Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 10:30
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Mat 10:30
But the very hairs of your head.
Hairs of your head are all numbered
1. This is spoken in relation to the body. Fear not them which kill the body.
2. Our Lord is giving His disciples arguments against fear.
(1) He is their avenger.
(2) Be sure that you are never afraid to pray about the smallest thing.
(3) Do not shrink from feeling yourself a centre about which God is making all manner of kind things to circulate. Love never hurts any one.
(4) Go without anxiety, for it not only hurts you, but grieves God.
3. That man may be said to have the most of the mind of God who attaches the greatest importance to the trifles of life. (J. Vaughan, M. A.)
.
Jewels catalogued
God does not expose His jewels till He has catalogued them. (J. Vaughan, M. A.)
The exquisite mechanism of the hair
A hair is a very little thing; but its structure is made up of a world of parts. There is a root and there is a stem, and there is a vein, and there is a fluid, and there is a membrane: and every part is arranged, fitted, guarded, and fed; and a thousand functions are going on to sustain that little thread-like thing. (J. Vaughan, M. A.)
Providence
I. The minuteness of providence. Providence over little circumstances; over minutes of time; in the use of little things. The minuteness of providence seen in the fact that even the thoughts of men are under Gods hand.
II. The kind consideration of God in taking care of his people.
1. In keeping them alive before they were converted.
2. In keeping them out of temptation.
3. In arranging their places.
4. In providing their daily bread.
III. What should be the spirit and temper, of the men who believe this truth.
1. We ought to he a bold race of people.
2. In bereavement, not excessive grief.
3. A calm which renders life happy. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The difference between fate and providence
Fate is blind; providence has eyes. Fate is blind, a thing that must be; it is just an arrow shot from a bow, that must fly onward, but hath no target. Not so, providence; providence is full of eyes. There is a design in everything, and an end to be answered; all things are working together, and working together for good. They are not done because they must he done, but they are done because there is some reason for it. It is not only that the thing is, because it must be; but the thing is, because it is right it should be. God hath not arbitrarily marked out the worlds history; He had an eye to the great architecture of perfection, when He marked all the aisles of history, and placed all the pillars of events in the building of time. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Taken by the Master
You have taken great care with a certain number of roses; you have trained them up, and there they are, blooming in their beauty. You pride yourself upon them. You come one morning into the garden, and you find that the best rose has been taken away. You are angry: you go to your fellow-servants, and charge them with hexing taken the rose. They will declare that they had nothing at all to do with it: and one says. I saw the master walking here this morning; I think he took it. Is the gardener angry then? No, at once he says. I am happy that my rose should have been so fair as to attract the attention of the master. It is his own: he hath taken it; let him do what seemeth him good. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The numbered hairs
I. Fore-ordination.
1. Its extent.
2. Its source.
3. Its lessons.
4. Its influence.
II. Knowledge.
1. Its character
(1) Minute;
(2) Pre-eminent;
(3) Tender;
(4) Constant.
III. Valuation.
IV. Preservation-from loss, accident, persecution, etc. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Heads more than hairs
If God numbers their hairs, much more does He number their heads, and take care of their lives, their comforts, their souls. (M. Henry.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 30. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.] Nothing is more astonishing than the care and concern of God for his followers. The least circumstances of their life are regulated, not merely by that general providence which extends to all things, but by a particular providence, which fits and directs all things to the design of their salvation, causing them all to co-operate for their present and eternal good. Ro 5:1-5.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
30. But the very hairs of your headare all numberedSee Lu21:18 (and compare for the language 1Sa 14:45;Act 27:34).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. A proverbial expression, showing the perfect knowledge God has, and the exquisite care he takes, in providence, of all his creatures, particularly men, and especially his dear children and faithful ministers; as not a sparrow, so not a single hair of a man’s head falls to the ground without the knowledge, and will of God: a way of speaking sometimes used to signify, that not the least hurt or damage should befall a person; see 1Sa 14:45 and the phraseology of the text was in use, and very well known by the Jews; for so they represent God speaking i;
“do not I number all the hairs of every creature?”
