Matthew, Chapter 18

Matt. 18:11-14

Matt. 18:11 "For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. 12 How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? 13 And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. 14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish."

"For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost." Sometimes the question arises as to whether a passage of scripture is talking about eternal salvation or timely salvation. The context will usually give us the answer. First, without looking at the context we know that Jesus came to "save his people from their sins." Furthermore, we know that not one of the elect will be eternally lost as Jesus said, "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day."

Second by comparing with Luke chapter 15, we have timely deliverance of the shepherd seeking and finding lost sheep. Luke chapter 15 deals with the subject of repentance which only a born again child of God is capable of repentance.

Looking at our context, we find that it too speaks of a shepherd that had 100 sheep and one of them was lost. All one hundred sheep belong to the shepherd and are already sheep. He speaks of the sheep having gone astray. A person who is dead in trespasses and sins has not gone astray, he is totally oblivious to the fact that there is even a way. Only someone born of the Spirit can go astray. Thus, the context tells us that this is a timely salvation. God's people often go astray. A sheep left to his own devices will only perish from the right way. He is no match for the wild beast of the desert. We often overlook the fact that the Lord is active in bringing a child of God to repentance.

"And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray." It is not just by accident that a child of God finds his way to the sheepfold (church). The Holy Spirit has been instrumental in his finding the church and coming to repentance. If the shepherd rejoices over a lost sheep being found and brought to the sheepfold, then the Lord's people in the church should and usually do greatly rejoice.

"Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish." God's children walk in either pride or humility. When we are walking in humility, we are as one of these "little ones." It is extremely comforting to know that the Lord cares for us, watches over us, and will lead us to the right way when we go astray and then humble ourselves.

Matt. 18:15-18

Matt. 18:15 "Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican. 18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

In this passage, the Lord told us how that we are to deal with individual trespasses in the church committed against fellow church members. This is to be distinguished from the church dealing with gross immoral trespasses which is dealt with in 1 Corinthians chapter 5.

When one brother (whom we will call the offending brother) commits a trespass against another brother (whom we will call the offended brother) then the offended brother is to follow the steps outlined above in an effort to restore fellowship with the offending brother.

The first step is for the offended brother to go and tell the offending brother his fault alone. The offended brother is not to inform other members of the trespass committed against him. He is to go alone to the offending brother and in humility, not in pride, to inform the offending brother of his fault. This should be done with the desire to restore fellowship and should be done in meekness. This should not be done in an accusing tone that will only cause more conflict. If done in humility and meekness, most conflicts can be resolved at this stage. "If he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother."

The second step begins when the offending brother will not hear the offended brother: "But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established." The offended brother is to take one or two church members and go to the offending brother. The offended brother is not to tell the ones he takes about the nature of the offence until he is in the presence of the offending brother. The offended brother is not to try to persuade the members he takes with him that he is right and the other is wrong beforehand. In the presence of the other members (one or two) both the offended brother and the offending brother should give their testimony of the things that took place. In this manner every work will be established. The brethren who came as witnesses will advice the parties as to the things necessary to resolve the conflict. The vast majority of conflicts will not go beyond this stage.

However, "And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church." This matter is only to be brought before the church after the first two steps have been taken. The church should not even know there is a conflict before the first two steps have been taken. Once the matter has been taken before the church, the church will give the parties their wisdom as to what should be done. Failure to follow the direction of the church will result in the dismissal of the guilty party from church membership: "but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican." It is always with sadness when a member must be disciplined in this manner. It is necessary, at times, because of the need for the church to be at peace internally.

"Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." This simply tells us that what we bind to the truth on earth is bound to the truth in the kingdom of heaven and what we loose from error on earth is loosed from error in the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven under consideration is the church.

Matt. 18:19, 20

Matt. 18:19 "Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

One application that is often made of the above passage is when just a handful of people show up for worship service and they ask the Lord to bless the worship service even though there are only two or three there. I have witnessed on several occasions where this has happened and the Lord has manifest himself to be in the midst of the two or three that had gathered for worship.

The context suggests a broader interpretation than just when two or three gather for worship. The context says that where two shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. Does the anything they shall ask include fleshly desires? The answer is a resolute no. We read in James: James 4:2 "Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts." The second principle stated in this verse is that we receive not because we ask amiss, that we may consume it upon our lusts. We need not expect that God will answer our selfish fleshly requests. Yet we have not because we ask not.

