QUESTION #31 How think ye?

   QUESTIONS JESUS ASKED BIBLE STUDY

 

    Read Matthew 18:1-35 KJV: 

 

  How think ye? (Matthew 18:12)

 

LIFE UNDER KINGDOM AUTHORITY

Reference: Matthew 18:1-35; Mark 9:35-50; Luke 17:1-10

 

Beginning with Matthew 18 we start a section of the book that records a lot of the teaching of Jesus to His followers and can be applied to His followers today. Jesus is literally preaching to the New Testament church. What strikes you as you read the chapter is the use of family terms for believers—they are little ones, children, and brethren. The family terminology used in the Bible, and believers in the Church, immediately reminds us of our duties to one another. 

 

GREATNESS AND HUMILITY (VERSES 1-4)

 

The chapter begins with the disciple’s question about who was the greatest in the kingdom. If we piece the gospels together, Luke tells us that Jesus detected their rivalry (Luke 9:46:48), Mark says he challenged them and silenced them (Mark 9:33-38), and Matthew reports how they blurted out this question (Matthew 18:1).

 

Jesus responded to their question with a demonstration—a child. Jesus called a child to Him and solemnly warned them that they must change and become like little children, for unless they do they will not enter the kingdom of heaven. The point of the child as an illustration is humility. A child is not concerned with social status. A child does not worry about what to eat or wear. A child automatically trusts that their loving parents provide these things for them. The point is that the kingdom cannot be gained by merit or force. The disciples have to change, they have to humble themselves as a child, they have to become like children in their heart attitudes. Out of such humility will come childlike trust. The person who truly humbles himself will be the greatest in the kingdom. The disciples have begun their journey to kingdom greatness by trusting the Lord.

 

The child’s humility is the pattern of the Christian’s behavior to his fellow-men, and the child’s dependence and trust are the pattern of the Christian’s attitude towards God.

 

THE SERIOUSNESS OF CAUSING BELIEVERS TO SIN (VERSES 5-7)

 

The first part of the teaching is a blessing: whoever welcomes a little child (a new believer) in the name of Jesus welcomes Jesus. This goes beyond mere hospitality; it presupposes the animosity of the world and takes care of the new believers spiritually. To offer them friendship and welcome them into your home is to befriend Jesus and welcome Him into your home.

 

On the other hand, children (new believes) are susceptible to danger and can stumble, even the greatest of them. So the warning is given to those who cause these little ones to stumble. The idea of rejecting them will cause some to stumble. It may lead to serious sin; but it immediately concerns their following Jesus. Rejecting them is rejecting Jesus (Matthew 10:40-42; 25:31-46).

 

Because the crime is so great, that is, because they not only reject Jesus but also seek to cause the little ones (new believers) to sin and turn away from Christ, the projected picture is strong. It would be better for them to be drowned in the sea before doing this, than to commit these crimes and face eternal judgment. Jesus referred to a heavy millstone; the stone pulled by animals, to make the point forceful; and the description of eternal judgment is likewise severe. 

 

Then Jesus announces a woe to the world, especially to those who would do so wickedly. This is a proclamation of judgment, not an expression of sympathy. And it focuses on the world and the stumbling blocks. The stumbling blocks are there, but woe to those through whom they come!

 

THE SERIOUNESS OF SIN (VERSES 8-9)

 

Jesus instructs the disciples to get rid of things that cause them to sin. The language here is an overstatement if taken literally. “But if your hand offends thee, cut it off…” The point here is the failure to deal radically with sin is harmful, detrimental. It is not enough for one to confess such sins and then go on their normal way. No, they must determine how to rid themselves of the opportunity for such sin. How do we know “that cutting off one’s hands” are to be interpreted figuratively? Some have taken them literally and cut off hands and maimed themselves to root out sin. But the root of sin is the heart. Get rid of the occasion to sin from the root – the heart. Cutting off one’s hands or feet will not get rid of sin.

 

SEEK THOSE WHO STRAY (VERSES 11-14)

 

Parable of the lost sheep. Jesus spoke this parable twice, evidently for a different purpose on each occasion. In Luke’s account it emphasizes Jesus’ pursuit of the lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7). In this context however, the parable summons those who share God’s concerns to pursue the lost sheep. God cares for each believer, even the weakest. This parable begins and ends with God’s care for His sheep (verses 10, 13-14).

