The Lord hints at what the man's real desires were not Christ, not heaven, not eternity, but present things. Hence it is that He has grouped together circumstances which make this plain, without raising the question of when they occurred; in fact, they range over a large space, and, otherwise viewed, are in total disorder. And the Jews have a saying, that one of the causes of the ruin of their nation was, "No man reproved another." Not merely were there many pieces of value, but one pearl of great price. There are many reasons to make us think that this, as it stands, cannot be a correct report of the words of Jesus, but an adaptation made by the Church in later days, when Church discipline was rather a thing of rules and regulations than of love and forgiveness. "Verily, I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven." Assemblies of Christians for holy purposes are hereby appointed, directed, and encouraged. The fact that you cannot see Him is of no import at all. Take one or two fellow elders and inform them of the situation. Matthew 1:18-19. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. Matthew 11:1-30, exceedingly critical for Israel, and of surpassing beauty, as it is, must not be passed over without some few words. This came out most blessedly through the disciples. x Maimon Hilehot Ishot, c. 12. sect. Believers do not take action against offenders out of spite, but out of a concern for the offenders spiritual good. A child does not wish to push himself forward; rather, he wishes to fade into the background. And if your eye proves a stumbling-block to you, pluck it out and throw it away from you. Matthew 18:15-20 The New King James Version (NKJV) 15 "Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. Jesus said to him, "I tell you not up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. No sooner had Peter pronounced to Jesus the truth of His person, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God," than Jesus holds the secret no longer. What Does the Bible Say about Resentment? RUN DONT WALK, to the first opportunity you have to attend the Understanding the Prophetic Mind seminar. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. She is a literary agent for Wordwise Media Services and a certified writing coach. Oh, what a heart is ours! I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. It says simply, "And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean." Christ And The Child ( Matthew 18:5-7; Matthew 18:10). Particular epochs in Luke are noted with great care; but, speaking now of the general course of the Lord's life, a little attention will discover, from the immensely greater preponderance paid to the consideration of time in the second gospel, that there we have events from first to last given to us in their consecutive order. To receive the child is also a phrase which is capable of bearing more than one meaning. In Judaea it was tragically easy for sheep to go astray. The child is instinctively dependent, and just as instinctively he trusts his parents that his needs will be met. The scribes, at the beginning of the chapter, could not hide from the Lord their bitter rejection of His glory as man on earth entitled, as His humiliation and cross would prove, to forgive. Your book on authority should be mandatory for every believer! It is a thousand pities that this appointment of Christ, which was designed to end differences, and remove offences, should itself be so much a matter of debate, and occasion differences and offences, through the corruption of men's hearts. "( Matthew 20:21 ). He never thinks that he can face life by himself. Here was a debt which was greater than a king's ransom. Because troubles are never settled by going to law, or by Christless argument. It is a question, then, of internal evidence, what that particular order is which God has employed in each different gospel. Well, apparently Paul did not understand Matthew 18at least not the way we commonly interpret it. There is one more chance for the offender to heed the voice of reason. Matthew 18 does not apply in a formal way in those kind of circumstances. Thus the whole power of gospel ministers is resolved into the word and prayer, to which they must wholly give themselves. But in practicality, we live and fellowship in the Local Church. This is not a form of excommunication to be used among Christians, nor was there ever any such form among the Jews; nor could Heathens or publicans, especially such publicans as were Gentiles, be excommunicated, when they never were of the Jewish church. And so, for example, there's a governing body that has authority to make judgements on . Rather, he went away and flung him into prison, until he should pay what was due. The Lord, however, in the same chapter, shows that it was not a question alone of what was to be done, or to be suffered, or is to be by-and-by, but what He was, and is, and never can but be. Perhaps modern interpretations of this verse are different, but in antiquity "telling it to the Church" was understood to mean to the rulers of the Church and not to some assembly of persons in general. These steps simply described are: 1. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. He had a baby son who was his heir; and, before he departed, he made his barons and nobles come and swear fealty to the little infant, in the event of anything happening to himself They came with their waving plumes and their clanking armour and knelt before the child. They forgot His glory in their own anxiety and selfishness. This ridge-like plateau is narrow, only a few miles across. If a man cheat and abuse me once, it is his fault; if twice, it is my own. Now though at this time there was no particular church formed, yet there were some who had a power to bind and loose. How He loves that simple faith and trust that is in the heart of a child. I. Again, when we listen to another (and now it is one of His disciples), at once faith shows its feebleness. The church may here mean the whole assembly of believers, or it may mean those who are authorized to try such cases - the representatives of the church, or these who act for the church. So take heed that you despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven [and I love this] their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven ( Matthew 18:8-10 ). Hence, the Lord Jesus is here disclosing throughout, that the doom of Israel was pronounced and impending. We get to that when we get to Luke's gospel. NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Your book on praise and worship woke me up to the new covenant reality. It was true that He was made of woman, and made under the law; but He was Jehovah Himself, that lowly Nazarene. "I will build my church" (singular). The overall emphasis seems to be, "don't make the correction any severer or more public than it has to be." The situation is this: a "brother" (or member of your congregation) commits a sin that only you are aware of. We often mistake grace for silence. 2. It betrays the Spirit of Christ, even while professing and attempting fidelity to the text. This passage may be saying, "If in your Church there is someone who is an evil influence, if there is someone who is a bad example to those who are young in the faith, if there is someone whose life and conduct is damaging the body of the Church, he must be rooted out and cast away." We have here not only our Lord's ministry in the first parable, but in the second parable that which He does by His servants. ., p. Accordingly, notice that, in the manner in which the Holy Ghost introduces it, there is no statement of time whatever. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. Jesus says to take the wayward brother to the Church for reproval. Now, it was an established principle, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word should be established. this agrees with Proverbs 25:8; Proverbs 25:9, "Go not forth hastily to strive, but debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself, argue it calmly and amicably; and if he shall hear thee, well and good, thou hast gained thy brother, there is an end of the controversy, and it is a happy end; let no more be said of it, but let the falling out of friends be the renewing of friendship. The Christian realizes that God cares for him individually, and that he must reflect that individual care in his care for others. The first mention was in Matthew 16:18. Were you watching my life when you wrote the New Testament Prophet? The phrase in my name can mean one of two things. . Yet Jesus was accused of being the friend of tax-gatherers and sinners; and he never spoke of them as hopeless outsiders, but always with sympathy and love, and even with praise (compare Matthew 9:10 ff; Matthew 11:19; Luke 18:10 ff; and especially Matthew 21:31 ff, where it is actually said that the tax-gatherers and harlots will go into the Kingdom before the orthodox religious people of the time). II. By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. Consequently I assume that Jesus intended the disciples involved in such situations to make these determinations on the basis of all the facts in each particular case. It might be well enough for a Pharisee; it might be worthy of a legal formalist, but it would never do for God; and the Lord Jesus was come here not to accommodate Himself to their thoughts, but, above all, to do God's will of holy love in an evil, wretched world. I wish I would have seen all of that when I was younger. Verse 15: "And if your brother sins, go and reprove him in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.". But inasmuch as he did not have any money to pay, his Lord commanded him to be sold, his wife, and his children, and all that he had, in order that a partial payment might be made. When we think of punishment, we can only say, "Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?" How should Christians handle disputes (Matthew 18:15-17)? And always God's answer is the offer not of escape, but of victory. This should not be done until all these steps are taken. The disciples most inadequately perceive His glory; but the Lord acts according to His own mind. I am sure that he was stretching in his own mind his knowledge of his own ability to forgive. He was not taken by surprise; He knew it from the beginning Man's implacable hatred is brought about most manifestly in the ways and spirit of His rejectors. So many times you probably wish, "Oh, if I could only be at Capernaum, and Jesus was there, and if I could only have Him lay His hands on me. This utter, growing rejection of Jesus was coming out now rejection, at first allowed and whispered in the heart, soon to be pronounced in words like drawn swords. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. Church discipline repairs the fellowship, keeps its members in the flock, and sanctifies the church. "Tell it to the church, that particular church in the communion of which the offender lives; make the matter known to those of that congregation who are by consent appointed to receive informations of that kind. Its difficulty lies in the undoubted fact that it does not ring true; it does not sound like Jesus; it sounds much more like the regulations of an ecclesiastical committee. Next is the one pearl of great price, the unity and beauty of that which was so dear to the merchantman. I have endeavoured, though, of course, cursorily, and I feel most imperfectly, to give thus far Matthew's sketch of the Saviour as the Holy Ghost enabled him to execute it. But be careful that you're not the cause of the offenses. And so the disciples came and said, "Who is going to be the greatest in the kingdom?". This does not mean the disciples should receive him or her warmly as Jesus received such people (Matthew 8:1-11; Matthew 9:9-13; Matthew 15:21-28). What is more, it speaks of tax-collectors and Gentiles as irreclaimable outsiders. The Christian is like an athlete for whom no training is too hard, if by it he may win the prize; he is like the student who will sacrifice pleasure and leisure to reach the crown. That is why the Kingdom of Heaven can be likened to what happened when a king wished to make a reckoning with his servants. All rights reserved. (vii) There is the spirit of forgiveness ( Matthew 18:23-35); and the Christian's forgiveness of his fellow-men is founded on the fact that he himself is a forgiven man. Thus the point that meets us in the conclusion of the chapter is, that while every character, every measure of giving up for His name's sake, will meet with the most worthy recompence and result, man can as little judge of this as he can accomplish salvation. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them ( Matthew 18:20 ). I gotta tell you that you are the most straight shooting guy I have ever met. In his defilement he came to Jesus and sought to be cleansed, before the delivery of the sermon on the mount. Subsequently to that, the scribe offered to follow Jesus whithersoever He went. Tinpot dictators learn this in Tyranny 101 class! To teach a child, to bring up a child in the way he ought to go, is something which is done not only for the sake of the child, but for the sake of Jesus himself. 23. What is the case supposed? For the first time in my life I dont feel like there is something wrong with me. I cant express to you how much you have helped free me. Gehenna ( G1067) was the valley of Hinnom, a valley below the mountain of Jerusalem. There may be desires, there may be the working of the Spirit of God, but there can be no power to walk before men and to glorify God thus till there is forgiveness possessed and enjoyed in the heart. There are no restraining walls. The ninety-and-nine were not enough; one sheep was out on the hillside and the shepherd could not rest until he had brought it home. "Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof" He had only to say in a word, and his servant should be healed. By its gross and unfeeling violation! Michelle S. Lazurekis a multi-genre award-winning author, speaker, pastor's wife, and mother. How Is Harry Potter a Literary Christ Figure? God is a God of reconciliation and restoration, not one of division. In this passage very often the child means both the young child and the beginner on the Christian way. How should be translated in 1 Corinthians 14:34? That is what the Jew could not understand about the Christian idea Of God. Matthew does assume the church will endure (Matt. 17 "And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be . Those of the church that are presumed to be most capable of determining such matters; and he speaks ironically, when he says (Matthew 18:4; Matthew 18:4), "Set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church; those, if there be no better, those, rather than suffer an irreconcileable breach between two church members." Thanks for contributing an answer to Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange! Peter asks a word from his Master, and leaves the ship to join Him on the water. Here is a very revealing question, followed by a very revealing answer. Lets briefly[1] examine this passage paying attention to its culture and context, and try to distill some legitimate application. The second is, "So the last shall be first, and the first last; for many are called, but few are chosen." By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. Why? ], PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS ( Matthew 18:1-35 ). Why should I return? This means that it is not only a sin to put a stumbling-block in another's way; it is also a sin even to bring that person into any situation, or circumstance, or environment where he may meet with such a stumbling-block. There is no greater mistake than to suppose, because there is the richest development of God's grace in new things, that He abandons or weakens natural relationships and authority in their place. Brad Jersak has wisely understood the passage as such in this way: I suspect treating them as unbelievers is NOT so much about exclusion or shunning or excommunication. That is why the shepherd could leave the ninety-nine. Jesus probably used Gentiles and tax gatherers as examples because the Jews typically withdrew from them. There are no recriminations; there is no receiving back with a grudge and a sense of superior contempt; it is all joy. And they, many times, were arguing about these things, the greatest. There were two; but the Spirit of God chose out, in Mark and Luke, the more remarkable of the two, and traces for us his history, a history of no small interest and importance, as we may feel when we come to