Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.
All Commentaries on Matthew 18:14 Go To Matthew 18
John Chrysostom
AD 407
If then God thus rejoices over the little one that is found, how do you despise them that are the objects of God's earnest care, when one ought to give up even one's very life for one of these little ones? But is he weak and mean? Therefore for this very cause most of all, one ought to do everything in order to preserve him. For even He Himself left the ninety and nine sheep, and went after this, and the safety of so many availed not to throw into the shade the loss of one. But Luke says, that He even brought it on his shoulders, and that There was greater joy over one sinner that repents, than over ninety and nine just persons. Luke 15:7 And from His forsaking those that were saved for it, and from His taking more pleasure in this one, He showed His earnestness about it to be great.
Let us not then be careless about such souls as these. For all these things are said for this object. For by threatening, that he who has not become a little child should not so much as at all set foot in the Heavens, and speaking of the millstone, He has brought down the haughtiness of the boastful; for nothing is so hostile to love as pride; and by saying, It must needs be that offenses come, He made them to be wakeful; and by adding, Woe unto him by whom the offense comes, He has caused each to endeavor that it be not by him. And while by commanding to cut off them that offend He made salvation easy; by enjoining not to despise them, and not merely enjoining, but with earnestness (for take heed, says He, that you despise not one of these little ones), and by saying, Their angels behold the face of my Father, and, For this end am I come, and my Father wills this, He has made those who should take care of them more diligent.