As our Lord applies this particularly to his disciples, his sense is, that they had no reason to be afraid of men, or fear anything that should befall them, for their bearing a faithful testimony to him; for, their valuable lives were under the special and peculiar care of divine providence; not only the days, months, and years of their lives were with God, and put down in his book of purposes and decrees, which could neither be shortened nor lengthened; and not only the more principal, and even all the members of their bodies were written in his book of providence, and a singular care taken of them; but even their very excrescences, the more minute parts, and which were of no great account with them, the “hairs” of their head”, even “all” of them, were not only known, but numbered”, taken account of; yea, the thing was done already, it was not to be done; a very strong way of setting forth the doctrine of divine providence: a doctrine which the Jews were not unacquainted with, who say k;
“that the events of man, and accidents which come upon him,
, “are all by”, or “in the hands of God”;”
and l that
“nothing is by chance, but all things are , “with design”;”
or, as they elsewhere say m,
“a man does not hurt his finger below, but they proclaim concerning it above;”
that is, as the gloss explains it, , “it is decreed” concerning it: which comes very near to the phrase here used.
i Pesikta, fol. 18. 4. apud Drusium in loc. k Piske Tosaphot ad Cetubot, art. 119. l Kimchi in Ps. civ. 4. m T. Bab. Cholin, fol. 7. 2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
1) “But the very hairs of your head,” (humon de kai hai triches tes kephales) “Yet, of you all, even the hairs of the head;” To a great mind nothing is little, 1Sa 14:45; Luk 21:18; Act 27:34.
2) “Are all numbered.” (pasai erithmemenai eisin) “All have been and are numbered.” Luk 21:18. They are identified as a part of your being, and God is concerned with all of your being, since you belong to Him (soul and body), 1Co 6:19,26.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(30) The very hairs of your head.The apparent hyperbole of the figure is but the natural expression of the thought that even the incidents of life that seem most trivial are in very deed working together for good to those that love God. They are not at any moment of their lives to think that they are uncared for by their Father.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Mat 10:30 . ] Put first by way of emphasis. Euth. Zigabenus aptly observes: , . Poetical expression for the providentia specialissima . Comp. Luk 21:18 ; Act 27:34 ; 1Sa 14:45 ; 2Sa 14:11 ; 1Ki 1:52 ; Plato, Legg . x. p. 900 C.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
DISCOURSE: 1345
THE DOCTRINE OF A PARTICULAR PROVIDENCE
Mat 10:30. The very hairs of your head are all numbered.
NONE are so ignorant amongst us as not to acknowledge the existence of a Supreme Being; but the extent of his agency, and the interest which he takes in the affairs of men, are by no means duly appreciated We may judge however of this from the words before us; which we shall consider,
I.
As a speculative truth
To imagine a general Providence, and to deny or question his particular agency in every thing that occurs, is absurd in the extreme. The doctrine of a particular Providence is fully confirmed,
1.
By reason
[If there be any thing in the universe which God does not inspect and control, there can be no dependence on prophecy; for untoward and unlooked-for circumstances may occur to thwart the purposes of God. Suppose, for instance, that God had intended the murderous designs of Haman to take effect: the little accidental circumstance of Ahasuerus not being able to sleep one night, and of his calling for the records of his kingdom to amuse him, and of their being opened at one particular part, gave an unexpected turn to events, and disappointed the purposes of Heaven. But, if all these things were ordered of the Lord, then were the most minute thing;, that can be imagined, under his control, and subservient to the accomplishment of his will
Again: if there be any thing really fortuitous and unforeseen by God, He cannot be fit to govern the world. He cannot be omniscient; because he will gather information from accidental circumstances that were independent of him. He cannot be omnipotent; because there will be some things over which he has no control. In a word, He cannot be God; because he will want all those attributes which are essential to a perfect Being. He will be weak and mutable; and will change with events, as we do. But, if all tilings be ordered according to the counsel of his will, then is He every way fit both to govern and to judge the world ]
2.
