Strong’s Greek 4765 designates a common, small bird of Palestine—readily identified with the house sparrow. In the first-century world these tiny birds were trapped in large numbers and sold in the open markets as an inexpensive source of protein for the poorest classes. Their very ordinariness becomes the backdrop for the Lord’s teaching on God’s meticulous care.

Occurrences in Scripture

Matthew 10:29; Matthew 10:31; Luke 12:6; Luke 12:7. All four references appear in two parallel discourses where Jesus commissions His disciples and warns them about coming opposition. The term never recurs outside the Gospels, underscoring its specialized role as an object lesson in Christ’s instruction.

Historical and Cultural Setting

In Roman-era Judea the smallest copper coin (an assarion) could purchase two sparrows (Matthew 10:29), and a double coin would secure five (Luke 12:6), the extra bird being tossed in as a marketing inducement. The negligible value attached to these creatures sharpened Jesus’ contrast between human estimation and divine regard. Contemporary rabbinic literature likewise mentions birds as cheap fare, confirming the Gospel portrait of their low economic worth.

Illustration of Divine Providence

Matthew 10:29–31: “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father… So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

Luke 12:6–7: “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God… So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

The pairing of sparrows with the detailed numbering of human hairs magnifies God’s exhaustive knowledge. Nothing in creation, however slight, escapes His oversight. The rhetorical question “Are not…?” emphatically affirms the certainty of providence rather than posing a doubt.

Value of Human Life in the Kingdom

By invoking the lowest-priced creature, Jesus elevates the dignity of every person made in God’s image. The argument moves from the lesser to the greater: if the Father attends to the fall or flight of a sparrow, He most certainly watches over those who bear His name. This teaching guards against both anxiety in persecution and the subtle devaluation of human life that can arise in harsh circumstances.

Pastoral and Missional Application

1. Courage under opposition. The sparrow sayings are embedded in missionary marching orders. Disciples may be maligned, yet they remain under the sovereign gaze of the Father.
2. Assurance for the marginalized. Believers who feel insignificant are reminded that heaven measures worth differently from earth.
3. Integrity in service. Because every act and every life is witnessed by God, ministry must be pursued with transparent faithfulness rather than public applause.

Reception in Church History

Early Christian writers such as Tertullian and Augustine cited the sparrow passages to comfort martyrs, insisting that no suffering is unseen. Medieval commentators saw in the “five sparrows” a veiled reference to the wounds of Christ, reinforcing the connection between divine compassion and human redemption. Reformers returned to the plain sense of the text, emphasizing providence as an antidote to fear.

Related Biblical Themes

• God’s care for creation: Psalms 104:10–17; Psalms 147:9.
• The Father’s knowledge of physical needs: Matthew 6:25–34.
• The preciousness of individual believers: Isaiah 43:1; John 10:3.
• Fearlessness in testimony: Acts 4:29–31; 1 Peter 3:14–15.

Concluding Reflections

Strong’s 4765, though appearing only four times, supplies one of the most tender assurances in the New Testament. The cheapest bird in the marketplace becomes a perpetual witness that the Creator’s hand reaches into the smallest corners of life. Every disciple, however obscure, may therefore obey the Great Commission with confidence, knowing that the God who never forgets a sparrow will never forsake His own.