Matthew 18
Matthew 18 caught my attention when I read
verses 7-9. This is a hard saying. Would we want to cut off our hand or foot or
pluck out our eye? What was Jesus saying? People often write this teaching off
because they think it impossible. People consider it one of the “hard sayings”
of Jesus. When we look at it closer in context, we see the overall lesson, verse 11, “For the Son of Man has come to save
that which was lost.” What occurs when Christ saves people? They accept that He
is the Son of God who died to take away their sins and they ask for forgiveness
of their sins. In Matthew 18, Jesus gave us several types of people as well as
the temptations that cause people to sin, from which they need saving.
The occasion that began Jesus’ teaching
was when the disciples questioned Him about who is greatest in heaven. Jesus
called a child to himself and said, “Unless you are converted and become like
children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (vs. 3). That appears easy
and straightforward. Each person who wishes to enter heaven must be humble,
recognize God’s supremacy, recognize Jesus as the Savior, and with a sincere
heart ask for forgiveness. People who are converted and humble are children of
God and will be great in God’s kingdom because they are His children and co-heirs
with Christ. Jesus went further when He said, “Whoever receives such a child (a
believer in Jesus) receives Me, but whoever causes one of these little ones (a
child of God) to stumble, it would be better if he or she was drowned in the
sea” (vs.5-6). Wow, what a statement! Causing a person, a believer, to stumble
by tempting them (to sin) is such a great sin on the tempters part. Jesus had set
the stage for what He next taught the disciples. Children of God receive the
kingdom of heaven and are “great” because they are children of God. Great sin
occurs when a person causes a believer to fall into sin by deliberate tempting
or wrong teaching. Jesus said it would be better for that person to tie a
millstone around their neck and drown. That is extreme, too. Jesus wanted the
attention of the disciples so exaggerated the statement.
In verses 7-10, Jesus spoke of the
person who creates the stumbling blocks. Because we live in a fallen world,
stumbling blocks come. Jesus said, “Woe to the man through whom the stumbling
block comes!” Jesus was serious when He said this. He became even more serious
in the next two verses. He said,
If
your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you.
It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than to have two hands or
two feet and be cast into the eternal fire. If your eye causes you to stumble,
pluck it out and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one
eye, than to have two eyes and be cast into the fiery hell. (vs. 8-9 [NASB])
Jesus
changed the recipient of the stumbling block in these verses. He now spoke of
the person providing the stumbling block as being the one who stumbles. He spoke
of the person’s own inclinations creating temptations for him or herself. Jesus
recognized that two people stumble from one temptation, the one providing the
temptation or stumbling block and the one who stumbled. These two people could
be the same and we know this to be a proper diagnosis of sin. Often our desires
cause us to act upon temptation and sin. Jesus added a further note to the one
creating the stumbling block. He said, “Do not despise one of these little
ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of
My Father who is in heaven” (vs. 10). Sometimes we create stumbling blocks for
God’s children because we are jealous of their piety or favored-ness of God. We
need to be aware that whatever we do to make them stumble, their guardian
angels in heaven are aware of and bring before the Father so He can give the
child strength of spirit to stand against the temptation. We can have this,
too, so do not despise them, but seek the Father.
The first two sections of chapter 18
(Jesus spoke of who a child of God is) warns those who make stumbling blocks
for God’s children, made the disciples aware that these people create stumbling
blocks for the child and for themselves, and angels go before God intervening
for the child of God to stand strong during the times of trial. The children of
God, because of Jesus dying for them, have strength available from God to
withstand temptations to sin, whether the sin to create the temptation or
succumb to the temptation. In the next three stories, Jesus gave further
details about what He came to give us.
Verses 12-14 speak of a shepherd, who, upon
noticing one sheep of the hundred has gone astray, chose to find the lost one.
Jesus does not give up on any of us. He came to save us all. In verses 15-20,
Jesus told us how to correct a sinning brother or sister first gently then with
much greater effort. He reminded us that we can go to the Father in prayer to
help lead the person, the sheep, back to the fold of God. Jesus said, “If two
of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for
them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered
together in My name, I am there in their midst” (vs. 19-20). We need to
confront the sinning believer as to his or her sin. If this does not work then
Jesus provided two other steps to approach the person about their sin. These
should be done while at the same time praying to the Father. The believers pray
for the confronted person and for themselves - that they will not fall to temptation
while confronting the person, for the ability to love the confronted person,
and for the return of the person, the lost sheep, to the fold.
The final story in the lesson is on
forgiveness. Jesus told Peter that His disciples must forgive a brother or
sister his sin up to seventy times seven. Since the number seven is a complete number
in the Bible, Jesus could have said seven times seven, but He wanted to be
emphatic and said ten times that. Jesus said His disciples are to forgive
people an infinite number of times, unending forgiveness, just as He forgives
us repeatedly. Jesus gave an example of this great forgiveness. He said, “The
kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with
his slaves. When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand
talents (A talent was worth more than 15 years wages of a laborer.) came before
him. Since he did not have the means to repay, the lord commanded him to be
sold along with his wife and children and everything he owned, and repayment be
made. The slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him saying,
‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ The lord of the slave
felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt” (vs. 23-26). Upon
receiving the lord’s mercy and having his debt cleared from his name, the
servant went to collect debts owed to him. One slave begged for mercy to have
more time to repay. The forgiven slave threw the fellow slave into prison until
he could pay back what he owed. When the lord heard this, he summoned the
forgiven slave, gave him an account of his own mercy to him, and told him he
should have learned from the lord his master. The lord in anger handed the
slave over to the torturers until the slave could repay the debt that he forgave
him . This slave met the lord, but did not give all of himself to him; he had
not learned from the lord. By his actions, the servant/slave showed he was not
a part of the lord’s true household because he did not extend mercy and
forgiveness as his master did.
