Matthew 18:5-6 Jesus’ Passion for His Little Ones

“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me,” Jesus in Matthew 18:5

"We’re not going to let a child in our county be without a mom or dad for a night, without someone who will care for them and love on them,”  (David Platt, author of Radical, explaining his church’s efforts to cover the entire need for foster families in Shelby county Alabama where the church is located; www.thealabamabaptist.org in a post dated November 19, 2009) 

One of the great movements within Christianity that I have seen is a renewed emphasis on adoption and foster parenting.   My good friend Gary Gaddini, a pastor in Redwood City, California, and his wife Anne recently adopted a little girl from the Democratic Republic of Congo.  Gary explained to me the spiritual significance of adoption and how it reflects the work of God in a Christian’s life: we were lost, without a home, dwelling in darkness.  Yet God chose us, gave us a new identity and adopted us into his family.  

Adoption is a beautiful act of mercy that is also a picture of a spiritual reality.  Additionally adoption is living in light of Jesus’ words in verse 5: “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.”  However there is still a broader meaning to this verse.  Jesus is describing what humility, mentioned in the previous verse (v. 4), looks like.   He is speaking of our need to receive in his name those who have humbled themselves like a child.   Receiving one such child is receiving Christ himself.   

This is not about salvation but it is about how we treat those loved by Christ.  Jesus affectionately uses words for those within his church that imply family as well as words that imply he personally identifies with them.    For example, Christ equates the phrase “little ones” with “disciple.” (10:42).   And again he says, “as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me,” (25:40; see also 25:45).

Contrastingly, Jesus says, “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,” (v. 6).    A millstone is a large circular stone that was used to grind grain.   Some were so big that a donkey was needed to rotate the millstone. Millstones were so vital to the lives of those during Bible times that one of the Mosaic laws said “no one shall take a …millstone in pledge, for that would be taking a life in pledge,” (Deuteronomy 24:6). 

My wife EB with a millstone in the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem, 2011

Jesus uses near superlative language to construct a metaphor (i.e., great millstone, better…to be drowned, depth of the sea) to communicate the seriousness of causing his little ones to stumble.  D. A. Carson, in his commentary on Matthew, says this metaphor is “the horror of judgment sharpened.”

Our Lord is so passionate for his flock that he lays down his life for his sheep (see John 10:11).    It would do us well to heed the instruction of our Lord as he explains throughout chapter 18 how his sheep should treat one another. We are to love, care, forgive, pursue, nurture and protect each other as well as we must put aside our power plays and egos.  The seriousness of Jesus’ words here should make us tremble.

I fear for those who have used peer pressure, fame, authority, influence and other platforms to destroy the faith of his children.   Dr. William Dembski, a college professor well-known for his work in Intelligent Design, in a 2008 interview warns of unbelieving college biology professors whose intent is to use “biology, especially evolutionary biology, as an ideological weapon to destroy faith in God.”

Yet I must also examine myself.  When have I said a careless word that causes one of these little ones who believe in him to stumble?  When have I acted in a haughty way that enticed a young believer away from the path of God?  For I too am now guilty of causing one of his little ones to sin.   Yet praise God for the gospel of grace.   His forgiveness is available to all who want it and it is greater than all our sin.