“How think ye? If a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?”
The full verse · Matthew 18:12 · KJV
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Asked by
Jesus: the Son of God and promised Messiah, teaching His disciples not to despise "one of these little ones" (Matthew 18:10)
Asked to
Disciples: "the disciples" (Matthew 18:1), who had asked who is greatest in the kingdom; Jesus had set a little child "in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:2) and now teaches them not to despise "one of these little ones" (Matthew 18:10)
The Scene
Still teaching the disciples who had asked about greatness, Jesus warns them, "Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones" (Matthew 18:1, 10).
Why It Was Asked
The purpose behind the questionJesus wanted the disciples to reach the answer for themselves. Any shepherd would go after one lost sheep. By asking "How think ye?" He invited them to agree with something they already knew, and then to see what it means about God.
The question explains His warning not to despise the little ones (Matthew 18:10). Barnes says the parable shows the joy felt when a lost thing is found, and so why none of God's people should be despised. Gill offers more than one reading, each concerned with believers who were looked down on; in one he notes that the owner of a flock is more concerned for the one that strays than for the rest.
The Response
What Scripture recordsJesus answered His own question: "And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray" (Matthew 18:13). Then He applied it: "Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish" (Matthew 18:14).
Historical Context
The world behind the words"How think ye?" translates a Greek phrase that means "What does it seem to you?" Jesus uses it to invite His hearers to judge for themselves. The verb for "gone astray" is planao, to wander or be led off the right way. "Mountains" is ore, which can mean hills, the open grazing land where flocks were kept.
Luke records a similar parable in a different setting. There Jesus tells it to Pharisees and scribes who murmured because He received sinners, and the shepherd leaves the ninety and nine "in the wilderness" (Luke 15:2-4). In Matthew the point is the care of the little ones within God's flock.
The Bigger Picture
Where this fits in God's storyThis question opens a window into the heart of God. The Father is like a shepherd who will not shrug off one missing sheep. Jesus says plainly, "it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish" (Matthew 18:14). Just before, He had said, "the Son of man is come to save that which was lost" (Matthew 18:11).
Matthew Henry compares this to a father who takes care of all his children but is particularly tender toward the little ones. The lesson for the disciples follows naturally. If God goes after the one who wanders, they must never look down on anyone He is seeking.
Look Closer
In Matthew 18, who does the wandering sheep illustrate?
Carry the question into prayer and conversation.
Father, You go after the one who wanders and rejoice when You find them; who are You asking me to stop overlooking and start caring for?
A prayer to carry into the day.
- Jesus told this to disciples who were arguing about rank. What attitudes can make it easy to overlook someone who has wandered?
- Tell about a time someone came looking for you when you had drifted, or when you saw God bring someone back.
For you, a small group, a friend, or the dinner table.
God does not count His people as a crowd where one more or less does not matter. Every single one is worth the search. If you have wandered, this is good news: the Shepherd is looking for you, and He rejoices when He finds you.
It also shapes how you treat others. Jesus told this parable to people who were busy comparing themselves. No believer is too small or too far off to matter. Look for the one who is missing from your church, your group, or your family, and care for them the way the Father does.
This does not mean the ninety and nine are unloved. The shepherd's joy over one shows how much he values every sheep in his flock.
Built from the biblical text and checked against trusted commentaries and lexicons. References & Sources
Keep questioning
“What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?”
“Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
“Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times?”