The priest, in chap. 15 "And if your brother sins, go and reprove him in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. Why? 3. If they join in the same prayer, if they meet by appointment to come together to the throne of grace on some special errand, or, though at a distance, agree in some particular matter of prayer, they shall speed well. Where his saints are, his sanctuary is, and there he will dwell; it is his rest (Psalms 132:14), it is his walk (Revelation 2:1); he is in the midst of them, to quicken and strengthen them, to refresh and comfort them, as the sun in the midst of the universe. No doubt the ship was covered with the waves; but how could that imperil the Lord of all? Silent Killers of Faith Oh my! By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. It does not seem exactly as a pictorial view of what the Lord was doing, or going to do, but rather the repeated pledge, that they were not to suppose that the evil He had judged in the elders of Jerusalem, or the grace freely going out to the Gentiles, in any way led Him. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. In Matthew 15:1-39 we have another picture, and twofold. Or, Secondly, By constraint; when there are not more than two or three to come together, or, if there be, they dare not, for fear of the Jews, yet Christ will be in the midst of them, for it is not the multitude, but the faith and sincere devotion, of the worshippers, that invites the presence of Christ; and though there be but two or three, the smallest number that can be, yet, it Christ make one among them, who is the principal one, their meeting is as honourable and comfortable as if they were two or three thousand. 19 "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. The Palestinian shepherds were experts at tracking down their lost sheep. But nothing turned aside the purpose of God, or the activity of His grace. What an eye opener to me and family! What can a lawyer do if the client wants him to be acquitted of everything despite serious evidence? It was true that He was made of woman, and made under the law; but He was Jehovah Himself, that lowly Nazarene. Here I close tonight. What He was introducing could not mix with Judaism. The term "heathen" (that is, Gentile) refers to one who is steeped in paganism. This tested their thoughts of the glory of Jesus. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. The reason I consider to be plain; and the same principle applies to various other parts of our gospel where we have two cases mentioned, where in the other gospels we have only one. Now it is a great honour which Christ here puts upon the church, that he will condescend not only to take cognizance of their sentences, but to confirm them; and in the following verses we have two things laid down as ground of this. On this the Lord takes another step, when one said to Him, "Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee." "Verily, I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven." 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. You say things I have always felt, but never had the courage to speak them out. These steps simply described are: 1. To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use the convenient, Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament, The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. (1.) Every believer has the presence of Christ with him; but the promise here refers to the meetings where two or three are gathered in his name, not only for discipline, but for religious worship, or any act of Christian communion. It is the fine thing for you to enter into life maimed or lame, rather than to be cast into everlasting fire with two hands or two feet. Christianity.com is a member of the Salem Web Network of sites including: Copyright 2023, Christianity.com. Punishment which is aionios ( G166) is punishment which it befits God to give and punishment which only God can give. (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. Besides the secret worship performed by particular persons, and the public services of the whole congregation, there may be occasion sometimes for two or three to come together, either for mutual assistance in conference or joint assistance in prayer, not in contempt of public worship, but in concurrence with it; there Christ will be present. They sometimes gossip to their friends about the person or sin, causing further derision and disunity. They were the great congregation and church, in the midst of which Christ sung praise to his Father: and since the whole of this advice, and these excellent rules are given to them, and they are spoken of in the next verse, as having the power of binding and loosing, they may well be thought to be meant here; and that the design of Christ is, to instruct them how to behave, in case of offence to one another; that the reproof should be first private, and if it did not succeed, to be made before one or two more; and if that did not do, the whole body was to be acquainted with it; and which rules hold good, and are to be observed by all Christian men and churches, in all ages: though no doubt but allusion is made to the Jewish customs, in rebuking before the multitude, or carrying of a private case, after all other means used were ineffectual, to the sanhedrim. But here as everywhere we must remember the basic law of prayer; that law is that in prayer we receive, not the answer which we desire, but the answer which God in his wisdom and his love knows to be best. In Matthew 18:15-17, Jesus gives His formula for solving person-to-person problems. Your book on authority should be mandatory for every believer! the evidence of two witnesses or three witnesses, he who is to die Certainly, God-fearing