Matthew 18 (WEB)

Matthew 18:1–9

Who is the greatest, and causing others to stumble

In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”

Jesus called a little child to himself, and set him in the middle of them and said, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if a huge millstone were hung around his neck and that he were sunk in the depths of the sea.

“Woe to the world because of occasions of stumbling! For it must be that the occasions come, but woe to that person through whom the occasion comes! If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire. If your eye causes you to stumble, 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 the Gehenna of fire.

The disciples ask who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus places a child among them and says they must change and become like children to enter the kingdom; whoever humbles himself like this child is greatest, and whoever welcomes such a child in his name welcomes him. But anyone who causes one of these 'little ones' to sin would be better off drowned with a millstone round his neck, and it is better to lose a hand, foot or eye than to be thrown into the fire.

What does this mean?

To 'be converted' (KJV) or 'turn' (WEB) means to change direction. To 'offend' (KJV) or 'cause to stumble' (WEB) means to lead someone into sin or away from faith. The millstone is literally a 'donkey's millstone', the large upper stone of a mill turned by an animal.

Historical context

Children had little status in the ancient world: they had no legal standing and were valued mainly for their future. The point is not children's supposed innocence but their lowliness and dependence.

Why does it matter?

This begins the fourth of Matthew's five teaching blocks, often called the community discourse, about how disciples are to treat one another. The 'little ones' are its vulnerable members; the hand-and-eye sayings repeat 5:29–30, here applied to harm done to others. The reversal of status returns in 20:25–28.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Matthew 18:10–14

The lost sheep

See that you don’t despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. For the Son of Man came to save that which was lost.

“What do you think? If a man has one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine, go to the mountains, and seek that which has gone astray? If he finds it, most certainly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

Jesus tells the disciples not to despise these little ones, whose angels always see God's face. If a man with a hundred sheep loses one, he leaves the ninety-nine to look for it and rejoices when he finds it. In the same way, God does not want any of these little ones to be lost.

What does this mean?

The angels of the little ones reflect Jewish belief in guardian angels (compare Psalm 91:11; Acts 12:15); 'always behold the face' implies direct access to God.

Historical context

A hundred sheep was a modest flock. Shepherds were responsible for each animal and had to account for losses.

Why does it matter?

Verse 11 is missing from the earliest manuscripts and is thought to come from Luke 19:10; the KJV and WEB include it. Luke tells this parable in reply to critics of Jesus' welcome to 'sinners' (Luke 15:3–7); Matthew applies it to members of the community who stray.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Matthew 18:15–20

When a fellow disciple sins

“If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother. But if he doesn’t listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector. Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven. Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them.”

Jesus gives a procedure for dealing with a fellow believer who sins: speak to him privately, then with one or two witnesses, then before the whole assembly; if he still refuses to listen, treat him as an outsider. He gives the community authority to bind and loose, and promises to be present where two or three gather in his name.

What does this mean?

'Church' (KJV) or 'assembly' (WEB) translates ekklesia, as in 16:18; here it means a local gathering of disciples. 'As an heathen man and a publican' (KJV) means as someone outside the community. The authority to bind and loose given to Peter (16:19) is now shared by the community.

Historical context

The requirement of two or three witnesses comes from Deuteronomy 19:15.

Why does it matter?

Many scholars see this passage as reflecting the life of Matthew's own community. The promise of Jesus' presence echoes 'God with us' (1:23) and 'I am with you always' (28:20); the Mishnah, from around AD 200, says something similar of God's presence where two study the Law together.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Matthew 18:21–35

The unforgiving servant

Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?”

Jesus said to him, “I don’t tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven. Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. When he had begun to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But because he couldn’t pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife, his children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all!’ The lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him and forgave him the debt.

“But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him one hundred denarii, and he grabbed him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’

“So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay you!’ He would not, but went and cast him into prison until he should pay back that which was due. So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told their lord all that was done. Then his lord called him in and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?’ His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors until he should pay all that was due to him. So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don’t each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds.”

Peter asks whether he must forgive as many as seven times. Jesus says 'seventy times seven', and tells of a king who cancels a servant's enormous debt; the servant then seizes a fellow servant over a small sum and has him jailed. Hearing of it, the king hands the first servant over to the jailers. So God will treat those who do not forgive from the heart.

What does this mean?

The Greek can mean seventy-seven or seventy times seven; either way it means without limit, and it may echo Lamech's boast of seventy-sevenfold revenge (Genesis 4:24). 'Pence' (KJV) are denarii; a denarius was roughly a day's wage. 'Tormentors' were jailers who might use torture.

Historical context

A talent was worth about six thousand denarii, so ten thousand talents was an unimaginable sum, far beyond any servant's means; a hundred denarii, about a hundred days' wages, was real but repayable. Debtors and their families could be sold into slavery or imprisoned until relatives paid.

Why does it matter?

The parable dramatises the petition 'forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors' (6:12).

Editorial notes, not scripture.