CHAPTER 18
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Matthew 18:1
We know from Mark 9:34, that the disciples had been arguing along the road about which of them would be greatest in the kingdom. Barclay says, “…the very fact that they asked that question showed that they had no idea at all what the kingdom of heaven was.” 1 They were no doubt troubled by Jesus’ talk of dying, but it seems they were more troubled about who among them would succeed him. Like the Pharisees and others, they saw the kingdom as a political one, with enviable positions in the government available. Pett says, “Without realizing it they had become like politicians, gathered around a new successful leader, vying for the best posts.” 2
In this chapter we see a very good picture of life in the early Messianic Community. Barclay says, “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…” 3
“He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven’” (18:2-3). Pett suggests that since this was preparatory to Jesus’ going to Jerusalem for the last Passover, some of the family members may have been gathered along with the disciples.4 Coffman feels that since they gathered in Peter’s house this little child may have been one of his own.5
We have mentioned before that children had little standing in the ancient world, and this was somewhat true in Israel. A child was not to be noticed, but here the Lord changed that idea and presented a little child as a model for the kingdom citizen. To become like a little child would demand a change in thinking and in living. We would call that change repentance. France says, “It amounts to a total reversal of human value scales.” 6 Little children just naturally have some good characteristics – things like trustfulness and dependence.7 However, the thing that seems to be stressed most here is humility.
“Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (18:4). Wiersbe comments: “Someone has accurately defined humility as ‘that grace that, when you know you have it, you’ve lost it!’ It has well been said, ‘True humility is not thinking meanly of oneself; it is simply not thinking of oneself at all.’” 8 Even as a Christian it is very easy for us to be puffed up with pride. Corrie ten Boom, in her book, Each New Day, relates this story: “When I saw Sadhu Sundar Singh in Europe, he had completed a tour around the world. People asked him, ‘Doesn’t it do harm, you getting so much honor?’ The Sadhu’s answer was: ‘No. The donkey went into Jerusalem, and they put garments on the ground before him. He was not proud. He knew it was not done to honor him, but for Jesus, who was sitting on his back. When people honor me, I know it is not me, but the Lord, who does the job.’”
“And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me” (18:5). Jesus often shows up in the little ones and in the little things – things which others may deem as totally unimportant. After all, Jesus, the King of the Universe, came to Bethlehem as a tiny babe, born to a poor family and laid in a manger. Morris says, “It is the habit of the world to serve the great and the popular, but for the follower of Jesus the priority must be to receive and welcome the world’s little people.” 9 In our society today many people are wasted, trashed and ignored as unimportant. Some people are dedicating their lives and their ministries to such as these. They may be the homeless who live under the bridge or the addict. Those who minister to these may someday find to their surprise and joy that they were actually ministering to Jesus (Matt. 25:40). In our churches we need to always make it our business to welcome the seemingly unimportant person and to give that person our attention and love (Rom. 12:16; 15:1).
“If anyone causes one of these little ones— those who believe in me— to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea” (18:6). The scope here seems to be broader than little children. Morris says, “Most commentators agree that the ‘little ones’ include not only small children but all lowly believers.” 10 Osborne adds, “Children are trusting by nature…If anyone causes young people or new Christians to doubt or fall back into sin, this is a grievous sin with terrible consequences.” 11
We might think here of the cults who often lure new believers astray with their heresy. Probably, included here would be those who molest small children and certainly those who draw them into the sex trades. Today child molestation is rapidly increasing. David Kupelian reports a remark one talk-show host had made: “Today’s culture is a child molester.” 12 People seem to think that having sex with children is a good thing. According to the Internet Filter Review more than a hundred thousand web sites now offer child pornography. The illegal child-porn racket generates some three billion dollars in revenues every year.13
The penalty for causing small ones to stumble is great. Such an offender would be better off if a great millstone were hung around that person’s neck, drowning that one in the sea. The Jews as well as other desert people were quite fearful of water.14 The thought of being weighted with a large millstone and dropped into the sea was no doubt terrifying.