Gentiles, such as Cornelius (Acts 10), do exist in the New Testament days, but they are not the norm. It was the rule that, if a sheep could not be brought back alive, then at least, if it was at all possible, its fleece or its bones must be brought back to prove that it was dead. The apostles were then sent thus, no doubt, forerunners of those whom the Lord will raise up for the latter day. We are not meant to pray only for our own needs, thinking of nothing and no one but ourselves; we are meant to pray as members of a fellowship, in agreement, remembering that life and the world are not arranged for us as individuals but for the fellowship as a whole. Josephus calls hell an everlasting prison. We may go further. get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. Let us apply it to scandalous sins, which are an offence to the little ones, of bad example to those that are weak and pliable, and of great grief to those that are weak and timorous. The scribe had no heart for the hidden glory. However the disciples undoubtedly understood Him to mean simply His band of disciples. He who gave the law maintained its authority, and used it as an occasion for testifying His own power and presence. Far from lowering the position of His servant, He declares there was none greater among mortal men. Our Lord then answers, with perfect dignity, as well as grace; He puts before the disciples of John the real state of the case; He furnishes them with plain, positive facts, that could leave nothing to be desired by John's mind when he weighed all as a testimony from God. Next is the one pearl of great price, the unity and beauty of that which was so dear to the merchantman. . Beyond the technicalities of the text, I think God is a realist when it comes to human beings and their interactions with each other. The Lord pleads the cause of the disciples. Whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea ( Matthew 18:6 ). 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. The context is the disruption of community due to actual, objective loss in a legal sense. There are some stubborn spirits to whom the likeliest means of conviction prove ineffectual; yet such must not be given over as incurable, but let the matter be made more public, and further help called in. Misguided church leaders often use Matthew 18 as a speech/thought-control template. No word whatever implies that the cleansing of the leper happened at that time. It betrays the Spirit of Christ, even while professing and attempting fidelity to the text. Peter has really got it here: "Lord how often shall I forgive my brother the very same offense, he is doing the very same thing seven times?". In Matthew 14:1-36 facts are narrated which manifest the great change of dispensation that the Lord, in setting forth the parables we have just noticed, had been preparing them for. At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father." When the Rabbis taught that heathen and Gentile objects were to be utterly destroyed they said that they must be "cast into the salt sea." With God, as nothing is impossible, so no one, small or great, is despised: all is seen and put in its just place; and grace, which rebukes creature pride, can afford to deal divinely with the smallest as with the greatest. What right do you have to meddle in my affairs?". The Hebrew word for synagogue is hakneset meaning congregation, while the Aramaic word is knista. In Judaea it was tragically easy for sheep to go astray. Leading up to this point (Matthew 18:1-14), Christ has expressed His identification with little children and what it will take to inherit eternal life. There is one more chance for the offender to heed the voice of reason. They are hereby encouraged with an assurance of the presence of Christ; There am I in the midst of them. The fact that you cannot see Him is of no import at all. What Should Christians Do When Church Leaders Gaslight Them? For the first time in my life I dont feel like there is something wrong with me. Thus, and after the tenderest sort, there is that which evidences the Messiah on earth present to heal His people who appeal to Him; and the Jew, above all counting upon His bodily presence demanding it, I may say, according to the warrant of prophecy, finds in Jesus not merely the man, but the God of Israel. I cant tell you how much your posts have blessed me and challenged me. "If he shall hear thee" --that is, "heed thee--if he be wrought upon by the reproof, it is well, thou hast gained thy brother; thou hast helped to save him from sin and ruin, and it will be thy credit and comfort," James 5:19; James 5:20. To the proud inhabitant of Jerusalem, both one and the other were but a choice and change within a land of darkness. But if he neglect to hear the church: the advice they should give unto him, the reproof they should think proper for him, or the censure they should pass upon him. "Oh, I forgive you, but you do that again, you're going to get it. "( Matthew 20:21 ). How are we to account for a selection so marked, an elimination of time so complete? but it was far too much for the young man. For us, treating like tax collectors and Gentiles means: have no contact, turn them over to satan, or worsecondemn them to hell. 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. In this passage very often the child means both the young child and the beginner on the Christian way. 