Mat 18:10, 1Cor 14:20, 1Pe 2:2, Rev 14:5 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 10. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones , etc. That is, one who has become like little children--or, a Christian. Jesus then proceeds to state the reason why we should not despise his feeblest and obscurest follower. That reason is drawn from the care which God exercises over them. The first instance of that care is, that in heaven their angels do always behold his face . He does not mean, I suppose, to state that every good man has his guardian angel, as many of the Jews believed; but that the angels were, in general , the guards of his followers, and aided them, and watched over them, . Do always behold the face of my Father , etc. This is taken from the practice of earthly courts. To be admitted to the presence of a king; to be permitted to see his face continually; to have free access at all times, was deemed a mark of peculiar favour, and was esteemed a security for his protection. So, says our Saviour, we should not despise the obscurest Christians, for they are ministered to by the highest and noblest of beings; beings who are always enjoying the favour and friendship of God. (f) "angels do always" (g) "behold"

Matthew 18:10

Verse 10. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones, etc. That is, one who has become like little children--or, a Christian. Jesus then proceeds to state the reason why we should not despise his feeblest and obscurest follower. That reason is drawn from the care which God exercises over them. The first instance of that care is, that in heaven their angels do always behold his face. He does not mean, I suppose, to state that every good man has his guardian angel, as many of the Jews believed; but that the angels were, in general, the guards of his followers, and aided them, and watched over them, Heb 1:14.

Do always behold the face of my Father, etc. This is taken from the practice of earthly courts. To be admitted to the presence of a king; to be permitted to see his face continually; to have free access at all times, was deemed a mark of peculiar favour, 1Kgs 10:8, Est 1:14 and was esteemed a security for his protection. So, says our Saviour, we should not despise the obscurest Christians, for they are ministered to by the highest and noblest of beings; beings who are always enjoying the favour and friendship of God.

(f) "angels do always" Acts 12:15 (g) "behold" Ps 17:15

1 Corinthians 14:20

Verse 20. Brethren, be not children in understanding. Be not childish; do not behave like little children. They admire, and are astonished at what is striking, novel, and what may be of no real utility. They are pleased with anything that will amuse them, and at little things that afford them play and pastime. So your admiration of a foreign language, and of the ability to speak it, is of as little solid value as the common sports and plays of boys. This, says Doddridge, is an admirable stroke of oratory, and adapted to bring down their pride by showing them that those things on which they were disposed to value themselves were really childish. It is sometimes well to appeal to Christians in this manner, and to show them that what they are engaged in is unworthy the dignity of the understanding-- unfit to occupy the time and attention of an immortal mind. Much, alas! very much, of that which engages the attention of Christians is just as unworthy of the dignity of mind, and of their immortal nature, as were the aims and desires which the apostle rebuked among the Christians at Corinth. Much that pertains to dress, to accomplishment, to living, to employment, to amusement, to conversation, will appear, when we come to die, to have been like the playthings of children; and we shall feel that the immortal mind has been employed, and the time wasted, and the strength exhausted, in that which was foolish and puerile.

Howbeit in malice be ye children. This is one of Paul's most happy turns of expression and of sentiment. He had just told them that in one respect they ought not to be children. Yet, as if this would appear to be speaking lightly of children--and Paul would not speak lightly of any one, even of a child--he adds, that in another respect it would be well to be like them--nay, not only like children, but like infants. The phrase, "be ye children," here, does not express the force of the original, νηπιαζετε. It means, "be infants," and is emphatic; and was used evidently, by the apostle, of design. The meaning may be thus expressed: "Your admiration of foreign languages is like the sports and plays of childhood. In this respect be not children, (παιδια;) be men. Lay aside such childish things. Act worthy of the understanding which God has given you. I have mentioned children. Yet I would not speak unkindly or with contempt even of them. In one respect you may imitate them. Nay, you should not only be like children, that are somewhat advanced in years, but like infants. Be as free from malice, from any ill-will toward others, from envy, and every improper passion, as they are: This passage, therefore, accords with the repeated declaration of the Saviour, that in order to enter into heaven, it was needful that we should become as little children, Mt 18:3.

Be men. Margin, "Perfect, or of a ripe age. τελειοι. The word means, full-grow men. Act like those whose understandings are mature and ripe.

