A LOST SHEEP IN OPEN COUNTRY

MATTHEW 18:1–14

Jesus’s disciples were having a discussion about the question, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Matt. 18:1). From their perspective, children were not even in the running (Matt. 19:13).21 So Jesus made a remarkable statement about the value of all people by taking a child, so lightly esteemed by these men, and saying, “Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 18:4). Referring to the children in his presence, Jesus continued to teach about the Kingdom of God using the parable of the lost sheep—a parable set in the open country for a reason.22

Any of Jesus’s illustrations that referred to sheep used a well-known cultural experience of his listeners. These animals were described in Scripture as ritually clean (Lev. 11:1–8) and were an important part of Jewish society.23 Nearly every family had contact with sheep and knew the daily rhythm of a sheep’s life.

Shepherdess leading her flock through the Judean Wilderness.

When darkness set in, the shepherd brought the sheep into an enclosure—either natural or manmade—in order to keep the vulnerable animals safe from thieves and predators (John 10:1–10). During the daylight hours the sheep were taken into the open country to feed. The open country was not a safe place for the flock because there the sheep were more vulnerable to the attack of wild animals. Thus they lived their lives between the safety of the overnight enclosure and the risk of the open country. Nevertheless, as long as it was daylight and the sheep remained together under the protecting hand of the shepherd (Ps. 23:4), the risk of being in the open country was kept at a minimum. This set the stage for the events in the parable Jesus told.

In this parable, the shepherd had led his flock into the hilly, open country where a very difficult situation developed (Matt. 18:12). One of his hundred animals wandered away. Since sheep have no means for defending themselves, when one becomes separated from the shepherd and the flock its chances of survival are minimal. So what was the shepherd to do? The open country was where his sheep were most at risk. Was it worth putting the rest of the flock in harm’s way in order to rescue one sheep? The shepherd chose to seek that lost sheep, and when he recovered it he had more joy over finding that one sheep than over the ninety-nine that had not wandered off (Matt. 18:13).

Wolf from southern Israel. Jesus often referred to those attempting to destroy his flock as wolves.
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As Jesus applied this parable to the question of social rank, the sheep represented a child. Just as the shepherd was not willing to lose one sheep, Jesus said, “In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost” (Matt. 18:14). If God shows this kind of concern for children, we can be assured that neither social nor cultural status determines or diminishes our value in his eyes.

Judean leopard. Sheep that get separated from the shepherd and flock are vulnerable to wild predators such as this one.
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Shepherdess carrying a lamb back to the flock.
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