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. Matthew 13:19-22), we find first of all the utter worthlessness of the flesh's readiness to follow Jesus. The second is, "So the last shall be first, and the first last; for many are called, but few are chosen." The sayings on binding and loosing in Matthew 18:18 (and 16:19) have presented a puzzle that resists precise resolution. This parable teaches certain lessons which Jesus never tired of teaching. Your postings enrich life. Here, too, these Pharisees question and reproach His grace, when they see the Lord sitting at ease in the presence of publicans and sinners, who came and sat down with Him in Matthew's house. The man who is useless, the man who is an evil influence on others, the man who cannot justify the simple fact of his existence, is in danger of the punishment of God, unless he excises from his life those things which make him the handicap he is. And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. In general, to all the requests of the faithful praying seed of Jacob; they shall not seek God's face in vain. Why should I return? That is why the Kingdom of Heaven can be likened to what happened when a king wished to make a reckoning with his servants. And He was Jesus, Emmanuel. There are those who never give of their best except on the so-called great occasion; but for Jesus Christ every occasion where even two or three are gathered in his name is a great occasion. Matthew 18 Matthew 18:18 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 to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. In Matthew 18:17, Jesus' instructions on the brother who sins reach a climax: If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. This question is accordingly put to the proof in the ninth chapter. The Book of Jubilees speaks about an eternal curse. hen a sinner has been rebuked with love and yet refuses to repent, he is no longer demonstrating the spirit of a sheep but rather of a wolf. (iii) The love of God is a seeking love. There are no recriminations; there is no receiving back with a grudge and a sense of superior contempt; it is all joy. Since he was quite unable to pay, his master ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children, and all his possessions, and payment to be made. It was after our Lord had called the twelve, and ordained them not after He had sent them forth, but after He had appointed them apostles that the Lord comes down to a plateau upon the mountain, instead of remaining upon the more elevated parts where He had been before. 79. Only tradition will not do this work, nor will human thoughts or feelings. NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. and a sinking ship are serious difficulties to a man. yea, they may forget, yet will not I forget thee. He "went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people." Oh, what a heart is ours! Thank you and God bless you. Christ, having cautioned his disciples not to give offence, comes next to direct them what they must do in case of offences given them; which may be understood either of personal injuries, and then these directions are intended for the preserving of the peace of the church; or of public scandals, and then they are intended for the preserving of the purity and beauty of the church. "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. Now, God would not command us to do the impossible. Our human pictures, and our human time-scheme, fail; this is in the hands of God. Styling contours by colour and by line thickness in QGIS. There is room also for the most thorough self-abnegation. The truth of this is apparent, if we compare the gospel of Mark. John Chrysostom makes this clear in his 4th century commentary: But if he shall neglect to hear them also, tell it to the church, that is, to the rulers of it; but if he neglect to hear the church, It would have saved me years of heartache. Their angels hold their faces before the Father continually, and He isn't willing that any perish. The total revenue of the province which contained Idumaea, Judaea and Samaria was only 600 talents; the total revenue of even a wealthy province like Galilee was only 300 talents. Jesus words demand that there be one, authoritative institution to resolve the doctrinal or disciplinary issue. The cultural backdrop for trespass and aught against was the Mosaic Law. What then did he mean? Seven times? (ii) It stresses the terror of the punishment of those who teach another to sin. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. To eat with unwashed hands defileth not a man. put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. Thus the end is as the beginning, and even far, far worse. Of course, the facts of the cross were necessary to give it an evident and literal fulfilment; but we have it first apparent in His life, and it is blessed to see it thus accomplished, as it were, in what passed with Himself; fully realized in His own spirit, and the results exposed before the external facts gave the fullest expression to Jewish unbelief. that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three Jesus said to him, "I tell you not up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. (vi) Finally, there is the saying about loosing and binding. The church of Jesus in Matthew 18:17 is made up of disciples according to Matthew 16:20. There am I, not only I will be there, but I am there; as if he came first, is ready before them, they shall find him there; he repeated this promise at parting (Matthew 28:20; Matthew 28:20), Lo, I am with you always. After this our Lord sees great multitudes following Him, and gives commandment to go to the other side. But I have not found the tax-gatherers and the Gentiles hopeless. But one that never was of a religious society, could not be driven out of it. The church should be able to influence its own members positively when they go astray. That is what He wanted His disciples to do regarding the erring brother or sister. Private admonitions must always go before public censures; if gentler methods will do the work, those