 

The parable summons those who share in God’s flock to go after those who stray. It is not enough not to cause stumbling; we must also actively seek to prevent anyone from stumbling. As Paul says, “if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness” (Galatians 6:1). 

 

DISCIPLINE IN THE CHURCH (VERSES 15-17)

 

Christians are brothers and sisters – not just members of the same organization. People value family relationships more highly than social relationships. Jesus calls us to value relationships with Christian brothers and sisters as highly as blood kin – even if our Christian brothers and sisters are guilty of an offense.

 

If we become aware of a sin or offense against us, we have a responsibility to initiate action and, if possible, to effect a remedy. We are not to gossip or sulk, but to confront. The goal is to regain the offender – to help the sinner in his struggle against sin. That implies a confrontation designed to win the offender back instead of driving him farther away. You are to confront him alone, just between the two of you. 

 

“But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two witnesses with you.” The first step was to confront your brother alone. The second step is to take one or two brothers to witness the fact that the offender will not listen to settle the matter between you. It is easier to dismiss the opinion of one person in the council of two or three. It is possible that they will help the offended party to see the offense is light or they may discover that the offended party is the true offender. In any event, the goal is not to fix blame but rather remove the sin and to restore the sinner. If the conflict cannot be resolved during this second intervention, the “one or two witnesses” will serve as witness before the church. Their testimony will help the church to understand the problem and to establish a remedy.

 

“If he refuses to listen before the witnesses” then you are to take it before the church. If he will not listen to the church, then he is to be treated as a heathen and a publican. In other words, the offender is to be treated as an “unbeliever and outsider”. The unrepentant sinner is no longer a brother or sister – no longer a member of the church. The early church understood the deadly consequences of tolerating sin. The church was to treat the unrepentant sin of each sinner as a spiritual cancer that had the potential to destroy the whole body.

 

Discipline is not a popular concept these days. While it appears that the church is forcing the offender outside the church, it is, in reality, only acknowledging that the offender has placed himself there. The hope is that the offender, finding himself outside the fold, will be motivated to take steps to regain membership back into the fold.

 

POWER OF PRAYER (VERSES 18-20)

 

Jesus also told Peter “whatever you shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven” and “whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”. To better understand this concept, we turn to Matthew 18:15–20, where Jesus addresses relationships in the kingdom of heaven (to the converted Christian), using the same “binding and loosing” (Matthew 18:18) language we find in Matthew 16:19. Based on God’s Word, authority has been given to the believer in Christ Jesus to bind and loose. 

 

Despite what we may or may not understand about prayer, God has deliberately chosen this particular vehicle as the one that drives His activity in His people’s lives. It’s the means by which He allows us to partner with Him in the fulfilling of His will. He created prayer as the primary way of putting us into personal contact with Him. Prayer is the portal that brings the power of heaven down to earth.

 

AND WHEN TWO OR THREE BIND TOGETHER IN PRAYER – IT IS POWERFUL!

 

REPEATED FORGIVENESS (VERSES 21-22)

 

All of this prompted Peter to ask Jesus, “How many times must one forgive his brother – seven times?” This now concerns personal forgiveness, not the work of the church. Judaism taught forgiveness for the same sin three times, but Peter suggests seven. Jesus’ response is way more than that. He refers to Genesis 4:24 to say seventy-seven times. Jesus did not mean that seventy-seven was the limit; nor did He mean there was no discipline in the church; or that people should simply keep forgiving. His point was that sins among the brethren, these little ones were to be forgiven, and forgiveness cannot be limited by frequency or quantity. 

 

In the parable of the unmerciful servant the story is painfully clear. It illustrates the Lord’s Prayer that we ask forgiveness as we forgive. This unmerciful servant owed millions, and he was forgiven his debt. But then he turned around and exacted a hundred days wages from one of his fellow servants, he had no sense of forgiveness or mercy. And it all came back on his head at the end, or in judgment day.

 

There is no contradiction with God’s much forgiveness and His ruthless judgment. It is because God is so compassionate and merciful that he cannot and will not tolerate those who are not. People who do not forgive do not truly know what it means to be forgiven. This parable is to illustrate that everyone has been forgiven more than they will ever forgive. 

 

Jesus ended the sermon with, “Likewise shall My heavenly Father, do unto you also, if your hearts do not forgive every one of your brother’s trespasses.” Remember – if you want to be forgiven, you have to forgive.

 

Jesus gave us much to think about. How think ye?

 

Notes: