(11) For the Son of man is come.--The words are wanting in many of the best MSS. Assuming their genuineness, two points call for special notice. (1.) The work of the Son of Man in saving that which was lost is given as the ground of the assertion of the special glory of the angels of the little ones. They are, in their ministry, sharers in His work, and that work is the highest expression of the will of the Eternal Father. To one at least of the disciples the words that he now heard must have recalled words that had been addressed to him in the most solemn crisis of his life, when he had been told that he should one day "see the heavens opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man" (John 1:51). In that ascent and descent they were not only doing homage to His glory, but helping Him in His work. (2.) The words seem chosen to exclude the thought that there was any special grace or saintliness in the child round whom our Lord had folded His arms. To Him the child's claim was simply his need and his capacity for all that is implied in salvation. The words which He spake were as true of any "wastrel" child of the streets as of the offspring of the holiest parents.

Verse 11. - This verse is omitted by the Sinaitic and Vatican Manuscripts, and many modern editors, e.g., Lachmann, Tischendort, Tregelles, Westcott and Hort, and the Revised Version; but is retained in many good uncials, nearly all the cursives, the Vulgate, Syriac, etc. It is supposed to be an interpolation from Luke 19:10; but one does not see why, if this is the case, the inter-polater should have left out the striking verb "to seek," which would naturally have coincided with "seeketh" in ver. 12. For expository use, at any rate, we may consider the verse as genuine, and take it as the commencement of the second argument for the dignity of the little ones - the simple and humble, whether children or others. This proof is derived from the action of God towards them. The Son of man is come to save that which was lost (τὸ ἀπολωλός). How can ye despise those whom Christ hath so loved and deemed so precious that he emptied himself of his glory and became man in order to save them? The general term, " that which was lost," is expressed by the neuter participle, to show that there is no exception to the wide scope of Christ's mercy. The race of man is lost; infants are born in sin; all need redemption. Everybody, poor, helpless, ignorant, tempted, comes under this category, and to save such Christ came down from heaven. Therefore their souls are very precious in his sight.

Parallel Commentaries ...


For
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For.

the
ὁ (ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article.

Son
υἱὸς (huios)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5207: A son, descendent.

of Man
ἀνθρώπου (anthrōpou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 444: A man, one of the human race.

has come
Ἦλθεν (Ēlthen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2064: To come, go.

to save
σῶσαι (sōsai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 4982: To save, heal, preserve, rescue.

that which
τὸ (to)
Article - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article.

has been lost.
ἀπολωλός (apolōlos)
Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 622: (a) to kill, destroy, (b) to lose, to be perishing (the resultant death being viewed as certain).


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NT Gospels: Matthew 18:11 For the Son of Man came (Matt. Mat Mt)