Church Fathers Commentary Matthew 10:40-42

"He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet`s reward: and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man`s reward. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only, in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his reward." — Matthew 10:40-42 (ASV)

St. Jerome: The Lord, when He sends out His disciples to preach, teaches them that dangers are not to be feared and that natural affection is to be put aside for religion. He had previously taken gold from them and shaken brass from their purses. The condition of the preachers was surely hard! From where would their food and necessities come?

Therefore, He tempers the severity of His commands with the following promises, so that in welcoming the Apostles, each believer may consider that he is welcoming the Lord.

St. John Chrysostom: Enough had been said previously to persuade those who would have to welcome the Apostles. For who would not, with all willingness, take into his house men who were so courageous that they despised all dangers so that others might be saved?

Previously, He had threatened punishment to those who would not receive them; now He promises a reward to those who do. And first, He holds out to those who welcome them the honor that in doing so they are welcoming Christ, and even the Father: He who receives me, receives him that sent me. What honor can be compared to this: receiving the Father and the Son?

St. Hilary of Poitiers: These words show that He has a Mediator's office. Since He came from God, when He is received by us, God is transfused into us through Him. By this arrangement of grace, to have received the Apostles is the same as having received God, for Christ dwells in them, and God in Christ.

St. John Chrysostom: He also promises a further reward, saying, He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward. He did not say merely, "whoever receives a prophet," or "a righteous man," but "in the name of a prophet," and "in the name of a righteous man." This means it is not for any worldly greatness or other temporal reason, but because he is a prophet or a righteous man.

St. Jerome: A secret objection might arise to this exhortation among the faithful: "Then we will have to support false prophets, or Judas the traitor." For this reason, the Lord instructs them that they should look not to the person but to the office, and that the one who welcomes them does not lose his reward, even if the one he welcomes is unworthy.

St. John Chrysostom: A "prophet's reward" and a "righteous man's reward" are the kinds of rewards it is fitting for someone to have who welcomes a prophet or a righteous man; or, it is the same reward that a prophet or righteous man would have.

St. Gregory the Great: He does not say a reward from a prophet or righteous man, but the reward of a prophet or righteous man. For the prophet is perhaps a righteous man, and the less he possesses in this world, the greater confidence he has in speaking on behalf of righteousness.

He who has this world's goods, by supporting such a man, makes himself a free participant in his righteousness and will receive the reward of righteousness together with the one whom he has aided. ¹

He is full of the spirit of prophecy but lacks bodily sustenance, and if the body is not supported, it is certain that the voice will fail. Whoever then gives a prophet food gives him strength for speaking. Therefore, together with the prophet, he will receive the prophet's reward when he shows before the face of God what bounty he showed him.

St. Jerome: Mystically, he who receives a prophet as a prophet and understands him as speaking of things to come will receive the reward of that prophet. The Jews, therefore, who understand the prophets carnally, do not receive the prophet's reward.

Remigius of Auxerre: Some understand the prophet here to be the Lord Jesus Christ, of whom Moses says, A Prophet the Lord your God will raise up for you (Deuteronomy 18:18). They also understand the righteous man to be the same, because He is righteous beyond comparison. He then who receives a prophet or a righteous man in the name of the prophet or righteous man (that is, of Christ) will receive a reward from Him, for the love of whom he received them.

St. Jerome: So that no one can say, "I am poor and therefore cannot be hospitable," He removes even this excuse with the example of a cup of cold water given with goodwill. He says "cold water" because with "hot water," one could plead poverty and a lack of fuel. And whoever gives one of the least of these even a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, truly I say to you, he will certainly not lose his reward.

Remigius of Auxerre: "The least of these" refers not to a prophet or a righteous man, but to one of these least ones.

Glossa Ordinaria: Note that God looks more to the pious mind of the giver than to the abundance of the thing given. ²

Or, "the least" are those who have nothing at all in this world and will be judges with Christ. ³

St. Hilary of Poitiers: Or, seeing beforehand that there would be many who would glory only in the name of apostleship, but whose entire life and conduct would be unworthy of it, He does not, for that reason, deprive of its reward the service that might be rendered to them in the belief of their religious life.

For even if they were the very least—that is, the greatest of sinners—yet small acts of mercy shown to them, such as are signified by the cup of cold water, would not be shown in vain. For the honor is not done to a man who is a sinner, but to his title of disciple.

1. Hom. in Ev., xx, 12
2. non occ.
3. ord.