By Scripture
[The Scriptures uniformly represent Jehovah as doing according to his will, in the armies of heaven, and amongst the inhabitants of the earth. All creatures are alike subject to his control, rational and irrational, animate and inanimate. The angels in heaven, and men on earth, and devils in hell, all do his will [Note: Psa 103:20. Pro 21:1. Job 1:12; Job 2:6. Luk 8:32.] The sun, moon, and stars move or stand at his command [Note: Jos 10:12.] The elements exert or suspend their accustomed operations [Note: Exo 14:22; Exo 14:27. Dan 3:27.] The brute creation, beasts, birds, fishes, all move and act agreeably to his will [Note: Dan 6:22; Dan 6:24. 1Ki 17:6. Jon 1:17.] There is neither good nor evil, which is not done by him [Note: Amo 3:6.]. Even moral evil is so far under his control, that, though he is not properly the author of it, it infallibly accomplishes his secret counsel, and his determined purpose [Note: Gen 45:8. Act 2:23; Act 4:28.] It is clear, then, to the full extent of the assertion in my text, that not a sparrow falls to the ground without him; and that the very hairs of our head are all numbered.]
Let us next view the text,
II.
As a consolatory declaration
It speaks the richest encouragement,
1.
To ministers
[Their trials and difficulties are great; as our Lord in the context has forewarned us. But, how great or numerous soever they may be, there is not one that can come upon us but by His appointment, or press more heavily than He sees fit to permit, nor operate but for the advancement of His glory and our greatest good [Note: Rom 8:28.]. We have only to look to Him, and depend on Him; and he will give us all the protection, support, and consolation, that we can possibly stand in need of. If the very hairs of our head are numbered, what shall we not be ready to encounter for Him, or to sustain in the execution of our high office? ]
2.
To the Church at large
[Every one has his own peculiar trials: but the declaration in our text is equally applicable to them all: and that, realized in the mind, is abundantly sufficient to carry us through all and make us triumphant over all. Let every one call to mind his own peculiar temptations and apply to himself the text, as if he were the only individual to whom it was addressed: and then let him go on his way, saying, If God be for me, who can be against me?]
With such a word for our support,
1.
Let us give ourselves up unfeignedly to God
[It is only when we belong to Christ, that we can derive full comfort from the declaration before us. We must be Gods people, if we would have him for our God. The duty and the privilege must go hand in hand ]
2.
Let us serve our God cheerfully, and with our whole hearts
[Let no call of duty be thought too hard, no service too difficult, no danger too great. Only let us realize in our minds the passage before us, and rest assured, that our strength shall be according to our day, and our reward according to our labour [Note: 1Co 3:8.].]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Ver. 30. But the very hairs of your head, &c. ] As things of price, and such as God sets great store by. Hence he enjoined his Nazarites, when they had accomplished their vow, to shave their heads, and put the hair in the fire, under their peace offering, for a sacrifice to the Lord, Num 6:18 . The Ammonites paid dearly for the hair they shaved off the heads and beards of David’s messengers. So hath Bonner, I believe, ere this, for the martyr’s beard he pulled off part of it, causing the other part thereof to be shaved, lest his manly act should be seen to the world. The three worthies were taken out of the fiery furnace with their hairs in full number, not one of them singed,Dan 3:27Dan 3:27 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
30. ] See 1Sa 14:45 ; Luk 21:18 ; Act 27:34 . The is emphatic, corresponding to the at the end of Mat 10:31 . But the emphatic , spoken directly to the Apostles, is generalized immediately by the in Mat 10:32 .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mat 10:30 . , emphatic position: your hairs. : of little value all together, can be lost without detriment to life or health. , all, every one without exception. , counted. Men count only valuable things, gold pieces, sheep, etc. Note the perfect participle. They have been counted once for all, and their number noted; one hair cannot go amissing unobserved.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
hairs . . . numbered. Note the Figure of speech Parechesis. App-6. In Aramaic, hairs = mene.