If we ask according to the will of God for these things needed in the kingdom of heaven, then God has promised to give it to us. Sometimes we need laborers in the kingdom of heaven. Other times, we need that God will open doors for the gospel to go forth. Additionally, we sometimes need for forgiveness within the body of believers. Sometimes we need understanding. Other times, we need our eyes opened to the condition that we are in or to the dangers confronting the church. There are many things that we need in the kingdom of heaven and we should ask for those things that will result in the furtherance of the kingdom of heaven in our lives and in the lives of God's humble people.

"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." The context suggests that they are gathered to pray in the Lord's name. While it is true that when two or three are gathered for worship, the Lord often blesses them with his manifest presence, it is also true that when two or three are gathered for prayer that he manifests his presence in their midst. It is also comforting to know that we have such a promise and that we are often permitted to experience the fulfillment of that promise.

Matt. 18:21, 22

Matt. 18:21 "Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven."

The Lord answered Peter's question about how often shall a brother sin against me and I forgive him. Peter thought that seven times would be sufficient and then he would have the liberty to no longer forgive the trespassing brother. The Lord's answer shows us that we are to always forgive our brother his trespasses. Seventy times seven is four hundred and ninety which is more than we could reasonably expect any brother to ever trespass against us. In the next passage of scripture the Lord will show us the reason for us to forgive our brother every trespass that he commits against us.

Matt. 18:23-35

Matt. 18:23 "Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. 24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. 29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. 32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: 33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? 34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. 35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses."

The first servant owed his master a debt of ten thousand talents. Often the question is raised as to the value of a talent. Wipikedia encyclopedia tells us the following about a talent: "It is impossible to be exact about their value, and different kinds of talent were in use. However, even the lowest value for a talent puts it as worth several thousand denarii, and a denarius was the usual payment for a day's labour. So a talent was the value of many years of work by an ordinary person." If a talent is valued as several years of work by an ordinary person, then a debt of ten thousand talents would be the equivalent of several years of work multiplied by ten thousand. It is readily apparent that the servant had no ability to possibly pay back the debt that he owed his master.

The day of reckoning came for the first servant: "And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made." The penalty for such a staggering debt is equally staggering. The man had nothing to pay the debt with and therefore was unable to pay the debt. The debt required that he lose everything that he possessed. This is in similitude to the debt of sin that we owe to God. The debt is staggering when we consider that even the thought of foolishness is sin. The wages of sin is death. We have absolutely nothing of ourselves in which we can pay for our debt. The penalty is far worse than the penalty exacted on the first servant by his master. The penalty for sin is eternal death.

A child of God after that he is born of the Spirit begins to see the exceeding sinfulness of his sins and pleads for mercy: likewise the first servant pleaded for mercy, "The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all." The truth is the first servant could not have paid his debt even though he had a desire to do so.

Truly, the master of the first servant was merciful to him: "Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt." How much more so is God merciful to us as we are totally unable to pay back even a portion of the debt of sin that we owed and we owed a lot more than the first servant owed his master. It is by the mercy of God that we are forgiven the great debt of sin and this was done through the sacrificial atonement of Jesus Christ who paid the debt for us.

"But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest." A penny (pl. pence or pennies) is a coin or a unit of currency used in several English-speaking countries. It is the lowest value of coins in those country. A penny has very little value and a hundred pence would be worth little also. In comparison to the debt of ten thousand talents that the first servant had owed, a penny seems almost trivial in value. The comparison of the sin debt that we owed to God and the trespasses that others commit against us is even more extreme than the ten thousand talent to one hundred pence comparison.

The reaction by the first servant to the second servant because of the debt he owed seems unreasonable. To lay hands on him and to take him by the throat is a threat of much violence toward the second servant. Sometimes we see people get quite worked up about some trespass that someone has committed against them. Sometimes we also get worked up by the flesh because of a perceived trespass that someone commits against us.

"And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt." The first servant's action towards the fellowservant is clearly in contrast to the master's action toward the debt of the first servant. The master freely forgave the first servant of an astronomical debt. The first servant refused to forgive the second servant of a trivial debt. We are like the first servant when we refuse to forgive others their trespasses against us.

"So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? No amount of reason or logic can overcome the fact that we should be compassionate to forgive the trespasses of others against us based on the fact that God has forgiven us of our sins. We are wicked servants if we do not forgive.

"And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses." Failing to forgive others their trespasses against us will consume us. Unforgiveness leads to sleepless nights. We worry about how we can get vengeance on the offending brother. It truly torments us when we do not forgive our brother his trespasses. God has given us a conscience and this conscience will torment us until we forgive our brother.