Matthew 18:13

How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? HOW THINK YE? IF A MAN HAVE AN HUNDRED SHEEP, AND ONE OF THEM BE GONE ASTRAY ... This is another of those pregnant sayings which our Lord uttered more than once. See on the delightful parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15:4. Only the object there is to show what the good Shepherd will do, when even one of His sheep is lost, to find it; here the object is to show, when found, how reluctant He is to lose it....

7-14 Considering the cunning and malice of Satan, and the weakness and depravity of men's hearts, it is not possible but that there should be offences. God permits them for wise and holy ends, that those who are sincere, and those who are not, may be made known. Being told before, that there will be seducers, tempters, persecutors, and bad examples, let us stand on our guard. We must, as far as lawfully we may, part with what we cannot keep without being entangled by it in sin. The outward occasions of sin must be avoided. If we live after the flesh, we must die. If we, through the Spirit, mortify the deeds of the body, we shall live. Christ came into the world to save souls, and he will reckon severely with those who hinder the progress of others who are setting their faces heavenward. And shall any of us refuse attention to those whom the Son of God came to seek and to save? A father t...

Verse Matthew 18:13. _HE REJOICETH MORE_] It is justly observed by one, on this verse, that it is natural for a person to express unusual joy at the _fortunate accomplishment_ of an _unexpected event_....

To show still further the reason why we should not despise Christians, he introduced a parable showing the joy felt when a thing lost is found. A shepherd rejoices over the recovery of one of his flock that had wandered more than over all that remained; so God rejoices that man is restored: so he seeks his salvation, and wills that not one thus found should perish. If God thus loves and preserves the redeemed, then surely man should not despise them. See this passage further explained in Luke 15:4....

EXPOSITION MATTHEW 18:1 _Discourse concerning the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, and the mutual duties of Christians_._ _(Mark 9:33; Luke 9:46-42.) MATTHEW 18:1 _The greatest in the kingdom of heaven_. MATTHEW 18:1 AT THE SAME TIME; literally, _in that hour_._ _The narrator connects the following important discourse with the circumstances just previously related. Peter had completed the b

AND IF SO BE THAT HE FIND IT,.... Which is a casual and uncertain thing with the shepherd, but not so with Christ, who certainly finds all those he goes after, and seeks: for, VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, HE REJOICETH MORE OF THAT SHEEP; at the finding of it, whose loss greatly affected him, THAN OF THE NINETY AND NINE WHICH WENT NOT ASTRAY; who seemed not to go astray, were outwardly righteous before men, and, in their own opinion, being the same with the ninety and nine just persons who needed no repentance in their own apprehension, Luke 15:7. This same parable is related in Luke 15:3, and it being there more largely expressed, and along with other parables of the same kind, I shall refer the more particular consideration of it to that place; only observe, that it seems to me that thi

Matthew 18:1. _At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?_ The question we have sometimes heard asked in other forms, «Which is the highest office; which form of service shall have the greatest honour?» As if we were courtiers and were to take our positions according to precedent. Matthew 18:2. _And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them._ They all wondered what he was going to do. The little child was no doubt pleased to find itself in such happy company. Matthew 18:3. _And said, Verily I say unto you,_ «And said Verily I say unto you» to you, men or women, who th

6. INSTRUCTIONS TO HIS DISCIPLES. CONCERNING FORGIVENESS. CHAPTER 18 _ 1. Concerning the Little Ones and Offences. (Matthew 18:1 .) 2. The Son of Man to Save What is Lost. (Matthew 18:11 .) 3. The Church Anticipated and Instructions Concerning it. (Matthew 18:15 .) 4. Concerning Forgiveness. (Matthew 18:21 .)_ So closely is this chapter connected with the events of the previous one that it should not be divided into a separate chapter at all. It was “in that hour” the disciples came to Him with their question. When the Lord had just uttered the great truth “the sons are free” and added His gracious

A CONVERSATION WITH THE TWELVE. For Matthew 18:1, the question of precedence, _cf._ Mark 9:33 *, also Matthew 20:26 f., Mark 10:43 f., Luke 9:48; Luke 22:26. Mt. makes the disciples begin the discussion, but characteristically omits the derogatory intimation that they had been disputing. In his account Jesus does not embrace the child (_cf. Matthew 19:15_,...

PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS (Matthew 18:1-35) Matthew 18:1-35 is a most important chapter for Christian Ethics, because it deals with those qualities which should characterize the personal relationships of the Christian. We shall be dealing in detail with these relationships as we study the chapter section by section; but before we do so, it will be well to look at the chapter as a whole. It singles out seven qualities which should mark the personal relationships of the Christian. (i) First and foremost, there is the quality of humility (Matthew 18:1-4). Only the person who has the humility of the child is a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven. Personal ambition, personal prestige, personal public