A popular verse mentioned by pastors, evangelists, and missionaries when exhorting congregations to serve others, whether financially or otherwise, is Matthew 10:42. Explanations of the verse usually go something like this: "God says that even giving a cup of cold water to someone will bring blessings," and adding, "so, let us all serve others, even by giving them water, and receive the Lord's many blessings."
There is nothing wrong with this declaration, for the Bible does teach that "it is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35), and "do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great" (Luke 6:35), and also "give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you" (Luke 6:38). These are the teachings of Jesus Himself; we should be a giving people.
But our verse in question says something quite different—and very interesting—that is often understated or overlooked altogether...
The Context
Before we get to the nitty-gritty of the verse, we should take a look at the context in which it is placed. In Matthew 10 Jesus takes His twelve disciples aside and gives them the power to cast out demons and heal all kinds of diseases among the people (Matthew 10:6). They were sent out to "find the lost sheep in Israel" (v. 6), to proclaim the Gospel and the coming kingdom to them, and to heal people as they went along.
Jesus told His disciples that He was sending them out like sheep among wolves (v. 16), and warned them to be always vigilant. He explained that they would be persecuted, brought to courts, and beaten, all because they were His followers (v. 17). But, if they should get anxious, the Holy Spirit was going to guide their every word in those troubling times (vv. 19-20). Jesus then reminded them that since He, their Master, would be beaten, they too would be beaten (vv. 24-25).
Jesus, however, did also encourage His disciples not to fear—the command most often given in the Bible! He instructed them not to fear men, but to fear God; to endure until the end and not deny His name (vv. 26-33). Then, after describing the enmity that His name will bring even within believers' families, He said an almost paradoxical statement: "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it" (v. 39). Basically, He gave them the cost of following Him: their lives.
The Rewards
In Matthew 10:40, we reach the paragraph where our verse in question is found. The entire paragraph reads:
"He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward."
"Receiving" someone simply means to provide hospitality for them; but in Jesus' time, providing hospitality for itinerant teachers (such as the traveling disciples in this case) usually meant that you accepted their message as well. Jesus revealed to His disciples that when they were received and taken care of by others (such as being given a cup of water), it was as if those people accepted Jesus Himself; and if they received Him, they essentially received God (cf. Matthew 25:35-40).
Then Jesus goes on to speak of rewards (most likely of a spiritual kind) for those who receive prophets and righteous men. In the Old Testament, receiving a prophet and providing hospitality for them was a big deal, and God blessed those who took care of His people. In 1 Kings 17:8-16, a widow was blessed by God with abundant food because she gave food to Elijah the Prophet first. In 2 Kings 4:8-17, an old woman was blessed by God with a child for offering Elisha the Prophet a place to stay.
The "Little Ones"
By Matthew 10:42, Jesus says something that should have us all praising Him for His goodness and provision! Jesus says, "And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.” But who are these "little ones?" Well, apparently "little ones" are Christ's disciples. Although Jesus was earlier using a small child as an example, He was talking about His disciples, or those who believed in Him.
How do we know this? Well, let's look at the parallel passage of this event, found in Mark 9:41: "For whoever gives you [a disciple] a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ [a disciple], truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward." Therefore, Matthew 10:42, reworded to the same construction found in verses 40 and 41 of the same, would read:
"He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever receives a disciple in the name of a disciple [or, "because he is a disciple"], and even gives him a cup of cold water, shall not lose his reward."
What Jesus is saying is that if people (presumably believers and unbelievers alike) receive and are hospitable to we who are His disciples because we are Christ's disciples, those people will be blessed by God. Jesus is affirming that when people take care of us because we are Christians (even by giving us a cup of water), God will take care of them for having taken care of one of His children! Isn't that awesome?!
Reflection
These verses are a wonderful assurance that God looks out for us through others' hospitality and generosity, and even blesses them for doing so! Our God is an infinitely good God who cares for unbelievers, but holds a special place in His heart for those whom He calls His children. Untrue is the popular saying, "we are all God's children," for God definitely provides more abundant grace to those who are in fact His children through Christ—and these verses prove it.
Knowing the implications of this verse gives us the boldness to say to others, "If you help me, if you are hospitable to me, and if you take care of me—because you know I am a follower of Christ—the Bible says that God will bless you, and reward you." Although it may sound somewhat arrogant to claim, that is what this passage teaches us. God blesses those who bless His children—and, yes, when we bless other believers, we too will be blessed and rewarded.
We are called His children, His "little ones," and when we learn to trust Him for provision—even through people—we will see just how good He really is to us. We will be able to say with even more passion and gratefulness: "You are good all the time, and all the time You are good to me, Lord. Bless You, for You are Lord over all and hold me in Your tender love and care! Thank You for calling me Your child, Your little one, through Christ! I trust in You; may others trust in You, too, and be immensely blessed by You, Father. Amen."
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