Fear not therefore: better are you than many sparrows.
μη ουν φοβηθητε πολλων στρουθιων διαφερετε υμεις
14 Church Fathers comment on this verse · 21 commentaries
Having set aside fear of death, that the Apostles should not think that if they were put to death they were deserted by God, He passes to discourse of God’s providence, saying, Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing, and one of them does not fall to the ground without your Father?
Not that God reckons our hairs, but to shew His diligent knowledge, and great carefulness over us.
Do not assume that the small birds are ensnared by God's intervention; rather, their capture does not escape His awareness.
Though we may fairly enquire concerning our hair, whether all that has ever been shorn from us will return; for who would not dread such disfigurement. When it is once understood that nothing of our body shall be lost, so as that the form and perfectness of all the parts should be preserved, we at the same time understand that all that would have disfigured our body is to be united or taken up by the whole mass, not affixed to particular parts so as to destroy the frame of the limbs; just as a vessel made of clay, and again reduced to clay, is once more reformed into a vessel, it needs not tha
t that portion of clay which had formed the handle should again form it, or that which had composed the bottom, should again go to the bottom, so long as the whole was remoulded into the whole, the whole clay into the whole vessel, no part being lost. Wherefore if the hair so often shorn away would be a deformity if restored to the place it had been taken from, it will not be restored to that place, but all the materials of the old body will be revived in the new, whatever place they may occupy so as to preserve the mutual fitness of parts. Though what is said in Luke, Not a hair of your head shall fall to the ground, (Luke 21:18.) may be taken of the number, not the length of the hairs, as here also it is said, The hairs of your head are all numbered.
If these little creations fall not without God’s superintendence and providence, and if things made to perish, perish not without God’s will, you who are immortal ought not to fear that you live without His providence.
That He says, The hairs of your head are all numbered, shews the boundless providence of God towards man, and a care unspeakable that nothing of ours is hid from God.
Those who deny the resurrection of the flesh ridicule the sense of the Church on this place, as if we affirmed that every hair that has ever been cut off by the razor rises again, when the Saviour says, Every hair of your head—not is saved, but—is numbered. Where there is number, knowledge of that number is implied, but not preservation of the same hairs.
This expresses still more clearly the sense as it was above explained, that they should not fear those who can kill the body, for if the least animal falls not without God’s knowledge, how much less a man who is dignified with the Apostolic rank?
Figuratively; That which is sold is our soul and body, and that to which it is sold, is sin. They then who sell two sparrows for a farthing, are they who sell themselves for the smallest sin, born for flight, and for reaching heaven with spiritual wings. (vid. Ps. 124:7.) Caught by the bait of present pleasures, and sold to the enjoyment of the world, they barter away their whole selves in such a market. It is of the will of God that one of them rather soar aloft; but the law proceeding according to God’s appointment decrees that one of them should fall.
In like manner as, if they soared aloft they would become one spiritual body; so, when sold under sin, the soul gathers earthly matter from the pollution of vice, and there is made of them one body which is committed to earth.
For it is an unworthy task to number things that are to perish. Therefore that we should know that nothing of us should perish, we are told that our very hairs are numbered. No accident then that can befal our bodies is to be feared; thus He adds, Fear not, ye are better than many sparrows.
For when any thing is numbered it is carefully watched over.
Or this, ye are better than many sparrows, teaches that the elect faithful are better than the multitude of the unbelieving, for the one fall to earth, the other fly to heaven.
Figuratively; Christ is the head, the Apostles the hairs, who are well said to be numbered, because the names of the saints are written in heaven.
The second essential trait of the human will, as desired by God, is its readiness to accept everything that comes our way—whether it is pleasant or painful—as a sign of His grace or as divine discipline, all while maintaining an attitude of gratitude and without complaint. Essentially, our will should be steadfast in the belief that all external occurrences align with God’s will, underpinned by faith that is resilient in the face of toil and suffering. If we were truly convinced that all events unfold according to divine intent, we would experience less anguish. Let us, dear friends, turn to God in our trials and tribulations, praying earnestly and sincerely acknowledging our shortcomings while pleading for His strength to endure the hardships we face.
