(Matthew 10:29; Luke 12:6) The Fifth Sparrow! Have you ever noticed the Master’s mathematics in these two sparrow texts? The sparrow was sold as an article of food in the Palestine markets. So cheap was the little bird that two of them were sold for the paltry pittance of a farthing.
“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing?” “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings?”
Naturally four of them would be sold for two farthings. But so insignificant were they in the sight of the vendor that, when a buyer came along with two farthings, the seller threw in an extra one, giving five for two, instead of four. Yet of this extra sparrow – almost worthless in the sight of the vendor – the Lord utters this wonderful word – “Not one of them is forgotten before God.”
(J. H. McConkey)