In Israel there are ancient millstones on display almost everywhere. For instance, at Capernaum there is a large collection of millstones of all sizes. A millstone, whether small or large, comes in a set. The millstones had for their base a smooth conical rock pointing upwards and a heavy upper portion that would fit down over the conical base exactly. Millstones had handles where two people could hold them and turn the upper part around. The grain was placed in the upper part and was ground into flour as the mill was turned. The larger mills were turned by slaves and the upper mill stone could be very heavy. Some millstones were so heavy they had to be turned by a donkey. Even a rather small millstone was sure to take a person to the bottom of the sea if hung around the neck.
It is the very heavy donkey driven stone (Gk. mulos onikos) that is referred to here. Jesus is using the normal Middle Eastern hyperbolic language to underscore the very important point he is making.15 God help us if we offend a little one, whether a child or a weak believer in the church! When my sister and I were young people we were part of the church youth choir. On a certain occasion, one of our choir members was chewing gum. This so irritated a leading church member that he came forward and publicly shamed and humiliated her for her “irreverent” act of chewing gum in the church house. I don’t think we ever saw that girl in church again.
“Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!” (18:7). Matthew has spoken before of causing others to stumble. The Greek word skandalon originally had reference to the bait stick on an animal trap.16 It went on from that to any action that would trip-up another person, hence becoming a stumbling-block for them. There are many things in this fallen world that trip people up and cause them to stumble. However, we should make sure that this is not true in the church or in our Christian lives. Wiersbe says that it is much better for us to become a stepping-stone than a stumbling block.17
The great evangelist D. L. Moody once told the story of a blind man who was sitting at the street corner in the city with a lantern beside him. Someone asked him why he needed a lantern since he was blind. The blind man replied that he needed the lantern so that no one would stumble over him.18 May we all take such care in our Christian lives.
“If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire” (18:8). It was customary in the Middle East for people to overstate things for the sake of emphasis. In this section Jesus is using that type of speech. We can be certain that the Lord is not teaching us to dismember our bodies. He is teaching us to take drastic action to get sin out of our lives. This action is needed to avoid the eternal fire of God’s judgment. We have mentioned before that life has its garbage dump that will burn for eternity (cf. 13:49-50). It will not be quenched and the maggots will not die (Mk. 9:48).
We should take even the most drastic actions to avoid this fate. Aaron Lee Ralston, a mechanical engineer and outdoorsman survived a serious mountain climbing accident in a Utah canyon back in 2003. In the accident his forearm was caught under a large boulder and he tried for five days to free himself. Finally, in desperation he took his dull pocket knife and amputated his own right forearm. He then made his way through the canyon, even rappelling down a 65 foot (20 m.) sheer cliff face to safety.19
“And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell” (18:9). Jesus continues with his strong and shocking overstatement or hyperbole. Again, we must never think that the Lord is advising us to dismember our bodies. With a little thought we can understand that if we cut off an offending hand the other hand could later commit the same sin. If we pluck out an offending eye, the other eye could continue in the sin. The Lord is teaching us to get rid of anything in our lives that is sinful. We should spare no drastic action in doing this. This must be really important because we have seen this teaching previously in 5:29-30.
Jesus says that we should take such drastic action in order to escape being thrown into the fires of hell. The Greek word geennan reflects the Hebrew Valley of Hinnom (cf. 5:22; 13:49-50). This large valley on the south side of Old Jerusalem became a place of idol worship where little children were burned in the fire to the pagan god Molech (2 Chron. 28:2-3; Jer. 7:31; 32:35). When the good king Josiah stopped this worship the valley was then turned into a garbage dump (2 Ki. 23:10). The fires burned constantly there and it became a picture of the eternal fire of hell (10:28; Lk. 12:5; Jam. 3:6; Rev. 19:20). 20
Matthew mentions the eye some 24 times so it must have been important to him.21 Truly, the eye is the window of the soul. What the eye beholds is transmitted directly into the soul of the person. Today one of the scourges or curses of our time is internet pornography, as we have discussed in 15:19-20. Over 60 million people in the US are addicted Internet pornography at some level, and an estimated nine out of ten children between age eight and sixteen have been exposed to porn.22 With internet porn with just one look and a person can be hooked. Such graphic porn opens the door for the devil and gives him free entry into the life, the marriage and the home. He can then enter with destructive force. It is imperative that we take drastic action immediately. Like Job of old we also need to make a covenant with our eyes (Job 31:1).
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven” (18:10). Barker and Kohlenberger say: “This verse continues the note of humility struck at the discourse’s beginning…Its members [the messianic community] will be poor in spirit (5:3) and humble… and none will be admitted without these graces. If his disciples become like that, they will belong to the ‘little children;’ if they look down on them, they will share in the woes (vv. 8-9).” 23
We note something very interesting here. The little ones have angels assigned to them and these angels enjoy a constant and personal access to God.24 While the Jewish people believed that every person had a guardian angel,25 we can probably not make such a general assumption from this verse. Certainly, the little ones have such an angel. Those of us who have reared small children know how important this is. Probably no child would survive without some angelic protection.
In the scripture we are assured that the angels of God are nearby us (Psa. 91:11-12). We are also assured in Hebrews 1:14: “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” We certainly cannot order them around, for God alone does that. However, in our difficult situations we can surely ask the Lord to send them. In our many travels we have often asked the Lord for baggage angels, control tower angels and so forth and the Lord has been faithful.
PARABLE OF THE LOST SHEEP
What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? Matthew18:12
We might notice here that verse 11 is missing in our NIV translation. Osborne says, “This verse is not found in the earliest and best manuscripts; therefore, it is not included in most modern versions.” 26 The verse does show up in the NAS version and reads: “For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.” It also shows up in the NKJ version but most other modern translations skip it. Perhaps some early copyist thought the verse should go with the subject of lost sheep.
The parable of the sheep presented a very common picture often seen in ancient Israel. The care of sheep and goats was a very important industry at that time. We considered how dumb and helpless sheep were in 10:5-6. They simply must have the constant care of a shepherd or they get themselves in lots of trouble.
In this verse the action of the shepherd might surprise us. He leaves the ninety-nine sheep to go and look for the one that had wandered away. We might think that a dangerous and foolish move at first sight. Barclay enlightens us on this saying, “the flocks were often communal flocks; they belonged, not to an individual, but to a village. There were, therefore, usually two or three shepherds with them. That is why the shepherd could leave the ninety-nine.” 27 The job of the ancient shepherd was a difficult and lonely one. He had to face the rain and biting cold of the mountains and he had the added challenge of facing an occasional bear or lion. He could not turn back until the lost sheep was found. We can see why Jesus is called the Good Shepherd in John 10:1-18.
“And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish” (18:13-14). While this parable could relate to the backslidden believer it can also relate to the lost soul. In Luke’s version of the parable he speaks of the shepherd and friends rejoicing when the lost sheep is found. He says: “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent” (Lk. 15:7 ).
If we could only get this picture firmly in our minds it might help urge us on in our personal evangelism. It is awesome when we realize that we can help make the angels in heaven rejoice. All we have to do is help bring a lost soul to salvation.
SETTLING CHURCH PROBLEMS
If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. Matthew 18:15
This section of scripture is generally seen as a guide for church disciplinary action.28 In fact, it almost gives us a step by step procedure for dealing with problems that develop between Christians. The first and obvious step is for the brother or sister to go quickly to the offended or offending party and speak in private about the grievance. Our natural tendency is to first complain to other people about the problem, but this is a big mistake. Normally, the more people involved enables the sin, which is like leaven, to spread. Galatians 6:1 tells us that this should be done gently and carefully. The word Galatians uses, has to do with setting a broken bone. So, when we think of a broken bone we realize how painful it is and how gentle we must be.29 Morris says, “‘Go’ means taking the initiative; the person in the clear is not to wait for the sinner to come to him.” 30
Osborne comments, “These guidelines were meant for Christians (not unbelievers) and for discipline and conflict resolution in the context of the church, not in the community at large.31 We have recently known of a Christian family who insisted upon using this procedure to settle a problem which turned out to be a serious criminal case. Their approach caused a family, church and community disaster.
The goal in confronting the brother or sister is not that our wounded pride can be soothed but that the church body can be healed. It must always be for a redemptive and not a punitive purpose.32 Everything must be done in humility, gentleness and love.
“But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses” (18:16). If a face to face meeting avails nothing then the next step is to carefully involve others. The biblical pattern is that all matters have to be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses (Num. 35:30; Deut. 17:6; 19:15; 2 Cor. 13:1; Jn. 8:17). The presence of other brothers or sisters may help convince the wrongdoer. Also, the presence of these others may provide witnesses in case the problem needs to be brought before the church.33
“If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector” (18:17). The matter of bringing people before the church for discipline has drastically changed from the first century. In those days people who joined the church had taken an unpopular stand with the community. In many cases secular ties were broken or at least strained. Those in the church could not handily return to community life. Also, the church was not independent as it is today but it was a close city-wide fellowship, made up of many small house groups. It was not possible to leave one church and go to another one more suitable as many do today.
Today, church discipline is seldom done. Some churches want to be “user friendly” and accept everyone regardless of their situation or problems. In our day the right of the individual is often considered greater than the right of the church or community. Blomberg says: “In an age in which churches can be sued for disciplining their members unless procedures have been stated in writing and disseminated and explained to all the congregation, it is imperative to think carefully about how to implement Jesus’ instructions…” 34 Members about to be disciplined can easily “church-hop” to another fellowship which will happily accept them with no questions asked. As we can see, church discipline of any kind has to be done carefully and prayerfully in this age. We still have the biblical instruction to do it, so we must try our best to be successful at it.
In Bible times when people failed to listen to the church they were excommunicated (1 Cor. 5:4f.; 2 Thess. 3:6-16; 1 Tim. 1:20).35 This followed the pattern of the synagogue where members could be publicly punished or excluded, either temporarily or permanently. 36 Again, this whole process must be approached with much prayer and care in our postmodern era.
“Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (18:18). The promise of binding and loosing was first made to Peter (16:19), then to the apostles and now to every believer. Morris says, “…the probability is that we should understand the ‘binding’ and ‘loosing’ as declaring forbidden or permitted.” 37 We realize here that God listens to the church and allows the church to make decisions that are honored in heaven. “Among believers, there is no court of appeals beyond the church.” 38 Since believers are to someday judge angels it is imperative that we learn to judge things of this present life (cf. 1 Cor. 6:3). Wiersbe adds a note here: “It is important that the local assembly be at its best spiritually before it seeks to discipline a member…We cannot discipline others if we ourselves are not disciplined.” 39
“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” (18:19-20). In Judaism it was felt that there had to be a minyan of ten men, all over the age of 13, in order to have a worship service. Here we see that in the kingdom, two or three can meet together and enjoy the Lord’s presence. Regarding Bible study in Judaism, it was thought that two or three could study together.40 It is said in Mishnah, Aboth 3:2, “But if two sit together and words of the Law [are spoken] between them, the Divine Presence rests between them…”
When two or three people agree as mentioned here, the Greek is sumphōnēsōsin, and it has the meaning of “to symphonize” or to complement one another as in a great orchestra.41 These verses are a wonderful promise to believers in Jesus, that when they assemble together in the Lord’s name, he is present. For this reason church meetings are special and we should never neglect coming together in Jesus’ name (cf. Heb. 10:24-25).
Barnes adds here: “Nothing could more clearly prove that Jesus must be omnipresent, and, of course, be God. Every day, perhaps every hour, two or three, or many more, may be assembled in every city or village in the United States, in England, in Greenland, in Africa, in Ceylon, in the Sandwich Islands, in Russia, and in Judea – in almost every part of the world – and in the midst of them all is Jesus the Savior.” 42
PARABLE OF THE UNMERCIFUL SERVANT
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Matthew 18:21-22
Regarding forgiveness, the Rabbinic teaching stated that a person was to forgive another a limit of three times. On the fourth time there was to be no forgiveness. We can understand how Peter was feeling big-hearted in offering to forgive seven times.43
Jesus let the air out of his balloon by answering that a person should forgive another person seventy-seven times. As Meyer says, this was nothing less than illimitable forgiveness.44 Since love keeps no record of wrongs (1 Cor. 13:5), there can really be no limits to forgiveness.45
“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him” (18:23-24). The Greek here speaks of talents (talanton) and a talent represented a great amount of money. Osborne notes that it was the above amount that King David donated for the building of God’s temple (1 Chron. 29:4). It could have amounted to as much as 20 million dollars.46 Blomberg also mentions that the estimates could run as high as several million. The talent was the highest denomination of currency in the Roman Empire and ten thousand (myrias) was the highest number.47 All this tells us that it was a fabulous amount of money owed.