that are more rough and severe must not be used, Titus 3:10. But if Matthew here laid aside all question of time, it was in view of other and weightier considerations for his object. God's readiness to answer the church's prayers (Matthew 18:19; Matthew 18:19); If two of you shall agree harmoniously, touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them. Matthew opens his Gospel by summarising the Old Testament story in terms of Jesus' ancestry (vv.1-17). It could be a grandiose sin like adultery or a small sin like gossip or lying. If we compare the eighth chapter, for example, with the corresponding circumstances, as far as they appear, in the gospel of Mark, we shall find the latter gives us notes of time, which leave no doubt on my mind that Mark adheres to the scale of time: the design of the Holy Ghost required it, instead of dispensing with it in his case. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.". This, of course, is not the moment to unfold it. to forget His ancient people. Seek to reach a unanimous decision on what to do next. It would often happen that, if our prayers were answered, the prayers of someone else would be disappointed. he is as a religious person z.''. Rabbi Jose ben Jehuda said, "If a man commits an offence once, they forgive him; if he commits an offence a second time, they forgive him; if he commits an offence a third time, they forgive him; the fourth time they do not forgive." He ate with them. (SeeMatthew 9:32-33; Matthew 9:32-33.) But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you . Those that were priests in the house of God would not they at least receive their own Messiah? It can mean to see Christ in the child. It is the glory of Christ; not so much as Son of the living God, but as the exalted Son of man, who once suffered here below. But in this case the taking of the witnesses is not meant to be a way of proving to a man that he has committed an offence. In many ways this is one of the most difficult passages to interpret in the whole of Matthew's gospel. Jesus blessedly answered their thoughts, had there only been a conscience to hear the word of power and grace, which brings out His glory the more. Required fields are marked *. This, too, we ascertain from Mark 1:1-45, where there are clear marks of the time. Moreover, the very picture of drowning had its terror for the Jew. They may also take their concern to a pastor or other superior, shirking their responsibility to deal with it directly. But this becomes tricky when it comes to church conflict. Then the Lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and he freed him, and he forgave him the debt. Let us consider it both ways. c. 14. sect. Note, Those should think it high time to repent and reform, who see their misconduct become a general offence and scandal. Oh, for grace so to bow and bless God, even when our little travail seems in vain! On this the Lord proceeds to take a step farther, and makes a deeper inroad, if possible, upon Jewish prejudice. Paul warns that sin, like leaven, spreads (1 Corinthians 5:4-6). Matthew has been telling the story of Jesus as he remembers it. Jerusalem's proud, traditional hypocrisy is exposed, and grace fully blesses the tried Gentile. . Father give to me the spirit of forgiveness. God I am angry with what they've done. This sets forth not at all the way in which the Christian stands related to Christ; for even though we had known Him after the flesh, henceforth know we Him no more. Then follows the rise of what was great in its littleness till it became little in its greatness in the earth; and the development and spread of doctrine, till the measured space assigned to it is brought under its assimilating influence. Matthew says that, if even that does not succeed, then the man who has wronged us is to be regarded as a Gentile and a tax-collector. But every Scripture that treats of that time proves what dread, what anxiety, what dark clouds will be ever and anon. Matthew 18:17-18. Matthew's version of the Lord's Prayer (6:9-15) is used in the liturgies of the Christian churches. Though a testimony to them, still it was in the result a recognition of what Moses commanded. That is an incredible debt. But, yes that question is the basis for wanting to ask the question I have here. But if he neglect to hear the church: the advice they should give unto him, the reproof they should think proper for him, or the censure they should pass upon him. When the king heard of his servants behaviour, he withdrew his forgiveness (Matthew 18:31-34). He will own them. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. Jesus probably used Gentiles and tax gatherers as examples because the Jews typically withdrew from them. . We may take this great promise of Jesus into two spheres. Thanks to your prophetic seminar I am now free to be an authentic blessing to others, instead of always feeling like there is something wrong with me, because I can never seem to fit in., The residents in our recovery facility love your articles, so thank you your writings become part of their discipleship and recovery, This is an unfortunate and illegitimate understanding and application. . Now let us see. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican: To illustrate His point regarding unrepentant sin, Jesus uses two classes of people who are particularly despised in His day. How difficult this must have been for Mary, her parents and Joseph. Oh, boy how they longed for this. If we turn toMark 1:1-45; Mark 1:1-45, the proof of what I have said will appear as to the leper. If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine, and go out to the hills, and will he not seek the wandering one?
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