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Gospel of Matthew Chapter 18

by Paul George  
8/29/2008 / Bible Studies

Matthew 18:1-35
Chapter 18 contains the fourth major discourse that Matthew recorded. This discourse continues Jesus' instruction to His disciples that He began in 17:14. Instead of focusing on Jesus, the Lord's teaching focused on the disciples and their responsibilities as His representatives. The theme of this discourse is humility.

Matthew introduces and concludes this discourse, as he did the others, with statements suggesting that Jesus delivered this address on one specific occasion. The preceding revelations about the King and the kingdom led the disciples, probably the twelve, to express interest in who would be greatest in the kingdom (Mark 9:33-38; Luke 9:46-48). Perhaps Peter's leadership among the disciples and Peter, James, and John's privilege of seeing Jesus transfigured made this one of their growing concerns. Jesus had taught that there would be distinctions in the kingdom (Matthew 5:19; 10:32- 33). If Jesus gave this teaching in Peter's house, the child may have been Peter's child, but this is only a possibility. In any case, Jesus using the child as an example for adults to follow was shocking in His day. People of the ancient Near East regarded children as inferior to adults. They did not receive the consideration that adults enjoyed until they reached adulthood. Children were to look to adults as examples to follow. Now Jesus turned the tables and urged His disciples to follow the example of a child. To do so would require humility. Jesus told His disciples it was necessary that they change and become as little children. He told them childlikeness was necessary for entrance into the messianic kingdom.

Jesus used a child in His teachings concerning humility because children have many characteristics that distinguish them from adults, but because of the disciples' concern with position in the kingdom and the teaching that follows, humility is clearly in view. Young children have little concern about their personal prestige and position in relation to other people. In one sense, the disciples had already humbled themselves as children when they believed on Jesus. However, in another sense they had abandoned that attitude when they became concerned about their status in the kingdom. They needed to return to their former childlike attitude. Although, they had exercised great power through simple faith in Jesus, as time passed they got away from depending on Him, lost their power, and needed to return to dependency on faith. Although, Peter had made a great confession of faith in Jesus, shortly after his great confession he failed to submit to Jesus.

Verse 3 also clarifies that the kingdom was still future when Jesus said the disciple who humbled himself as a little child would be the greatest in the kingdom. Greatness in the kingdom was what these disciples wanted (v 1).

The major sub-theme of this discourse is offenses. The humble disciple will be careful not to put an obstacle in the path of another disciple as that one proceeds toward the kingdom.

In verse 5, Jesus was speaking of receiving a disciple of His. Whoever does this receives the disciple because he or she is one of Jesus' disciples, not because that disciple is personally superior, influential, or prominent. The person who receives one of Jesus' disciples simply for Jesus' sake virtually receives Jesus. In this context, as well as in chapter 10, Jesus was speaking in the sense of extending hospitality.

In verse 6, Jesus refers to the rejecting or ignoring one of His disciples. Rejection or ignoring one of Jesus' disciples would cause a disciple to stumble in the sense that it would make it harder for him to do his work. Jesus was not speaking of causing the disciple to stumble by leading him or her into apostasy. The contrast makes this clear. To reject or ignore the disciple amounts to rejecting and ignoring Jesus. Therefore, drowning at sea would be better for the offender than having to face Jesus' condemnation in at the time of judgment (vv.8-9). Drowning was a Greek and Roman method of execution but not a Jewish one. The type of millstone in view was a large one that a donkey would rotate, not the small hand millstone a Jewish woman used to prepare her flour. Drowning in this way would be horrible, but it would be better than being cast into the lake of fire (v 8).

Jesus next warned His disciples about the possibility of their doing what the world does, namely, making it difficult for another disciple to fulfill his or her mission for Jesus. In the context, one's competitive pride of position might cause another disciple to stumble. The point of this warning is the seriousness of rejecting or opposing Jesus' disciples in their work of carrying out His will. It is as serious as child abuse. Jesus taught the importance of receiving a little child in Mark 9:36-37 and Luke 9:48.

The twelve were in danger of using worldly standards to measure and give value to their fellow disciples, as is done today.

Many interpreters believe that the last part of verse 10 teaches that God has guardian angels who take special care of small children. However, the context of verse 10 is not talking about small children but disciples who need to be as humble as small children are. Furthermore, the angels in this passage are continually beholding God's face in heaven, not watching the movements of small children on earth. Evidently, the angels in view are the supernatural messengers, the normal meaning of angels, who assist God's people (Hebrews 1:14). This seems be more likely than that they are the spirits of believers after death who constantly behold God's face. Another view is that they are the spirits of children who have died.

Are there guardian angels for children? I like to think there are because of God's concern for children, however, this verse does not teach the existence of guardian angels.

Having taught the importance of humility, Jesus now illustrated it with a parable. The shepherd in the parable is God (v 14). The sheep are those who follow Him, namely, Jesus' disciples. God has concern for every one of His sheep and seeks to restore those of them that wander away from Him. He has such great concern for the wayward that when they return to Him He rejoices more than over those who did not wander away. This does not mean that God loves His wayward sheep more than He loves His faithful sheep. It means that when wayward sheep return to Him it gives Him special joy. Since God has such great concern for His disciples who go astray, His disciples should be very careful not to do anything that would cause one of His sheep to go astray.

Notice again Jesus' identification of Himself and God in this parable. Jesus' disciples are God's sheep. Therefore, Jesus and God are one.

Verse 14, concludes the teaching the discourse thus far. The heavenly Father does not want one of Jesus' disciples to wander away from his calling in life as a disciple because someone has discouraged, rejected, or opposed him. Moreover, He does not want His disciples, of all people, to be responsible for this. Perishing in this verse means the result of failing to achieve God's goal for a disciple.

In verses 15-20, Jesus explains what a disciple should do when a brother or sister disciple has wandered from the Shepherd and the flock. By using, the term "brother" Jesus encouraged a humble approach. The disciples should deal with each other as brothers rather than as superiors and inferiors. Jesus did not specify what sin is committed that takes the disciple away from the Shepherd. Jesus commanded His disciples to go to such a person and reprove him in private. The disciple must take the initiative and confront.
This going to a brother and show him his fault in private is taught in the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 19:17). The Mosaic Law also advocated the second step that Jesus taught
(Deuteronomy 19:15). However, Jesus broadened the field of civil law that the
Deuteronomy passage covered to include any sin about which a disciple might need rebuke. Jesus was not advocating the whole Mosaic Law. He was applying the provisions in the Law that He declared were now binding on His disciples. If the brother or sister does not repent, a third step would be necessary (v 17). The third step, if necessary, is to report the situation to the "church." This is the second reference to ekklesia in Matthew and the only other occurrence of this word in the four Gospels.

When Jesus said, "Tell it to the church" the disciples probably understood this to mean tell it to the other disciples. Applying this command today becomes more difficult because the number of the disciples is incalculable and they live around the globe. Probably the scope of public announcement would be a local church congregation, the particular collection of disciples of which the wayward brother is a part.

If the erring disciple does not respond to the church's encouragement to return to the Shepherd, Jesus said the disciples should treat such a person as a Gentile and a tax gatherer. This does not mean the disciples should receive him or her warmly as Jesus received such people (Matthew 8:1-11; 9:9-13; 15:21-28). The context as well as the New Testament parallels to this exhortation show that Jesus had exclusion in mind (Romans 16:17; 2 Thessalonians 3:14). Jesus probably used Gentiles and tax gatherers as examples because the Jews typically withdrew from them. That is what He wanted His disciples to do regarding the erring brother or sister; he cannot be treated as a spiritual brother, for he has forfeited that position. He can only be treated as one outside the church, not hated, but not held in close fellowship.
Neither Jesus nor the apostles specified the exact form this discipline should take, excommunication, exclusion from the Lord's Supper, social isolation, etc. It appears Jesus intended the disciples involved in such situations to make these determinations based on all the facts in each particular case. However, it seems to be going too far to put the offender in a situation in which it would become impossible for him or her to repent and experience restoration later. The objective of all discipline is ultimately restoration, not exclusion.

Verse 20, It should be obvious from the context that this promise does not refer to whatever two or three disciples agree to ask God for in prayer. The Bible contains many promises concerning prayer, but this is not one of them. In the context, "anything" refers to any judicial decision involving an erring disciple that the other disciples may make corporately. God has always stood behind His judicial representatives on earth when they carry out His will. This is a wonderful promise. God will back up with His power and authority any decision involving the corporate discipline of an erring brother or sister that His disciples may make after determining His will. Here again (v.20) Jesus takes God's place as "God with us" (Matthew 1:23; 2:6; 3:3; 11:4-6, 7-8; cf. 28:20). This statement implies a future time when Jesus would not be physically present with His disciples, the period following His ascension and preceding His return.

From a discussion of discipline, Jesus proceeded to stress the importance of forgiveness.

This led Peter to ask how often he as a disciple should forgive an erring brother before he stopped forgiving. The rabbis taught that a brother should forgive a repeated sin three times, but after that, there need be no more forgiveness (Amos 1:3; 2:6). Peter suggested seven times. Jesus' response alluded to Genesis 4:24 where the ungodly Lamech said, "If Cain is avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy-sevenfold." Lamech claimed to have taken even more revenge on the man who struck him than God had taken on Cain for killing his brother Abel. Jesus turned Lamech's bad example around and urged his disciples to practice generous forgiveness when their brothers offend them.

Jesus was not specifying a maximum number of times His disciples should forgive their brothers. Neither was He wiping out what He had just taught about confronting an erring brother. His point was that disciples should not limit the number of times they forgive one another nor the frequency with which they forgive each other. The parable of the unmerciful servant clarified this point.

Retired pastor,Church of the Nazarene

Author of web site Exploring God's Word

www.thewordofgodonline.net

New American Standard Bible

King James Version

The World English Bible

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