rescue the lost, symbolizing the entirety of humanity. Others suggest that the ninety-nine sheep represent the collective of the righteous, while the one sheep signifies the sinner, aligning with the words elsewhere noted: \\"It is not the healthy who have need of a physician, but the sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance\\" (Luke 5:31-32). This parable, found in the Gospel of Luke, is intricately connected with two other parables: that of the ten drachmas and the two sons (Luke 15:8-32)."},{"author-name":"John Chrysostom","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88ea76859f9f8e2ffd3ee_John%20Chrysostom.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"Consider the many reasons the Lord gives us to show compassion towards our humble brothers and sisters. Therefore, do not claim that a blacksmith, shoemaker, or farmer is unwise and deserving of disdain. To protect yourself from this harmful attitude, recognize how Christ encourages you through various examples to exercise restraint and care for these individuals. He placed a child among them and declared, \\"Ye shall be as little children,\\" adding, \\"Whosoever shall receive one such child in my name, receives me.\\" He further warned that those who lead others astray will face grave consequences, stating it would be preferable for a millstone to be hung around their neck and for them to be cast into the depths of the sea. He did not stop there; He proclaimed, \\"Woe unto that man through whom seduction cometh,” and insisted that such individuals should be removed, even if they hold significant roles in our lives. \\n\\nMoreover, for the sake of the angels tasked with caring for these lesser brethren, He calls us to honor them. Through His own suffering and will, He drives us toward this responsibility—when He asserts, “The Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost,” it directs our attention towards the cross, just as Paul reflects on his own brother, saying, “For whom Christ died” (Rom. 14:15). The will of the Father compels us because it is His desire that none of the little ones should perish. Finally, He illustrates this with the familiar example of a shepherd who, upon leaving the flock he tends, diligently searches for the lost sheep, rejoicing immensely upon its discovery and redemption."},{"author-name":"Epiphanius of Pavia","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":6,"exegesis-text":"Every individual who tends to sheep assumes the role of a shepherd, yet none embodies this role more profoundly than Christ our God. One of His sheep wandered away, and this deviation was not due to the shepherd's negligence but rather the sheep’s own folly. This wandering sheep represents Adam, the first man, whom God created in His divine image and likeness. Through sin, Adam distanced himself from the celestial communion of angels, resulting in the entire human race turning away from God. In these latter days, our Lord came to seek out the very man He had fashioned, aiming to restore all humanity from death to everlasting life. He embraced death on our behalf so that we, who were spiritually dead, could be revived. The shepherd cherished the one hundredth sheep, the lost one, more than the ninety-nine who remained. The patriarch Abraham, at the age of one hundred, trusted in God; his faith granted him justification, allowing him to reunite with his son Isaac and earning him the title of the father of nations, signifying his passage from left to right. This movement from one hundred symbolizes a shift to the favored side. Thus, dear friends, the hundredth sheep signifies the Gentiles who place their faith in the Lord and serve Him as Abraham did, destined to be positioned at His right hand, as affirmed by the Lord: “And He will set the sheep on His right side, and the goats on His left” (Matthew 25:33). The goats, in this context, refer to the Jews or those who act treacherously and sinfully. To those positioned on His left, the Lord will declare, “Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). God desires that none of these little ones should be lost. If your brother sins against you, offer him correction. The Lord instructs us to admonish a sinner until he is restored. If he refuses to change, he should be regarded as an outsider. Our Lord practiced what He preached, issuing rebukes to the Israelites who sinned in the wilderness, repeatedly correcting them through the law and the prophets. Ultimately, He confronted the Jewish people directly before the assembly of all the saints."},{"author-name":"Euthymios Zigabenos","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":11,"exegesis-text":"We find our joy not merely in what we hold securely, but in what we have reclaimed after experiencing loss. The true depth of our happiness does not stem from the constant possession of the former, but rather from the sorrow we endure due to the latter. When we recover what has been damaged, our rejoicing is profound, akin to achieving a significant victory."},{"author-name":"Abbot Panteleimon about the Trinity","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"If he locates it, he will carry it on his shoulders and return home, calling on his friends and neighbors to say to them, Celebrate with me, for I have found my lost sheep."},{"author-name":"Gladkow B.I.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88bf0ceef8c96e09a6521_Gladkow%20B.I..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Do not scorn those who appear to be mired in their transgressions, for the Son of Man came to find and rescue the lost. Similar to how each of you searches for a single sheep when it strays from the herd, rejoicing more upon its return than over those that remained safe, the Son of Man descended to earth to seek and redeem those who are lost and in danger, for it is the desire of your heavenly Father that all may attain salvation, that none may be lost. If this reflects God's purpose, and if He sent His Son to save the unrepentant, how can we look down upon those who are flawed, even if their sins are greater than our own? Instead of regarding the one who has gone astray with disdain, let us love the individual within, support him, and lead him back to the path of righteousness from which he has deviated, to save him."},{"author-name":"Paul Matwejewski","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8969f5be0d592d5a10576_Paul%20Matwejewski.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The Lord illustrated this profound truth through a vivid parable taken from the life of a shepherd, previously used on a different occasion (Luke 15:3-7): “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the mountains and go after the one that is lost? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices more over that one sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not stray.” The Heavenly Father, who sent His Son into the world for its redemption (John 3:17), has great care for believers—they hold a special place in His heart. Therefore, it is not the Father's desire that any of these little ones should perish. How can we possibly look down upon those whom God values so deeply?"},{"author-name":"Bogolepow D.P.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The discussion regarding the safeguarding of the little ones in faith presented by the Evangelist Mark in verses 49-50 appears to reach a close. However, the Gospel of Matthew extends this discussion further. Jesus expands this idea by addressing a lesser offense towards the faithful children, shifting from outright temptation to their disregard. By correcting the apostles' attitudes towards these lesser siblings, Christ illustrates their immense value in God's eyes: first, the Lord has assigned their guardianship to mighty beings like angels, who perpetually gaze upon the Father in the heavens; second, He has sent His one and only Son for their redemption. The parable of the lost sheep elucidates this purpose of Christ's incarnation, aimed at seeking and saving the perishing. Verse 14 encapsulates the conclusion of this parable, relating it to the central theme of the discussion."},{"author-name":"Alexander Gorsky","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8884037c1e1c51e1332e2_Alexander%20Gorsky.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Another warning emphasizes the importance of being mindful regarding those outside the community: when your transgressions risk becoming a temptation for others, be vigilant and do not assume that such individuals are insignificant. Is one truly of no value if their angel consistently stands before the face of the Father in heaven? Is one unworthy when the Son of Man Himself came to seek and redeem the lost? This teaching culminates in the parable of the lost sheep and the rejoicing over the one that has been found. This outlines the sequence of actions and lessons that encapsulate the conclusion of Jesus Christ's journey through Galilee. From His departure to Caesarea and the question posed, \\"Who do men say that I am?\\", to the teachings on avoiding temptation and the parable illustrating the Son of Man's pursuit of the lost, each element intricately interweaves with the others, reflecting a profound internal connection."}]}
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