We might say: Lord, everything I am enduring, all the distress caused by this individual, has come to me by Your holy will—I am as certain of this as I am of my own life; grant me the fortitude to bear this burden with courage. When we doubt God’s providential care and fail to comprehend the actual reasons behind our struggles, we risk falling into despair, along with a varying degree of sorrow and hopelessness regarding our salvation. How frail and uncertain we often are in discerning our faith in God’s providence, not only concerning each individual but even down to the smallest detail, exemplified by the notion that not a hair can drop from our heads without God’s decree. Christ, our Lord and Redeemer, affirms this truth: “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father’s will,” and He further emphasizes, “But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matt. 10:29-31; cf. Lk. 12:6-7). How profound is His mercy! The Creator Himself oversees even the humble sparrow. Truly, the will of God embodies His essence, actively working within all of creation. With the fish, He swims; with the bird, He soars; with the serpent, He glides; and with other animals, He walks. God ensures that none of His creations lack His providential care. Even if multitudes of birds are ensnared, not one will be caught nor will any fall to the ground apart from the divine will. The same divine care that watches over the smallest sparrow extends even more to humankind, the pinnacle of His creation. If not a single bird can fall into a net without God’s permission, how can you, O man—made in His image and destined for His heavenly kingdom—allow despair to take root, believing that the hardships you face are without divine purpose? For our clarity, it must be understood that God’s providence encompasses not only living beings but also the very fabric of creation and its governance. The Saviour proclaimed, “And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered” (referring to our possessions). Who among us could accurately count the hairs on their head? Yet God knows them all, and not one will perish without His holy decree. All too often, when confronted with circumstances contrary to our desires, we lose our composure, abandon all patience, and lay blame on others, uttering words of impatience and disbelief. Just like a tempestuous sea casting up foam and debris, our hearts can spew forth vile and irreverent words about our trials. In those moments, we fail to see the divine discipline at work and instead foolishly attribute our tribulations to the malice of others or to other imagined causes. When Christ appeared to His disciples by the Sea of Tiberias post-resurrection, the sea was tumultuous, and they did not recognize Him, save for St. John, who exclaimed, “It is the Lord” (John 21:7). Many among us struggle spiritually during times of turmoil; when our earthly lives are beset by misfortunes, we often fail to recognize the Lord who invisibly steers the course of our lives and guides us towards salvation. In their ignorance, they cast blame on perceived enemies, accusing them of orchestrating their troubles, believing that malice is the source of their grief. A humble and pure-hearted person, however, adopts a different outlook—choosing to strengthen their resolve to face trials by seeing the hand of God guiding them toward repentance. They cry out, “Merciful God! You seek my salvation and justly correct me; blessed be You, O Lord! Do as You will, in accordance with Your good pleasure!”
Oh how magnificent is the divine teaching of the Creator, who is all-knowing and all-seeing, surpassing all earthly wisdom; it is affirming, comforting, and positive! 'Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore' (Matthew 10:29-31). What reassurance for the individual! 'He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep' (Psalm 120:4). What reassurance for the community! 'The Lord hath sworn unto David in truth; he will not turn from it; of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne. If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore' (Psalm 131:11-12). What a powerful declaration of the everlasting kingdom!
Do not be afraid, for you are of greater value than many small birds, and God is aware of every aspect that affects you. If He withholds His permission, no one will harm you. Even the very strands of your hair are numbered by Me; would I abandon those I hold dear? This is how the Lord addressed His disciples, as noted by St. Chrysostom, not to imply that God literally counts hairs, but rather to illustrate the completeness of His divine knowledge and profound care for humanity. While He does not explicitly claim to be the one who can destroy both soul and body, it is clear from His words that He holds the role of the Judge. Therefore, let us not fear death, for we will be resurrected to a far greater existence.
In our times of affliction, we can find solace and encouragement in the assurance that God watches over us.
Regardless of the insignificant value of the two sparrows sold for a mere assari, not one of these creatures will drop to the earth without the will of your heavenly Father. Yet, you, my beloved, are of greater worth than many sparrows. And since your heavenly Father cares for you deeply, noting even the count of every hair on your head, do not be afraid! Understand that you are enveloped in His divine care, and that everything that occurs in your life happens solely by His consent.
In the end, He uplifted them by recalling His own sufferings and the adversities He faced. Let them have reverence for her. The Lord, who attentively observes even the tiniest sparrows when they fall to the ground, and knows the number of hairs on their heads, is the same God who governs the fate of not just physical existence and mortality, but also of everlasting life and eternal separation. Therefore, He must be revered more than the earthly predators; He remains with them, acknowledging those whom His Son has recognized, while rejecting those whom He has turned away.
"You are of greater worth than many sparrows; thus, do not fear those who oppose you and your message. They can do nothing to you apart from the will of your Father in heaven, who watches over you with great care and concern."
In urging them to share the Gospel with boldness and without fear, Jesus Christ instructed His followers to replace their fear of humanity with a reverence for God. He offered them encouragement amid peril through the assurance of God’s providential care. He said, “What I say to you in darkness, speak in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim upon the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” He reminded them of their worth, stating, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.
Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” The calling of apostleship and the act of preaching are exalted in heaven. Jesus promised, “Everyone who acknowledges Me before men, I will also acknowledge before My Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.”
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 7 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS