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37. ἕν τῶν τοιούτων παιδίων. Anyone of similar childlike character. Nothing is said about his coming in the Name of the Lord: πᾶς δὲ ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου δεχθήτω (Didache xii. 1).
δέξηται ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματί μου. “Receiveth on the basis of My Name,” “name” being here used in the common signification of “character.” He who does this, not because he is fond of children or of simple persons, but because they represent to him the Christlike character, has the honour of having Christ as his guest. Cf. Mar 9:39, Mar 13:6. Mk also uses ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι (Mar 9:38), ἐν ὀνόματι (Mar 9:31, Mar 11:9), and διὰ τὸ ὄνομα (Mar 13:13). See on 3Jn 1:7; also Deissmann, Bibl. St. pp. 146, 196.
οὐκ ἐμὲ δέχεται. Οὐκ = οὐ μόνον. “Not only receives Me” or “Not so much receives Me”; cf. Mar 10:45. “I will have mercy and not sacrifice” (Hos 6:6) does not condemn sacrifice but says that mercy is far better; cf. Luk 10:20; Luk 14:12; Luk 23:28; Joh 12:44. What is negatived in such expressions, as being defective, is included, with a great deal more, in the affirmative clause. Blass, § 77. 12. This Saying is Johannine in tone and carries us far in Christology; cf. Luk 10:16. Abbott, Johannine Grammar, § 25, 93. Both ἀποστέλλω (Mat 10:40; Luk 9:48; Joh 3:17, etc.) and πέμπω (Luk 12:13; Joh 4:34, etc.) are used of the mission of the Son. See on Joh 1:33.