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Matthew 18 · a question people ask

Who are "these little ones"?

In the text

Matthew gives Jesus's words and doesn't say more. "Jesus called a little child to himself, and set him in the middle of them" (18:2), and spoke of receiving "one such little child" (18:5). Then he spoke of "one of these little ones who believe in me" (18:6), and twice more of "one of these little ones" (18:10, 18:14). Matthew doesn't say who they are beyond these words, and these notes don't either.

The verses

“Jesus called a little child to himself, and set him in the middle of them”
Matthew 18:2 · World English Bible
“Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if a huge millstone were hung around his neck and that he were sunk in the depths of the sea.”
Matthew 18:5-6 · World English Bible
“See that you don’t despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 18:10 · World English Bible
“Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”
Matthew 18:14 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Matthew 18

Matthew 18: As little children

In Matthew the disciples themselves bring Jesus the question of who is greatest (18:1), and he answers with a little child (18:2-4). His parable of the sheep ends on "these little ones" (18:14). And in the parable of the king, the fellow servant begs with almost the very words the first servant used: "Have patience with me, and I will repay you!" (18:29).

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions