Matthew 18
Disciples ask “who is the greatest” verse 1
At the same time came the disciples to Jesus saying
Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
Jesus answers their question: little children verse 2- 4
AND Jesus called a little child unto HIM
and set him in the midst of them and said
Verily I say unto you
Except you be converted and become as little children
you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child
the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven
Jesus warns not to offend little children verse 5- 6
AND whoso shall receive one such little child
in MY name receives ME
BUT whoso shall offend one of these little ones which
believe in ME it were better for him
that a millstone were hanged about his neck
and that he were drowned
in the depth of the sea
Jesus warns about tempting others verse 7- 9
WOE unto the world because of offenses
FOR it must needs be that offenses come
BUT WOE to that man by whom
the offense comes
WHEREFORE IF your hand or your foot offend you
cut them off and cast them from thee
it is better for thee to enter
into life halt or maimed
RATHER THAN having
two hands or two feet to be cast into
everlasting fire
AND IF thine eye offend you 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
Little children have guardian angels verse 10- 11
Take heed that you 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 which is in heaven
FOR the Son of man is come to save that which was lost
Father’s will for none of little ones to perish verse 12- 14
How think you? IF a man have an hundred sheep
and one of them be gone astray
does he not leave the ninety and nine
and go into the mountains
and seeks that which
is gone astray?
AND IF so be that he find it – verily I say unto you
he rejoices more of that sheep
than of the ninety and nine
which went not astray
EVEN SO it is not the will of your Father
which is in heaven
that one these little ones should perish
Dealing with offences between believers verse 15- 17
Moreover if your brother shall trespass against you
go and tell him his fault between you
and him alone
IF he shall hear you
you have gained your brother
BUT IF he will not hear you
THEN take with you one or two more
that in the mouth
of two or three witnesses every word
may be established
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 you
as an heathen man and a publican
Church forbids or permits verse 18
VERILY I say unto you
Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth
shall be bound in heaven
Whatsoever ye shall loose on earth
shall be loosed in heaven
Jesus in midst of two or more gathered verse 19- 20
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
FOR where two or three are gathered together
in MY name
there am I in the midst of them
Peter asks how often to forgive verse 21
Then came Peter to HIM and said
Lord How oft shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him?
till seven times?
Jesus says seventy times seven verse 22
Jesus said unto him
I say not unto you until seven times
BUT until seventy times seven
Parable of giving account to king verse 23- 34
Therefore is the kingdom of heaven
likened unto a certain king
which would take account of his servants
AND when he had begun to reckon one was brought to him
which owed him ten thousand talents
BUT forasmuch as he had not to pay
his lord commanded him to be sold
and his wife and his children
and all that he had
and payment to be made
The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him
saying
Lord have patience with me
and I will pay you all
THEN the lord of that servant was moved with compassion
and loosed him and forgave him the debt
BUT the same servant went out
and found one of his fellow servants
which owed him an hundred pence
and he laid hands on him
and took him by the throat saying
Pay me that you owe
And his fellow servant fell down at his feet
and besought him saying
Have patience with me
and I will pay you all
And he would not but went and cast him into prison
till he should pay the debt
So when his fellow servants saw what was done
they were very sorry and came and told to
their lord all that was done
THEN his lord after that he had called him
said unto him
O you wicked servant
I forgave thee all that debt
BECAUSE thou desired me
Should not you also have had compassion on your
fellow servant even as I had pity on you?
AND his lord was wroth
and delivered him to the tormentors
till he should pay all that was due unto him
Father’s actions toward forgiveness verse 35
SO likewise shall MY heavenly Father do also to you
IF you from your hearts
forgive not every one his brother
their trespasses
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 3 And said, Verily I say to you, Except you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. (4762 “converted” [strepho] means turn, turn one’s self from one’s course of conduct, to change one’s mind, to undergo a transformation or a change of position or action, change one’s ways, change inwardly, or to repent.)
DEVOTION: Jesus is explaining to HIS disciples what it means to be a follower of HIM. It means a turnaround from the present way a person is going to another way. In this case, it is turning to a life that is pleasing to the LORD compared to one that is based on selfish motives. Thinking only of ourselves rather than thinking what would please the LORD according to the Bible.
Every person that is born is heading toward hell for eternity. They might not be as bad as some but it only takes one sin to show the direction life is headed for the individual. One sin and each individual is headed to hell.
The Bible says that we are born with a sin nature. We sin because it is part of our human nature since Adam sinned all are born in sin. Only the gift of salvation provided by Jesus Christ on the cross.
Each of us must change direction at one point in our life with a turnaround from sin to salvation. This can only be done with confession of sins. Once we realize our sins are wrong we can realize that only Jesus can turn our life to the point of entering heaven.
Saying a prayer without a change of heart and direction doesn’t mean that a person is born again. It takes more than a prayer. It takes a change of heart toward sin and God. Have you made that genuine change in your life?
Don’t depend on religion or church or a prayer to show that you are a believer. It is a change of heart toward sin and a turn toward pleasing the LORD every moment of every day. When we sin we confess daily our sins and then depend on the blood of Christ to cleanse from sin.
CHALLENGE: Do you have a genuine relationship with the LORD Jesus or just a form of religion?
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 7 Woe to the world because of offences! For it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence comes! (4625 “offences” [skandalon] means any cause that results in a person sinning, trap, that which causes sin, temptation to sin, stumbling block, or snare.)
DEVOTION: There are many people in our world who don’t want to have anything to do with Jesus Christ. The problem is that some of these people also don’t want anyone else to have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
These individuals will do or say anything to cause someone to reject the salvation that Jesus offers to anyone who will turn from their sins and follow HIM. This simple step needs to follow.
If someone hinders an individual from becoming a follower of Jesus has to answer to the LORD for their actions. They will be given a sentence worse than those who are just individuals who have rejected Christ.
It is a greater sin to hinder others from following Christ. Many of those in places of authority over children will face this greater punishment. Many false teachers will face these consequences for their actions.
CHALLENGE: This is a warning to everyone who has an influence over others to turn them away from Christ.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 33 Should not you also have had compassion on your fellow servant, Even as I had pity on you? (1653 “pity” [eleeo] means compassionate, have mercy, show mercy)
DEVOTION: Our responsibility as believers is to be able to help those who are around up who don’t know Jesus Christ as the personal Savior. That means that we have to be a witness in word and deed.
Once someone comes to us and asks us about Jesus we need to present the Gospel to them and give them a chance to respond to the message of salvations.
Here we have the LORD instructing HIS disciples in the area of showing compassion. Too often we find that those who claim to know the LORD today don’t seem to be interested in witnessing and leading someone to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
One reason as that not all those who say are believers are not genuine in their faith. They have attended church most of their life and think that they are a believer but have no desire to help others to become believers.
This is not right. If we are genuine believers we should have a burden for those who don’t know HIM.
Here in this book of Mathew we find that Jesus is telling HIS disciples to witness to other. It states with compassion but must go further if the individual is to become a genuine believer.
Every genuine believer needs to be a witness to those we know that don’t know Jesus. It takes time and effort.
CHALLENGE: Do you make the time and effort to reach those you love or know to come to know Jesus as their personal Savior? If not, you are not obeying the command of Jesus to reach others.
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: 35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if you from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. (863 “forgive” [aphiemi] means to send away, to bid go away or depart, to let go, give up a debt, keep no longer, or to abandon)
DEVOTION: All of us have someone who has done us wrong. Some ask for forgiveness. Many do not ask for forgiveness. We have the responsibility to forgive either way. If we keep a bitter spirit it will not help us and it will not hurt the one who has hurt us. The LORD tells us to forgive someone seventy times seven times a day. There might be someone that can hurt us that much in a day but the LORD is making the point that we are to be a forgiving people.
The illustration of the servant who owned so much money it was impossible for him to pay it back – was forgiven. He in turn goes to a servant who only owns a little money and doesn’t forgive him. The Lord hears what happened and judges the unforgiving servant.
The disciple’s prayer tells us to forgive so that the Father can forgive us. This word has been emphasized in many chapters of this gospel. Why? Because it is a problem among those who claim to follow the LORD. We are not a forgiving people. We like to become enemies with fellow Christians. Or that is what it seems like.
How much has the LORD forgiven each of us, so that, we can go to heaven? We haven’t stopped sinning yet and HE still has forgiven us. What is that worth? One thousand?. Ten thousand? A hundred thousand? Does a fellow believer owe you something? Are we willing to let go? Are willing to give up the debt? Are we willing to reestablish the relationship? Do we want to keep our distance from a fellow believer that has hurt us? Should we? NO!!! Christ said we are to abandon our hurt. We are supposed to be in the ministry of reconciliation. Are we being reconciled with those who have hurt us? Pray for wisdom on how to reestablish a relationship with those who have hurt us. Remember that if we don’t forgive, the LORD will not forgive us. Be a forgiving person!!!
CHALLENGE: Go to the LORD and ask if there is someone that we are bitter toward. If so, ask the LORD to help you to forgive them.
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Church verse 17
Gathered together verse 20
Worshipped verse 26
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
Father in heaven verse 10, 14, 19
Will of the Father in heaven
not will that one little one perish verse 14, 23
Kingdom of heaven likened to a
Certain king – take account of
his servants
Owed 10,000 talents
Heavenly Father verse 35
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
Jesus verse 1, 2, 22
MY Father in heaven verse 10, 19
Son of man has come to save the lost verse 11
Gathered MY name – HE is in midst verse 20
Lord verse 21
Forgive brother seventy times seven verse 22
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Little ones have guardian angel (GOOD) verse 10
Behold the face of MY Father verse 10
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Little child verse 2, 5
World verse 7
Lost verse 11
Fellow servants who owedcast into prison
till debt is paid showed not forgiveness verse 28- 30
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Offend little ones who believe in Jesus verse 6- 9
Better if he was drowned in the depth
of the sea
Woe unto the world because of offences!
If hand or foot offend – cut it off
If eye offend – pluck it out
Despise not one of these little ones verse 10
Lost verse 11
Gone astray verse 12
Trespass (brother) verse 15
Fault verse 15
Not hear verse 16, 17
Not hear church verse 17
Heathen man verse 17
Publican verse 17
Loose on earth shall be loose in heaven verse 18
Sin verse 21
Impatience verse 29
Wicked verse 32
Trespasses verse 35
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Converted verse 3
Become as little children verse 3
Humble verse 4
Believe verse 6
Save verse 11
Story of lost sheep verse 12, 13
Brother verse 15
Hear verse 15
Take witnesses verse 16
Bind on earth = bound in heaven verse 18
Two agree together on earth on something
it shall be done verse 19
Gather in Jesus name verse 20
HE is in midst of them
Forgive verse 21, 22, 27, 32
Patience – fell down and asked verse 26
Compassion verse 27, 33
Forgive every one his brother their trespasses verse 35
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Disciples of Jesus verse 1
Who is the greatest in the
kingdom of heaven?
Peter verse 21
Question: How often shall my
Brother sin against me
and I forgive him?
seven times?
Church (New Testament people of God)
Humans who become as little children
who are converted verse 4
Receive one such little child in JESUS
name received HIM verse 5
Church verse 17
Fellow servant verse 33
Last Things (Future Events)
Kingdom of heaven verse 1, 3, 4, 23
Everlasting fire verse 8
Hell fire verse 9
Perish verse 14
Heaven verse 18
Delivered to the tormentors verse 34
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QUOTES regarding passage
35 Jesus sees no incongruity in the actions of a heavenly Father who forgives so bountifully and punishes so ruthlessly, and neither should we. Indeed, it is precisely because he is a God of such compassion and mercy that he cannot possibly accept as his those devoid of compassion and mercy. This is not to say that the king’s compassion can be earned: far from it, the servant is granted freedom only by virtue of the king’s forgiveness. As in 6:12, 14–15, those who are forgiven must forgive, lest they show themselves incapable of receiving forgiveness. (Carson, D. A. (1984). Matthew. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke (Vol. 8, p. 407). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
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The Lord was teaching that forgiveness ought to be in direct proportion to the amount forgiven. The first servant had been forgiven all, and he in turn should have forgiven all. A child of God has had all his sins forgiven by faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore when someone sins against him, he ought to be willing to forgive … from the heart no matter how many times the act occurs (cf. 18:21–22; Eph. 4:32). (Barbieri, L. A., Jr. (1985). Matthew. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 63). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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He became a prisoner (vv. 31–34). The king originally delivered him from prison, but the servant put himself back in. The servant exercised justice and cast his friend into prison. “So you want to live by justice?” asked the king. “Then you shall have justice! Throw the wicked servant in prison and torment him! I will do to him as he has done to others.” (There is no suggestion that the entire family was sentenced. After all, it was the father who abused the other servant and ignored the king’s kindness.)
The world’s worst prison is the prison of an unforgiving heart. If we refuse to forgive others, then we are only imprisoning ourselves and causing our own torment. Some of the most miserable people I have met in my ministry have been people who would not forgive others. They lived only to imagine ways to punish these people who had wronged them. But they were really only punishing themselves.
What was wrong with this man? The same thing that is wrong with many professing Christians: They have received forgiveness, but they have not really experienced forgiveness deep in their hearts. Therefore, they are unable to share forgiveness with those who have wronged them. If we live only according to justice, always seeking to get what is ours, we will put ourselves into prison. But if we live according to forgiveness, sharing with others what God has shared with us, then we will enjoy freedom and joy. Peter asked for a just measuring rod; Jesus told him to practice forgiveness and forget the measuring rod.
Our Lord’s warning is serious. He did not say that God saves only those who forgive others. The theme of this parable is forgiveness between brothers, not salvation for lost sinners. Jesus warned us that God cannot forgive us if we do not have humble and repentant hearts. We reveal the true condition of our hearts by the way we treat others. When our hearts are humble and repentant, we will gladly forgive our brothers. But where there is pride and a desire for revenge, there can be no true repentance; and this means God cannot forgive.
In other words, it is not enough to receive God’s forgiveness, or even the forgiveness of others. We must experience that forgiveness in our hearts so that it humbles us and makes us gentle and forgiving toward others. The servant in the parable did not have a deep experience of forgiveness and humility. He was simply glad to be “off the hook.” He had never really repented.
“And be you kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Eph. 4:32). “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do you” (Col. 3:13). (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 67–68). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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“How oft shall … I forgive him?” Peter had not risen to the true conception of grace which God had shown toward him, and which he was to manifest toward a brother.
“Until seventy times seven.” Seven is the perfect number. Our Lord raises this, as it were, to its highest power. Our forgiveness is to be like that which God has given to us. Seventy times seven may seem like an impossible number of offenses to forgive, but have we not all exceeded that number many times in our relations with God?
“A certain king, which would take account of his servants.” In this parable the disciple is viewed as a subject of the kingdom, under the government of God, who, though He is our Father, exercises corrective discipline over His people (1 Peter 1:17).
“One … which owed him ten thousand talents.” This was an immense sum, whether the talents were of gold or only of silver. It suggests one who has been guilty of great offenses against the divine government.
“He had not to pay.” The offender is morally bankrupt. No man can ever make up to God for the wrong he has done. “His lord commanded him to be sold.” According to the law then prevailing, the insolvent debtor could be sold into slavery.
“Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.” While no man could meet the full demands of God’s holy law, yet the attitude of this debtor is one of penitence and repentance.
“The lord of that servant … loosed him, and forgave him the debt.” Even so does God deal with His erring servants when they face their sins in His presence and own the claims of His righteous government. Observe, it is not the case of the forgiveness of an unsaved man that is here before us, but a servant of God who has grievously failed.
“One of his fellow-servants … owed him an hundred pence.” It was a very trivial sum, as compared with the other great debt. No man can possibly offend any of us to anything like the extent that our sins have offended a holy God. “Pay me that thou owest.” To demand full satisfaction of a brother who has wronged me, when God has dealt so graciously with my greater offense, is to act inconsistently with the principle of grace.
“His fellow-servant … besought him.” He takes the same attitude toward his creditor that the other had taken toward his lord, and he should have had the same consideration.
“He would not: but went and cast him into prison.” The creditor was obdurate and not only refused forgiveness, but also cast his fellow-servant into the debtors’ prison, doubtless hoping his friends would come to his aid and pay the debt.
“His fellow-servants … told unto their lord all that was done.” Shocked by such conduct, the unworthy creditor’s evil action was reported to his lord by those who were aware of the facts of the case.
“O thou wicked servant!” The indignation of the master was stirred by the perfidious conduct of the one toward whom he had extended such clemency.
“Delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due.” Governmental forgiveness may be revoked, as in this instance, where the recipient of it forfeits all title to consideration because of his inconsistency afterward. Observe that it is not that eternal forgiveness which God bestows upon the believing sinner that is here in view, but the forgiveness of one already in the kingdom who has grievously failed.
“So likewise shall My heavenly Father do … if ye … forgive not.” It is the Father who deals with the members of His own family, and who will not overlook harshness or lack of compassion on the part of His children toward their erring brethren. There are many of God’s children who are under disciplinary correction all their days, simply because there is some one whom they will not forgive. Let us search and try our own ways as to this matter.
Those who have entered into the kingdom by new birth (John 3:5) are all forgiven sinners who stand before God on the ground of pure grace. Nevertheless, as children in the family of God, they are subject to the Father’s discipline and are under His government. The moment our responsibility as sinners, having to do with the God of judgment, ended, our responsibility as children, having to do with our Father, began. In this new relationship we are to display the activities of the divine nature, and therefore are called upon to act in grace toward any who may offend us. If we fail to do this, we shall be sternly disciplined in order that the government of God may be maintained in His own family.
Different Aspects of Forgiveness. If we do not distinguish the various aspects of forgiveness as set forth in the Word of God, we are likely to be in great confusion of mind because of God’s disciplinary dealings with us after our conversion to Christ. When He saves us He forgives us fully and eternally, and will never, as Judge, remember our sins again (Heb. 10:17). But as His children, we are to confess our sins whenever we fail, and He gives restorative forgiveness (1 John 1:9). Certain governmental results, however, may follow these failures, which are not to be construed as indicating that God has not pardoned, but He would teach us by discipline the heinousness of sin in His sight (2 Sam. 13, 14). Forgiven ourselves, we are to forgive our brethren who sin against us (Col. 3:13). Members of the Church who offend against God’s righteous principles are to be disciplined, but forgiven when they give evidence of repentance (ver. 17; 2 Cor. 2:7). (Ironside, H. A. (1948). Expository notes on the Gospel of Matthew. (pp. 230–234). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)
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Ver. 33. Shouldst not thou also have had compassion, &c.] It is but reasonable, what ought to be, and may be expected, that such who have received mercy, should show mercy; and as the Lord had compassion on this man, and had forgiven him such an immense sum, and saved him, his wife and children, from being sold for bond-slaves, the least he could have done after this, would have been to have followed such an example, and have had mercy, as his Lord says to him, on thy fellow-servant; between whom, and him, there was not so great a distance, as between him, and his Lord; and the sum so small that was owing to him, as not to be mentioned with his: even as I had pity on thee; such an instance of pity and compassion did not only set him an example, worthy of his imitation, but laid him under an obligation to have acted such a part.
Ver. 34. And his Lord was wroth, &c.] Very angry, greatly incensed, and justly provoked at such inhuman treatment: and delivered him to the tormentors, or jail-keepers. The Ethiopic version renders it, to them that judge, or the judges; Munster’s Hebrew Gospel, to the punishers, or such that inflicted punishment according to the decree of the judge: from both, the sense may be, that he was delivered over to proper judges of his case, to be treated as the nature of it required, to be cast into prison, and there endure all the severities of law and justice: till he should pay all that was due unto him; which being so vast a sum, and he but a servant, could never be done: but inasmuch as this man was fully and freely pardoned before, how comes it to pass, that full payment of his debt is yet insisted on? It is certain, that sin, once pardoned by God, he never punishes for it; for pardon with him is of all sin; he forgives all trespasses, though ever so many, and remits the whole debt, be it ever so large; which act of his grace will never be revoked: it is one of his gifts which are without repentance; it proceeds upon, and comes through a plenary satisfaction for sin made by his own son, and therefore it would be unjust to punish for it: by this act, sin is covered out of sight; ’tis blotted out, and entirely done away, and that for ever. Hence some think this man had only the offer of a pardon, and not that itself; but it is not an offer of pardon, that Christ, by his blood, has procured, and is exalted to give, but that itself; and this man had his debt, his whole debt forgiven him: others think, that this was a church-forgiveness, who looked upon him, judged him, and received him as one forgiven; but for his cruel usage of a fellow-member, delivered him to the tormentors, passed censures on him, and excommunicated him, till he should give full satisfaction, which is more likely: others, this forgiveness was only in his own apprehensions: he presumed, and hoped he was forgiven, when he was not; but then his crime could not have been so aggravated as it is: rather, this forgiveness is to be understood of averting calamities and judgments, likely to fall on him for his iniquities, which is sometimes the sense of this phrase: see 1 Kings 8:34, 36, 39 and so his being delivered to the tormentors may mean, his being distressed with an accusing guilty conscience, an harassing, vexing devil, many misfortunes of life, and temporal calamities. Though after all, this is not strictly to be applied to any particular case or person, but the scope of the parable is to be attended to; which is to enforce mutual forgiveness among men, from having received full and free pardon at the hands of God; and that without the former, there’s little reason to expect the latter, as appears from what follows. (Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 1, pp. 210–211). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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Perhaps it is difficult to reconcile the process of discipline laid out in 18:15–20 with the duty of unlimited forgiveness taught in 18:21–35. But both can be tied back to the controlling motif of the chapter: disciples as the little ones, brothers (and sisters) of one another, together children of the heavenly Father. Disciples dare not allow this family to be disrupted by offenses, yet they cannot resolve offenses without a forgiving spirit. In terms of another metaphor found in this chapter, a straying sheep cannot be left alone in the wilderness, but those who seek it must be willing to receive it back into the flock. When this delicate balance between discipline and forgiveness is faithfully maintained, excommunication from the church is in reality a self-imposed exile (Davies and Allison 1991:804). (Turner, D., & Bock, D. L. (2005). Cornerstone biblical commentary, Vol 11: Matthew and Mark (p. 244). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.)
