He Went Up on the Mountain

Matthew 10:42

One of these little ones is described by the phrase because he is a disciple (literally “in the name of a disciple”). TEV combines these two phrases and renders “one of the least of these my followers.” GeCL 1st edition is similar to TEV; NAB has “one of these lowly ones because he is a disciple”; NEB “one of these little ones, because he is a disciple of mine.” It is important in translation that little ones be understood of status rather than of age. Therefore it may be translated as “least important ones.” The phrase can then be “one of these least important of my followers because he is my follower.”

A cup of cold water reflects the show of hospitality in first-century Palestine. It may be necessary to add “to drink” or to say “a drink of cold water,” as in TEV.

For comments on Truly, I say to you, see 5:18.

The translation of this verse may be complicated, because Jesus is addressing his disciples (see verse 40), yet he is referring to them in the third person as one of these little ones … because he is a disciple. This results from the double orientation of Matthew’s Gospel, by which Matthew relates Jesus’ words to the actual church situation of his own day. So then Matthew will freely shift from the second person to the third person if this better suits the needs of his congregation.

TEV has rendered the negative shall not lose his reward as a positive sentence, “will certainly receive …” It may be necessary to make this passive an active, as in “God will certainly reward him” or “God will not fail to reward him.”

Newman, Barclay Moon, and Philip C. Stine. A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew. New York: United Bible Societies, 1992. Print. UBS Handbook Series.