Bede : Why, he says, have you come? etc. Let the Jews be angry with Christ, and let them reproach Him with blasphemies about the compassion of His coming and incarnation; let us return due thanks to Him, who, seeking us on earth, deigned to leave those most blessed cohorts of angels in heaven; which, although they are innumerable in the many choirs of spiritual hosts, are nonetheless not unreasonably called a few sheep, until the hundredth sheep that had strayed is brought back, and with us added, they rejoice in the perfection of their number. Let us rejoice that, having inclined His heavens, in which peace and justice reign, He came down of His own will to see our battle. For He descended to confront the enormous enemy, to conquer him in battle; that He might crown in His kingdom His own who had rejoiced with Him in victory. — Commentary on Samuel Caesarius of Arles : Now when David came, one of his brothers rebuked him, saying, "Why did you leave those few sheep and come to the battle?" This elder brother, maliciously chiding David who typified our Lord, signified the Jewish people who jealously slandered Christ the Lord even though he had come for the salvation of the human race, for they frequently chastised him with many insults. "Why did you leave the sheep and come to the battle?" Does it not seem to you as though through his lips the devil is speaking in envy of the salvation of humankind? It is as though he said to Christ: "Why did you leave the ninety-nine sheep who had strayed and come looking for the one which was lost, in order that you might call him back to your sheepfold, after freeing him with the staff of the cross from the hand of the spiritual Goliath, that is, from the power of the devil?" "Why did you leave those few sheep?" He spoke the truth, although in a wicked and haughty spirit. Jesus intended to leave the ninety-nine sheep, as was already said, in order to seek the one and to bring it back to his sheepfold, that is, to the company of the angels. — SERMON 121.3