Matthew 18

[Bible] Jesus saith to him, `I do not say to thee till seven times, but till seventy times seven. `Because of this was the reign of the heavens likened to a man, a king, who did will to take reckoning with his servants, and he having begun to take account, there was brought near to him one debtor of a myriad of talents, and he having nothing to pay, his lord did command him to be sold, and his wife, and the children, and all, whatever he had, and payment to be made. The servant then, having fallen down, was bowing to him, saying, Sir, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all; and the lord of that servant having been moved with compassion did release him, and the debt he forgave him. `And, that servant having come forth, found one of his fellow-servants who was owing him an hundred denaries, and having laid hold, he took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that which thou owest. His fellow-servant then, having fallen down at his feet, was calling on him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all; and he would not, but having gone away, he cast him into prison, till he might pay that which was owing. `And his fellow-servants having seen the things that were done, were grieved exceedingly, and having come, shewed fully to their lord all the things that were done; then having called him, his lord saith to him, Evil servant! all that debt I did forgive thee, seeing thou didst call upon me, did it not behove also thee to have dealt kindly with thy fellow-servant, as I also dealt kindly with thee? `And having been wroth, his lord delivered him to the inquisitors, till he might pay all that was owing to him; so also my heavenly Father will do to you, if ye may not forgive each one his brother from your hearts their trespasses.` Chapter 19 And it came to pass, when Jesus finished these words, he removed from Galilee, and did come to the borders of Judea, beyond the Jordan, and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them there.

[Bible] And having gone forth thence, they were passing through Galilee, and he did not wish that any may know, for he was teaching his disciples, and he said to them, `The Son of Man is being delivered to the hands of men, and they shall kill him, and having been killed the third day he shall rise,` but they were not understanding the saying, and they were afraid to question him. And he came to Capernaum, and being in the house, he was questioning them, `What were ye reasoning in the way among yourselves?` and they were silent, for with one another they did reason in the way who is greater; and having sat down he called the twelve, and he saith to them, `If any doth will to be first, he shall be last of all, and minister of all.` And having taken a child, he set him in the midst of them, and having taken him in his arms, said to them, `Whoever may receive one of such children in my name, doth receive me, and whoever may receive me, doth not receive me, but Him who sent me.` And John did answer him, saying, `Teacher, we saw a certain one in thy name casting out demons, who doth not follow us, and we forbade him, because he doth not follow us.` And Jesus said, `Forbid him not, for there is no one who shall do a mighty work in my name, and shall be able readily to speak evil of me: for he who is not against us is for us; for whoever may give you to drink a cup of water in my name, because ye are Christ`s, verily I say to you, he may not lose his reward; and whoever may cause to stumble one of the little ones believing in me, better is it for him if a millstone is hanged about his neck, and he hath been cast into the sea. `And if thy hand may cause thee to stumble, cut it off; it is better for thee maimed to enter into the life, than having the two hands, to go away to the gehenna, to the fire — the unquenchable -- where there worm is not dying, and the fire is not being quenched.

[Reformed Biblical] (14.) We should never be weary of forgiving our brethren, Matthew 18:22. We should do it cheerfully. We should do it always. We are never better employed than when we are doing good to those who have injured us. Thus doing, we are most like God. (15.) There will be a day in which we must give up our account, Matthew 18:23. It may wait long; but God will reckon with us, and everything shall be brought into judgment. (16.) We are greatly indebted to God—far, far beyond what we are able to pay, Matthew 18:24. We have sinned, and in no way can we make atonement for past sins. But Jesus the Saviour has made atonement, and paid our debt, and we may be free. (17.) It is right to pray to God when we feel that we have sinned, and are unable to pay the debt, Matthew 18:26. We have no other way. Poor, and needy, and wretched, we must cast ourselves upon his mercy, or die —die for ever. (18.) God will have compassion on those who do it, Matthew 18:27. At his feet, in the attitude of prayer, the burdened sinner finds peace. We have nowhere else to go but to the very Being that we have offended. No being but He can save us from death. (19.) From the kindness of God to us we should learn not to oppress others, Matthew 18:28. (20.) It is our true interest, as well as duty, to forgive those that offend us, Matthew 18:34. God will take vengeance; and in due time we must suffer if we do not forgive others. (21.) Christians are often great sufferers for harbouring malice.

[Reformed Biblical] {h} "save that" Matthew 1:21; Luke 9:56; 19:10; John 3:17; 10:10; 12:47 1 Titus 1:15 ## THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW - Chapter 18 - Verse 12 Verses 12-14. To show still farther the reason why we should not despise them, he introduced a parable showing the joy felt when a thing lost is found. Man rejoices over the recovery of one of his flock that had wandered, more than over all that remained. So God rejoices that man is restored, seeks his salvation, and wills that not one thus found should perish. If God thus loves and preserves the redeemed, then surely man should not despise them, See this passage farther explained in Luke 15:4-10. {i} "if a man" Luke 15:4 ## THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW - Chapter 18 - Verse 13 ## Verse 13. No Barnes text on this verse. See Barnes on "Matthew 18:12" ## THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW - Chapter 18 - Verse 14 Verse 14. No Barnes text on this verse. See Barnes on "Matthew 18:12" {k} "one of these" 2 Pe 3:9 ## THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW - Chapter 18 - Verse 15 Verses 15-20. Moreover if thy brother. The word brother, here, evidently means a fellow-professor of religion. Christians are called brethren because they belong to the same redeemed family—having a common Father, God, and because they are united in the same feelings, objects, and destiny. Trespass against thee. That is, injure thee in any way, by words or conduct. The original word means, sin against thee. This may be done by injuring the character, person, or property.

119. The same Matthew then proceeds with his narrative in the following terms: "In that hour came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who, thinkest Thou, is the greater in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto Him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven;" and so on, down to the words, "So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses." Of this somewhat lengthened discourse which was spoken by the Lord, Mark, instead of giving the whole, has presented only certain portions, in dealing with which he follows meantime the same order. He has also introduced some matters which Matthew does not mention. Moreover, in this complete discourse, so far as we have taken it under consideration, the only interruption is that which is made by Peter, when he inquires how often a brother ought to be forgiven. The Lord, however, was speaking in a strain which makes it quite clear that even the question which Peter thus proposed, and the answer which was returned to him, belong really to the same address. Luke, again, records none of these things in the order here observed, with the exception of the incident with the little child whom He set before His disciples, for their imitation when they were thinking of their own greatness

Matthew 18:5, 6, 10, 14 — " whoso shall receive one such liftle child in my name receiveth me : but whoso shall cause one of these little ones that believe on me to stumble, it is profltable for him that a great millstone should be hanged about Ms neck, and that he should be sunk in the depth of the sea See that ye despise not one of these little ones : for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven Even so it is