Of course, an average servant would never have dealt with such a sum. Wiersbe tells us that an average person in those days would have had to work twenty years just to earn a single talent.48
Since this man was the servant of a king, Osborne suggests that he might have been a powerful court official or perhaps a tax collector who gathered revenue in the kingdom.49 Such an official would have had access to large amounts of money. Morris comments how Josephus the historian speaks of Antipas gathering 200 talents in taxes from the area of Perea, while Archelaus raised 600 from his area.50
“Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt” (18:25). If this man was a tax farmer there might have been several reasons why he was unable to pay the amount owed. There could have been a drought or a financial depression.51 He could have made a bid too high and was unable to collect the amount he bargained for. The sale of a person, and even a whole family, into slavery was a very common thing in the ancient world. In several instances even the Bible mentions such sales (cf. Exo. 22:3; Lev. 25:39-47; 2 Ki. 4:1; Neh. 5:5; Isa. 50:1; Amos 8:6). Carson notes that the top price for a slave was about one talent. However, many were sold one-tenth that amount or even less.52
“At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything’” (18:26). Morris notes that the Greek imperfect tense here indicates that the man kept on pleading.53 The great preacher Spurgeon says here, “...“Many a poor sinner is very rich in resolutions. This servant-debtor thought he only needed patience; but indeed he needed forgiveness!” 54
“The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go” (18:27). Upon hearing the poor servant’s pitiful pleas, the master decided to cancel the debt entirely. Perhaps he decided to write it all off as a bad loan. We do now know for sure. We do know that the servant was suddenly a completely free man. This so pictures the situation of all of us. As sinners, we have a terrible debt to pay to the King of Kings but we are unable to pay a cent. All we can do is come in utter repentance and beg for his forgiveness. That forgiveness is now made possible because the Lord Jesus paid for our sins with his blood at Calvary. That should make us want to forgive others.
“But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded’” (18:28). The hundred denarii that were owed here was about one hundred day’s wages for a working man. This was still a paltry amount compared to what the man himself had just owed.55 Far from having mercy on his debtor he began to abuse him by trying to choke him.
“His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt” (18:29-30). The servant fell on his knees and made a pitiful plea all to no avail. The creditor promptly threw this servant in prison until he could pay the amount. In those days people were not sent to prison to serve time as is the custom today. They were sent to prison to make sure they did not run away. Although the person in prison could not work and earn the money, his imprisonment put a great deal of pressure on his relatives and friends who would in many cases pay the amount for his freedom.56
“When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened” (18:31). This is a warning to all of us who are servants of God. Our fellow servants are always watching us and taking note of our gratitude or ingratitude. Wiersbe says, “The world’s worst prison is the prison of an unforgiving heart.” 57 As Christians we need to develop an attitude of gratitude and practice being thankful for every blessing from God or from others. The older I get the more I realize how wonderful are all the people and the gifts that God has given me through the years. I find myself going through the day saying over and over, “Thank you God!”
“Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’” (18:32-33). We see here that the man was speechless as the king’s stern judgment fell upon him. It reminds us that on the Day of Judgment, all the speeches and excuses that people conjure up in their minds will be useless. People will be silent before the King whose judgments are just and righteous (cf. Deut. 32:4; Rom. 2:5). We are reminded of the Lord’s words: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (5:7).
“In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed” (18:34). No additional plea for mercy could now be made. The case was closed and the punishment was administered. The unmerciful servant was sent to jail. Ancient jails were no fun places. We see in the later case of Paul and Silas that they were beaten and placed in stocks as a part of the jail experience (Acts 16:19ff.). Such things were not in the least unusual in the ancient world. Again, people were left to rot in jail until friends or family members had mercy upon them and paid their debt.58
“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart” (18:35). Barclay comments about this parable: “It teaches that lesson which runs through all the New Testament – a man must forgive in order to be forgiven.” 59 We all have so many debts. We have debts of gratitude (or rather ingratitude), debts where we have failed to witness to others, debts where have not rendered our expected service, and sometimes even money debts that we have failed to repay. It would do us all well to stop and think of these times of failure and seek forgiveness.
The relationship with my father was never a good one, and because of it I was never able to express to him my thankfulness for many things; for his working hard on the farm to supply my needs; for once saving my life; for insisting that I go to college and for paying my way. After my father died, I later found myself beside his tombstone saying a belated, “Thank you, thank you, thank you so much dad!” As they say, “Better late than never; but better never late!”