numbered = mana.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
30.] See 1Sa 14:45; Luk 21:18; Act 27:34. The is emphatic, corresponding to the at the end of Mat 10:31. But the emphatic , spoken directly to the Apostles, is generalized immediately by the in Mat 10:32.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mat 10:30. , your) used antithetically.- , the hairs) which you yourselves care little about. Who cares about the hairs once pulled out by the comb? A proverbial saying concerning a very small matter.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
1Sa 14:45, 2Sa 14:11, 1Ki 1:52, Luk 12:7, Luk 21:18, Act 27:34
Reciprocal: 1Sa 25:29 – bound 2Ki 8:5 – the woman Psa 36:6 – thou Psa 56:8 – are they Dan 3:27 – nor was Act 18:10 – and no
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
HAIRS NUMBERED
The very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Mat 10:30
The chief object of our Saviours words was to convey the general comfort of the truth, that His people, and everything which belongs to them, are exceedingly dear and precious to Him.
I. The dignity of the body.And that especially as regards their bodies. For the whole line of thought, about the sparrows, and about the hairs, springs out of the words, Fear not them which kill the body. It is a serious error when, in the wish to exalt the value of the soul, we depreciate the importance of the body. Our Lord never did this. He was never hyper-spiritual. He spent at least as much time and attention upon the bodies of men, as ever He did upon their souls. And the greater part of the Sermon on the Mount is about the body.
II. Christ the defender.Our Lord is giving His disciples arguments against fear. And one is, that their cause being His cause, He is their defender and their avenger in everything. Do not be afraid, He says; do not be afraid of those that kill: for even if a little sparrow fall to the ground, I know who made it fall. And if any one hurt you, or take away one hair of your head, I shall be conscious of itfor I have numbered them. God does not expose His jewels till He has catalogued them!
III. Therefore
(a) Be sure that you are never afraid to pray about the smallest thing.
(b) Do not shrink from feeling yourself a centre about which God is making all manner of kind things to circulate. You are the sun of a system. Do not hesitate to believe that God is working for you in the most direct and express manner. You cannot exaggerate Gods care of you.
(c) Go without anxiety, for all anxiety not only hurts you, but it grieves God.
(d) And remember that the hair is an allegory. The inner life is there. The sorrows and the joys; the conflicts and the victories; the earnest longings, and the bitter remorses,all the souls chequered light and shadow,are all in Gods record!
The Rev. James Vaughan.
Illustration
There is a view, and it is daily increasing, that God, having laid down certain rules for the government of this world, then leaves those general laws to take effect, without any further particular interposition in the affairs of men. How, they say, is it to be expected, how is it possible, how is it consistent with science, that there should be a special interference, in each one of the details of such intricate mechanism as this our universe? and therefore, they go on to say, it is vain and wrong to pray, or expect anything, which would be an exception to the ordinary laws of nature. How do we know that there is not another law behind and beyond what we call the laws of nature? Or how do we knowin the laws of naturebut that that which we call an exception, is not really a part? Or shall we say that the Great Legislator cannot suspend His own laws? Or shall we say that anything is law, but that which originally comes from the mind of God Himself? It is compatible with the universal laws of Gods governmentnay, it is essential to them,nay, it is a part of them,that God has made this law for Himselfthat He orders, in the minutest detail, every event that happens on this earth; and that each passage in a Christians life has its own history, its own reason, its own character, and its own intention.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
0:30
Before finishing the subject of the sparrow, Jesus makes direct reference to the value of the human being. Numbered is from the Greek word ARITHMEO, and Thayer defines it with the one word only that we have in our Authorized Version. Robinson defines it, “To number, to count.” The meaning is that each hair is counted or considered.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 10:30. The very hairs of your head. The most special providence, and the most absolute preservation. No part of our life, of what characterizes or adorns it, shall be lost. God, to be God, must know the very hairs of our head. The word your is emphatic, asserting a special care for Christs disciples: Of you the hairs of the head are all numbered. This refers to all who truly confess Christ (Mat 10:32).