Mark; but it was of equal moment for the gospel of Matthew that the two demoniacs should be mentioned here, although one of them was in himself, as I gather, a far more strikingly desperate case than the other. The angels, who are watching over our little children, their faces are before the Father continually there in heaven, beseeching the Father for these precious little ones.This business of, if thy hand offend thee and all, is something that Jesus meant to be repugnant. Note, We must not be weary of well-doing, though we see not presently the good success of it. It is not here a question of life (as in the seed at first), but a system of christian doctrine; not life germinating and bearing fruit, but mere dogma natural mind which is exposed to it. (SeeMatthew 9:32-33; Matthew 9:32-33.) The proper step is to tell the elders of the church directly to let them handle the situation since they are the authority over the pastor. Peter goes forth, but losing sight of the Lord in the presence of the troubled waves, and yielding to his ordinary experience, he fears the strong wind, and is only saved by the outstretched hand of Jesus, who rebukes his doubt. When did this take place, if we enquire into it merely as a matter of historical fact? It spares him the embarrassment of having his sin made public. When we point out someone else's sin, we are allowing ourselves to partner with God in caring for our church brothers and sisters enough to help them grow in their spiritual maturity. For that person to not be numbered among the brothers, all the church would need to know. 16 "But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. Christian kindness and Christian forgiveness do not mean that a man who is in error is to be allowed to do as he likes. 18:15-18 "If your brother sins against you, go, and try to convince him of his error between you and him alone. Copyright 2019, Dr. Stephen R. Crosby, www.stevecrosby.org. I'm going to look into it. The primacy of Peter is perhaps one of the strongest points of contention between Catholics and non-Catholics today. All rights reserved. Judgment will have early cut them off. Scripture is clear: The church must practice biblical church discipline toward professing Christians who persist in known sin. one witness. Gentile and a tax collector. Dont consider him now in the number This would not be a legal claim on man, but the scattering of good seed, life and fruit from God, and this in the unlimited field of the world, not in the land of Israel merely. No matter what the great purpose might be, He was there for faith. If the person is still not repentant, bring it before your elder board. let him be unto thee as an heathen man, and a publican. ", 2. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. The Lord Jesus, even before He pronounced the sentence, for so it was, indicated what was at hand in these two instances of the Sabbath-day, though one may not now linger on them. The Lord shows that such unbelief justly and necessarily excludes itself, but not others, from blessing. Christ has appointed this method for the vindicating of the church's honour, the preserving of its purity, and the conviction and reformation of those that are scandalous. The presence of Christ in the assemblies of Christians, Matthew 18:20; Matthew 18:20. One thing is certain: Matthew 18 does not apply to the systemic abuse of people by ecclesial leaders. If he were willing to follow the Lord, it was for what he could get. Nor was the unbelief confined to these religionists of letter and form; for next (verse 14) the question comes from John's disciples: "Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?" The people might have failed, but, surely, there were some differences surely those that were honoured and valued were not so depraved! This means that God would have provided us with the information necessary to understand what Church He was talking about. Be careful, offenses are going to come. (i) First and foremost, there is the quality of humility ( Matthew 18:1-4). In my opinion then this word assembly was probably not referring to the pharisee, but rather those disciples (not just the 12) that were following; much then like the question, "who is my neighbor," we need not ask who our "all" our sisters and brothers are. Note, People are loth to see their faults, and have need to be told of them. From this it was deduced that God's forgiveness extends to three offences and that he visits the sinner with punishment at the fourth. It is a difficult saying. Take notice of the care with which the Spirit of God here omits all reference to this: "And a certain scribe came." The Lord has nothing for them, or for Him, but to go right on to the end. To the end the events are put together, just as in Matthew 8:1-34, without regard to the point of time when they occurred. But every Scripture that treats of that time proves what dread, what anxiety, what dark clouds will be ever and anon. It is not possible that Jesus said this in its present form. ``A religious person indeed, that becomes a collector of taxes, they first said, is to be driven from the society; but they afterwards said, all the time that he is a tax gatherer, they drive him from the society; but when he goes out of his office, lo! It was not more truly Christ's kingdom as man than He was God's own Son, His beloved Son, in whom He was well pleased, who was now to be heard, rather than Moses or Elias, who disappear, leaving Jesus alone with the chosen witnesses.
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