Each of these stories speaks of forgiveness.
The stories give us glimpses into God’s character and the characters of
humankind. The first story of the lost sheep shows us God’s determination to
save humankind. He goes to great lengths to save each of us, which includes
unconditional forgiveness and mercy. The second story shows us that God is
determined to find and confront us with His love, mercy and forgiveness because
He wants each person to come to have a personal and saving relationship with
Him. God is persistent in seeking us. It also shows us, believers in Jesus
Christ, how we are to approach a sinning brother or sister in love and with the
grace and power of God. The third story tells us we are to forgive infinitely.
No matter how often we have to forgive a person for causing harm against us, we
are to forgive them. Jesus forgave our past sins and will forgive future sins
when we come to him confessing and asking His forgiveness.
There is another part to these stories; Jesus
tells us who we are to be, to love, and to forgive. The small child in verses
1-6 represents each believer in Jesus Christ. We must remember children of God
who are younger in the faith than we and to whom we are more accountable to
teach and not cause to stumble. In verses 7-10, the person causing the
stumbling block is of whom Jesus spoke. We need God’s strength and forgiveness,
too. Verses 12-14 speak of sheep, those who are in the fold of God (current
disciples) and the one Jesus is determined (the person not yet a disciple) to
follow and bring to safety. Jesus forgave them of their sins and went to great
lengths to bring them to His fold. We used to be that lost sheep. As sheep in
His fold we can still stray and Jesus will still seek for us to take us home.
Jesus spoke of disciples leading other disciples in His name in verse 15-20. He
also spoke about following His way and calling upon Him to help the sinning
brother or sister return to God’s way. The final story speaks of a lord,
symbolic for God, and a servant who supposedly is a devoted follower of the
master’s ways. This servant received great mercy and forgiveness, but then
showed his true beliefs by exacting from a fellow servant vengeance when he could
not repay him. This servant proved his lack of devotion to the master by his
lack of following the master’s example and teaching.
In each of these stories, Jesus showed the
Father’s forgiveness. To the humble child, He gave forgiveness upon confession
and acknowledgement of Him as Lord and Master. To the one who causes stumbling
blocks, Jesus gave advice to remove from them that that causes temptation for them
and creates temptation for others. Jesus loves so much as to teach His
disciples to beware of their own sinful selves and remove from themselves
whatever causes temptation. In the third story, Jesus purposely sought for the
lost one because the Father’s will is that no one should live an existence
separate from Him. Jesus went out of His way to find and forgive. In the fourth
story, Jesus taught that He forgives every time a person asks and His disciples
should forgive infinitely, too. Finally, Jesus taught that the Father wants everyone
to come to Him so much that He will forgive them no matter what they have done.
Yet, when that person, such as the first servant, turns out not to be a true
son of God, God’s righteousness and justice prevail, especially when it causes
one of His children harm or makes them stumble in their own faith. Because the
second servant borrowed from the first, I assume the first servant had
seniority over the second. The first should have been one to teach, as the
master/lord taught him; but, he had not learned well and caused harm to the
second servant. By putting the second servant into prison, mercy would not be
taught and the servant and his family would be harmed.
This last story brings us back to verses 6-9.
Jesus told the disciples not to create stumbling blocks for His children, themselves
or other believers. He forgives infinitely a person who confesses his or her
sin with a sincere heart. Jesus forgives each of God’s children and goes out of
His way to seek the lost so that no one is lost for eternity. There are people,
though, who intentionally create stumbling blocks and temptations for God’s
people or who allow themselves to live in such a way that they distract themselves
from the proper devotion due to God.
What came most to my attention while studying
is the hard saying Jesus taught in verses 7-9. What is it that causes you to
remove you devotion from God? Is your drive for climbing the ladder at work keeping
you from reading the Bible daily? Is your desire for the newest edition of a
car or a bigger house keeping you from seeking God’s face and worshipping Him? Is
your desire for just a little wine keeping you from praying to God? Is your
mental occupation of food keeping you from thinking about God? Possibly the
eye, foot, or hand that is causing you to sin are these or a myriad of other
things you allow to take priority in your life. Could you live with a smaller
or older house or car so that you did not have to work so much and could go to
church or Bible study? Could you move to another location so you are not as close
to the bar or pub? Could you use the money God gives you to buy less for
yourself and buy food for another family who does not have enough? Instead of
allowing your eye, hand or foot (things close and dear to you) to guide you,
allow your concentration on God and His will for your life to guide you. Do not
let your desires drive you away from God as the non-believers do. It is better
not to have these reminders of desires that distract your devotion to God than
keep them and have to fight the temptation each day. Remove yourself physically
from these temptations. Do as Jesus taught in Matthew 6:33 “Seek first the
kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to
you.”
What is your millstone? What is it that
occupies your mind and drives you?
Is it God or
your
next meal,
your
next house,
your
next car, or
your
next drink?
Many
things can become stumbling blocks. Do not let Satan deceive you into believing
you want and need them.
Jesus came to seek and save the lost.
Are you lost?
Seek the kingdom of God and He will give
you His righteousness and all you need.
