LESSON 6
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW
CHPTRS. 16-19
Chapter 18
Matthew 18:1-35 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them,3 and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.4 “Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.5 “Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.6 “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.7 “Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!8 “If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire.9 “And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.10 “Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.11 “For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.12 “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?13 “And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.14 “Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.15 “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.16 “But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’17 “And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.18 “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.19 “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.20 “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.24 “And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.25 “But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made.26 “The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’27 “Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.28 “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’29 “So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’30 “And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.31 “So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done.32 “Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.33 ‘Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’34 “And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.35 “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”
18:1-35 THE GREATEST IN THE SOVEREIGNDOM OF THE HEAVENS In that hour the disciples come to Yah Shua, and are wording, Who indeed is great in the sovereigndom of the heavens? And Yah Shua calls a lad and stands him among them, and words, Amen! I word to you, Unless you turn and become as lads you enter not the sovereigndom of the heavens. So he who humbles his soul as this lad, he becomes great in the sovereigndom of the heavens: and he who takes as this lad in my name, takes me: and all who offend one of these least
who trust in me, it becomes beneficial for him to be hanging a millstone of a burro around his neck, and that he submerge into the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of offences! for of necessity, offences come: however woe to that man by whose hand the offences come!
AVOIDING OFFENCES And if your hand or your foot offends you, cut and cast them from you: it is graced for you to enter life when lame or when maimed, lest when having two hands or two feet fall into eternal fire. And if your eye offends you, pluck and cast it from you: it is graced for you to enter life with one eye lest when having two eyes fall into the Gihana of fire — the Valley of Burning ( A small valley outside Jerusalem. In the Hebrew Bible, Gehenna was initially where some of the kings of Judah sacrificed their children by fire. Thereafter, it was deemed to be cursed (Book of Jeremiah 7:31, 19:2–6). See that you not neglect one of these least: for I word to you, That their angels in the heavens see the face of my Father in the heavens. For the Son of humanity comes to enliven whatever has been destroyed.
THE PARABLE OF THE WANDERING SHEEP What see you? If a human becomes a hundred sheep and one of them wanders, forsakes he not the ninety and nine on the mountain, and goes and seeks that which wanders? And if he finds it, Amen! I word to you, he cheers more therein than of the ninety and nine who wander not. Thus it has not been the will And if your brother sins at you, go and admonish him between you and him only: if he hears you, you gain your brother: and if he hears you not guide one or two more with you: concerning that in the mouth of two or three witnesses you stand every word: and if he hears them not, word it to the congregation: and if he hears not the congregation, he becomes to you as a customs agent and as a heathen.
BINDING AND RELEASING Amen! I word to you, All you bind on earth is being bound in the heavens: and whatever you release on earth is being released in the heavens.
SYMPHONIZING TRUST Again I word to you, That if two of you equalize on earth concerning all they will to ask, so be it to them
from toward my Father in the heavens: for where two or three congregate in my name, there I am among them.
THE PARABLE ON FORGIVENESS Then Kepha approaches him, wording, My Lord, how many times, if my brother offends in me, forgive I him? Until seven times? Yah Shua words to him, I word not to you, Until seven times, but, Until seven times seventy. Because of this the sovereigndom of the heavens is likened to a man — a sovereign, who wills to take reckoning from his servants: and when he begins to take: in front of your Father in the heavens, that one of these little ones destruct.
A SINNING BROTHER they approach him with one debtor of a myriad talent weights. and when having naught to reward, his Lord misvahs to merchandise him and his woman and his sons and all — whatever he has, and to reward. And the servant falls and worships him, wording, My Lord, be patient of spirit concerning me and I reward you all. And he befriends him — the Lord of that servant, and releases him and forgives his debt. And that servant goes and finds one of his comrads being indebted one hundred dinari: and he is taking him and strangling him, wording to him, Give me whatever you are indebted to me. And his comrade falls upon his feet,and seeks of him, wording to him, Be patient of spirit with me and I reward all to you. And he wills not: but goes and casts him into the guardhouse until he gives whatever he is indebted. And when his comrades see what became, they sorrow greatly, and come and tell their Lord all that became. Then his Lord calls him, and words to him, — to that evil servant, I forgave you all that debt you sought of me: Needed you not also to be mercying your comrade as I mercied you? — and his Lord angers and shelems him to the torturers until he rewards all he is indebted to him. Thus my Father in the heavenlies work to you, unless you humans forgive your brother his offences from your hearts. Aramaic NC
THE PARABLE AND ITS MESSAGE
A.THE OCCASION WHICH LED TO ITS TELLING
1. Peter’s question about forgiving a brother – Matt. 18:21.
a. He probably thought he was being very gracious.
b. For many Jewish rabbis taught that three (3) times was sufficient.
2. Jesus’ initial response – Matt. 18:22
a. His answer is not to be taken literally, but is an infinite number.
b. Rather, Jesus confronts Peter with the truth that the spirit of forgiveness really knows no boundaries. (Believers’ Study Bible)
3. To reinforce His point, Jesus proceeds to tell the parable.
B. THE PARABLE ITSELF
1. A king shows mercy to his servant by canceling his huge debt – Matt. 18:23-27.
a. How large amount was 10,000 talents?
1) If the talent is intended, about 6,000 denarii were involved in just one talent.
2) Remembering that 70 denarius was a day’s normal wage, the poor fellow owed something like 60,000,000 denarii.
3) Using the rate of $50 as one day’s wage, the amount would be $3,000,000,000 (3 billion dollars!)
b. The mercy of the king goes beyond the actual request.
1) The request was for patience to pay the debt.
2) Yet the king was willing to forgive the debt entirely!
2. That servant in turn then refuses to cancel a fellow servant’s petty debt – Matt. 18:28-30
a. How much was a hundred denarii?
1) Remember, a denarii was equivalent to a day’s wage.
2) Using the same rate above ($50/day), the amount would be $5000.
b. The unmerciful servant refuses to heed the same plea made earlier by himself.
3. The final result: Upon this cruel servant the king imposes the former sentence, even adding to it! – Matt. 18:31-34
a. Before, he, his family, and his possessions were only going to be sold.
b. But now, he is to handed over to the torturers.
C. THE LESSON OF THE PARABLE
1. As stated by Jesus Himself – Matt. 18:35
a. So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.
b. Here the Word is talking about offenses that we take on om other, a form of unforgiveness.
2. Prompted by gratitude the forgiven one must always learn to forgive whoever has trespassed or offended him.
a. Hinders your prayers or what you receive from God if you don’t. Mark 11:25 This is what is meant by this passage. Our sins have been forgiven past, present and future.
3. We can also draw several subsidiary lessons:
a. We are all God’s debtors – Matt. 18:23; cf. Rom. 3:23
b. None are able to pay what is owed – Matt. 18:25
c. But by Christ’s atoning sacrifice, the debt is paid – Matt. 18:27; cf. Matt. 20:28
d. Only those who are willing to forgive others can be assured that they are indeed forgiven – Matt. 18:35; cf. Matt. 6:14-15
e. It should be easy to forgive others, for what we owe God is infinitely more than what others owe us – Matt. 18:32,33
f. The unforgiving person is destined for that judgment to come back to them.
We take this scripture out of context when we quote “Give and it shall be given to you”; it is about judgment. However, the principle of giving and it shall be given unto you pertains to everything.
Luke 6: 37-38 Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
This is called the law of return or the law of sowing and reaping or law of reciprocity.
Matt. 18:34,35; cf. Rom. 1:31 [Perhaps the most important point we learn from this parable is that the kingdom of heaven is to consist of people who are both forgiven and forgiving, who have both received mercy and are merciful. – cf. James 2:13
We will continue with Les.6 next week.
The blessings of the Lord are upon you whether by blood, adoption/sonship or assignment. The blessing of the LORD makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it. Prov. 10:22
David & Mary Sue