Readings
Fellowship, Community, and Service
"And whosoever shall
give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only
in the name of a
disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward."
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Matthew 10:42
Quotes
Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as you ever can.
- John Wesley
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Go directly to your Bible and to every honest man you can meet, and get
light from all quarters, and know ye that the Church does not represent
some little secret trick, some art of spiritual conjuring, but is an infinte
gospel of love, welcome, hospitality, to those that are lost.
- Joseph Parker, People's
Bible, Vol. 29, p.166
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The very least Christian. Mr 9:41.
- Wesley, John, Notes
Upon the New Testament, Vol. 1, on Matthew 10:42
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In the glowing climate of Palestine, the pursued and persecuted apostle
might find a cup of cold water the preservation of his life.
- D.D. Whedon, Commentary
on the Gospels, Vol. I: Matthew-Mark
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The response of the world to the follower of Jesus and the response to
Jesus himself cannot be separated, Jesus here declares. Even a simple
deed of kindness performed for the benefit of one of his disciples will
be noted by God and rewarded.
- Howard Clark Kee, Interpreter's
One-Volume Commentary: Matthew, p. 623
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Little ones probably refers to the humblest believers. The smallest
act of kindness is truly signifcant (cf. 25:40).
- R.E. Nixon, New
Bible Commentary, Revised (1970): Matthew, p. 830
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But a cup of water in the eastern countries was not a matter of small worth.
In India, the Hindoos go sometimes a great way to fetch it, and then boil
it that it may do the less hurt to travellers when they are hot; and, after
that, they stand from morning to night in some great road, where there
is neither pit nor rivulet, and offer it, in honour of their god, to be
drunk by all passengers. This necessary work of charity, in these
hot countries, seems to have been practised by the more pious and humane
Jews; and our Lord assures them that, if they do this in his name, they
shall not lose their reward. See the Asiatic Miscellany, vol. ii.
p. 142.
- Clarke, Adam, Adam Clarke's
Commentary, Matthew 10:42
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Verily-he shall in no wise lose his reward.] The rabbins have a similar
saying: "He that gives food to one that studies in the law, God will bless
him in this world, and give him a lot in the world to come." Syn.
Sohar.
- Clarke, Adam, Adam Clarke's
Commentary, Matthew 10:42
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Love heightens the smallest actions, and gives a worth to them which they
cannot possess without it. Under a just and merciful God every sin
is either punished or pardoned, and every good action rewarded. The
most indigent may exercise the works of mercy and charity; seeing even
a cup of cold water, given in the name of Jesus, shall not lose its reward.
How astonishing is God's kindness! It is not the rich merely whom
he calls on to be charitable; but even the poor, and the most impoverished
of the poor! God gives the power and inclination to be charitable,
and then rewards the work which, it may be truly said, God himself hath
wrought. It is the name of Jesus that sanctifies every thing, and
renders services, in themselves comparatively contemptible, of high worth
in the sight of God. See Quesnel.
- Clarke, Adam, Adam Clarke's
Commentary, Matthew 10:42
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By these are clearly meant his disciples. They are called little ones,
to denote their want of wealth, rank, learning, and whatever the world
calls great. They were little in the estimation of the world, and in their
own estimation. They were learners, not yet teachers; and they made no
pretensions to what attracts the admiration of mankind.
- Barnes, Albert, New
Testament Commentary, Matthew 10:42
