INTRODUCTION: THE UNITY OF CHAPTER EIGHTEEN No chapter is better connected nor better reveals the mind of the Lord back of every paragraph, uniting its every concept from beginning to end, than chapter 18. The most remarkable characteristic of this section is not merely its wholeness, but the amazin... [ Continue Reading ]
Section 46 JESUS TRAINS THE TWELVE IN PERSONAL RELATIONS (Parallels: Mark 9:33-50; Luke 9:46-50) TEXT: 18:1-35 A. Humility and True Greatness 1 In that hour came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2 And he called to him a little child, and set him in... [ Continue Reading ]
DEVELOPMENT OF THE HUMILITY THEME I. YOUR POSITION IN, AND RELATIVE IMPORTANCE TO, THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS MEASURED BY YOUR HUMILITY. (Matthew 18:3-4) A. ENTRANCE INTO THE KINGDOM DEPENDS UPON HUMILITY. (18:3) Matthew 18:3 EXCEPT YE TURN, AND BECOME AS LITTLE CHILDREN, YE SHALL IN NO WISE ENTER INTO... [ Continue Reading ]
B. RELATIVE STANDING IN THE KINGDOM DEPENDS ON HUMILITY. (18:4) Matthew 18:4 WHOSOEVER THEREFORE SHALL HUMBLE HIMSELF AS THIS LITTLE CHILD, THE SAME IS THE GREATEST IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. The humblest is the greatest; the most important is he who admits his deep spiritual need, real inferiority... [ Continue Reading ]
II. YOUR HUMILITY IS MEASURED BY YOUR OPENNESS AND SENSITIVITY TO THE SO-CALLED INFERIORS IN THE KINGDOM: THERE ARE NO UNIMPORTANT PEOPLE IN THE KINGDOM! (Matthew 18:5; Mark 9:36 b, Mark 9:37; Luke 9:48-50) A. RECEIVING THE LEAST IMPORTANT MEANS RECEIVING THE KING (18:5) At this point Jesus took t... [ Continue Reading ]
III. YOUR HUMILITY IS MEASURED BY YOUR CONCERN ABOUT YOUR OWN SINS AND LIABILITY TO SIN AND WHAT THIS DOES TO OTHERS (18:6-9) A. THE ONE WHO CAUSES STUMBLING IS BETTER OFF DEAD. (18:6) Matthew 18:6 BUT WHOSO SHALL CAUSE ONE OF THESE LITTLE ONES THAT BELIEVE ON ME TO STUMBLE, IT IS PROFITABLE FOR HI... [ Continue Reading ]
B. THE WORLD IS BAD ENOUGH WITHOUT YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO ITS DEATH-TRAPS (18:7) Matthew 18:7 WOE UNTO THE WORLD BECAUSE OF OCCASIONS OF STUMBLING! FOR IT MUST NEEDS BE THAT THE OCCASIONS COME; BUT WOE TO THAT MAN THROUGH WHOM THE OCCASION COMETH! In what sense does Jesus pronounce the first WOE UNTO... [ Continue Reading ]
C. NO SACRIFICE IS TOO GREAT (18:8, 9) Matthew 18:8-9. At first glance, it would seem that Jesus has suddenly introduced irrelevant material, since He was discussing the danger of trapping others, not the disciple's own peril. But this is precisely the point: to sin against even ONE OF THESE LITTLE... [ Continue Reading ]
IV. YOUR HUMILITY AND SENSITIVITY TO THE WEAK IS MEASURED AGAINST HEAVEN'S CONCERN FOR THEM. (18:10-14) Matthew 18:10 SEE THAT YE DESPISE NOT ONE OF THESE LITTLE ONES. DESPISE (_kataphronésete_) means look down on, despise, scorn, treat with contempt; think lightly of or have the wrong ideas about;... [ Continue Reading ]
B. THE GOOD SHEPHERD CAME TO SEEK THE LOST LITTLE ONES. (18:11-13) Matthew 18:11 is omitted in the better manuscripts, because Matthew probably did not write it. The owner of a manuscript copy rightly saw in Luke 19:10 an edifying parallel thought: For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lo... [ Continue Reading ]
C. GOD HIMSELF HAS NO DESIRE TO LOSE ANY WE MIGHT DESIGNATE AS INFERIORS! (18:14) Matthew 18:14 EVEN SO, in the same way angels have the interests and needs of these LITTLE ONES on their hearts, in the same way Jesus the Good Shepherd came to seek and save the least wayward one, so also YOUR FATHER... [ Continue Reading ]
V. YOUR HUMILITY AND SENSITIVITY TO OTHERS IS MEASURED BY YOUR CONCERN ABOUT OTHERS-' SINS: DOES IT REALLY MATTER TO YOU IF A BROTHER IS LOST TO THE KINGDOM? (18:15-20) A. MAKE A PERSONAL EFFORT TO GAIN HIM. (18:15) Although some believe that Matthew is collecting together in this chapter paragrap... [ Continue Reading ]
B. GET OTHER HELPERS AS WITNESSES (18:16) Matthew 18:16 BUT IF HE HEAR THEE NOT. If God Himself cannot make people hear Him against their will, how much more problematic is it when a disciple attempts to recover his sinning brother? If his will is left free, he can continue to refuse to be convince... [ Continue Reading ]
C. ENLIST THE STRENGTH OF THE CONGREGATION (18:17-20) Matthew 18:17 AND IF HE REFUSE TO HEAR THEM, he has already failed a test that determines just how sincerely determined he is to remain with Christ and His people. He has not shown that humility and concern for his brethren that is absolutely ess... [ Continue Reading ]
VI. YOUR HUMILITY AND SENSITIVITY TO OTHERS IS JUDGED BY YOUR READINESS TO FORGIVE OR SHOW MERCY. (18:21-35) A. PETER'S QUESTION: HOW MANY TIMES FORGIVE? (18:21) Matthew 18:21 THEN CAME PETER, AND SAID UNTO HIM. With the same freedom that John earlier broke into this discourse to ask his question ab... [ Continue Reading ]
B. JESUS ANSWERS: NO LIMIT: MERCIFULNESS IS THE RULE IN GOD'S KINGDOM! (18:22-35) Matthew 18:22 JESUS SAITH UNTO HIM, I SAY NOT UNTO THEE, UNTIL SEVEN TIMES; BUT, UNTIL SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN. On another occasion Jesus actually did say, If your brother sins against you seven times in the day, and turns... [ Continue Reading ]