(e) "not children" Eph 4:14,15, Heb 6:1-3 (f) "ye children" Ps 131:2, Mt 18:3, Rom 16:19, 1Pet 2:2 (&) "howbeit" "yet" (|) "children" "infants" (1) "be" "perfect or, of a ripe age" (g) "men" Ps 119:99

1 Peter 2:2

Verse 2. As new-born babes. The phrase here used would properly denote those which were just born, and hence Christians who had just begun the spiritual life. See the word explained 2Ti 3:15. It is not uncommon, in the Scriptures, to compare Christians with little children. Mt 18:3 for the reasons of this comparison. Comp. 1Cor 3:2 Heb 5:12,14.

Desire the sincere milk of the word. The pure milk of the word, On the meaning of the word sincere, Eph 6:24. The Greek word here (αδολον) means, properly, that which is without guile or falsehood; then unadulterated, pure, genuine. The Greek adjective rendered "of the word," (λογικον,) means properly rational, pertaining to reason, or mind; and, in the connexion here with milk, means that which is adapted to sustain the soul. Rom 12:1. There is no doubt that there is allusion to the gospel in its purest and most simple form, as adapted to be the nutriment of the new-born soul. Probably there are two ideas here; one, that the proper aliment of piety is simple truth; the other, that the truths which they were to desire were the more elementary truths of the gospel, such as would be adapted to those who were babes in knowledge.

That ye may grow thereby. As babes grow on their proper nutriment. Piety in the heart is susceptible of growth, and is made to grow by its proper element, as a plant or a child is, and will grow in proportion as it has the proper kind of nutriment, from this verse we may see,

(1.) the reason of the injunction of the Saviour to Peter, to "feed his lambs," Jn 21:15, 1Pet 2:1,2. Young Christians strongly resemble children, babes; and they need watchful care, and kind attention, and appropriate aliment, as much as new-born infants do. Piety receives its form much from its commencement; and the character of the whole Christian life will be determined in a great degree by the views entertained at first, and the kind of instruction which is given to those who are just entering on their Christian course. We may also see,

(2.) that it furnishes evidence of conversion, if we have a love for the simple and pure truths of the gospel, It is evidence that we have spiritual life, as really as the desire of appropriate nourishment is evidence that an infant has natural life. The new-born soul loves the truth. It is nourished by it. It perishes without it. The gospel is just what it wants; and without that it could not live. We may also learn from this verse,

(3.) that the truths of the gospel which are best adapted to that state, are those which are simple and plain. Heb 5:12, seq. It is not philosophy that is needed then; it is not the profound and difficult doctrines of the gospel; it is those elementary truths which he at the foundation of all religion, and which can be comprehended by children: Religion makes every one docile and humble as a child; and whatever may be the age at which one is converted, or whatever attainments he may have made in science, he relishes the same truths which are loved by the youngest and most unlettered child that is brought into the kingdom of God.

(b) "babes" Mt 18:3 (*) "sincere" "pure" (c) "milk" 1Cor 3:2

Revelation of John 14:5

Verse 5. And in their mouth was found no guile. No deceit, fraud, hypocrisy. They were sincerely and truly what they professed to be--the children of God. This is the last characteristic which is given of them as redeemed, and it is not necessary to say that this is always represented as one of the characteristics of the true children of God. Jn 1:47.

For they are without fault before the throne of God. The word here rendered without fault--αμωμοι--means, properly, spotless, without blemish, 1Pet 1:19. Col 1:22. This cannot be construed as meaning that they were by nature pure and holy, but only that they were pure as they stood before the throne of God in heaven--"having washed their robes, and made them pure in the blood of the Lamb." Rev 7:14. It will be certainly true that all who stand there will be, in fact, pure, for nothing impure or unholy shall enter there, Rev 21:27.

The design of this portion of the chapter was evidently to comfort those to whom the book, was addressed, and, in the same way, to comfort all the children of God in times of persecution and trial. Those living in the time of John were suffering persecution, and, in the previous chapters, he had described more fearful trials yet to come on the church. In these trials, therefore, present and prospective, there was a propriety in fixing the thoughts on the final triumph of the redeemed--that glorious state in heaven where all persecution shall cease, and where all the ransomed of the Lord shall stand before his throne. What could be better fitted than this view to sustain the souls of the persecuted and the sorrowful? And how often since in the history of the church--in the dark times of religious declension and of persecution--has there been occasion to seek consolation in this bright view of heaven! How often in the life of each believer, when sorrows come upon him like a flood, and earthly consolation is gone, is there occasion to look to that blessed world where all the redeemed shall stand before God; where all tears shall be wiped away from every face; and where there shall be the assurance that the last pang has been endured, and that the soul is to be happy for ever!