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FROM MY READING:
Do you find your own heart sensitive to the Lord’s presence, or are you among those who are “samplers” and “nibblers”? God help you if you are, for the child of the King isn’t a sampler and a nibbler – he’s a sheep who loves his Shepherd, and he stays close to his Shepherd. That’s the only safe place for a sheep – at the Shepherd’s side, because the devil doesn’t fear sheep – he just fears the Shepherd. Your spiritual safety and well-being lies in being near to the Shepherd. Stay close to Jesus and all of the wolves in the world cannot get a tooth in you. (p. 160, TozerSpeaks, A. W. Tozer)
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Old Testament WORDS for Today by Warren W. Wiersbe
The English word “principal” comes from the Latin primus, which means “first.” Wisdom is the first thing, the most important thing, the supreme thing. Why? Wisdom is supreme because it touches every area of life. In the book of Proverbs, Solomon shows us that wisdom is needed in the home, in the neighborhood, on the job, in marriage, in raising children, in earning money and spending it, and in our walk with the Lord. (p. 114)
Wisdom is supreme because it transforms learning into living. (p. 114)
Too many professed Christians are good at listening to and learning from the Bible but very weak when it comes to obeying what it says. (p. 115)
British novelist and critic Aldous Huxley said, “Experience is not what happens to a man. Experience is what a man does with what happens to him.” (p. 115)
Smart people can acquire money, power, and prestige, and God can use these things; but wise people go beyond them and grow in spiritual wealth and power to the glory of God. (p. 115)
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A Merciful and Faithful High Priest by Martyn Lloyd-Jones
But in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus condemned every one of us, showing that we have all broken the holy Law of God. We are all unclean; we are all hypocrites; we are all under the judgment of God. That is the pattern that we see in the Sermon on the Mount. (p. 163)
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Romans 15
We are to conduct our lives in a way that glorifies God.
INSIGHT
When we become Christians, we exchange our citizenship on earth for citizenship in heaven. Therefore, we live according to the value system in heaven, not the value system on earth. On earth we look out for ourselves, and we satisfy our own wants and desires. In heaven we look out for the welfare of others. This does not mean that we neglect ourselves and our families. Other passages in Scripture indicate that we are to love our spouses, children, and parents and care for their needs, which brings this teaching into balance with other truths. (Quiet Walk)
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JESUS, HIS SON
…the blood of Jesus Christ his Son … 1 John 1:7
I would not say there is no value at all in good, uplifting, and moral teaching or that there is no benefit to be derived by society from the consideration of noble ideas and exalted conceptions with regard to life. That is all right, but it is just not Christianity. It has nothing to do with it, in a sense, and we can do no greater violence to the New Testament doctrine than to represent the message of Christ’s birth as but some vague general message of goodwill and of good cheer and happiness. That is not its message at all.
If we do not start with the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, if we are not absolutely clear about Him, then there is nothing. There is no good news, there is no evangel, there is no gospel; there is nothing to cheer us up, there is no hope. We are just living in the darkness of the world, and we are unutterably foolish in trying to persuade ourselves that things are better than they really are. There is no such thing, in a sense, as “the Christmas spirit.” That is not the Christian message, which is not a vague spirit; it is a message of news concerning Christ. So, therefore, we must of necessity start at this point and be absolutely clear about this matter.
As has often been pointed out, Christianity is Christ. It all centers around Him, and every doctrine that we have and every idea that we possess is something that comes from Him. Therefore, of necessity we must start with Him, and of course John in this letter has already done so. The whole message that John has to deliver to us is that there is only one way of fellowship and communion with God, and that is because of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is He alone who can enable us to know this fellowship, for there is “one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).
A Thought to Ponder: Christianity is Christ.
(From Fellowship with God, pp. 148-149, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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The Real and the Unreal World
“He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s, and he hath set the world upon them.” (1 Samuel 2:8)
The above text contains the first reference in the Bible to God’s world. The “pillars” upon which it is set are, literally, “firm summits” (not “columns”), speaking of its permanence, “established that it shall not be moved” through the eternal ages when “the LORD reigneth” (Psalm 96:10).
That is the real world, where all who have been “raised up” by the Lord through faith in His Word will “inherit the throne of glory” and reign with Him forever. But that real world has, for a time, become “this present evil world” (Galatians 1:4), often mistakenly represented by its worldly inhabitants as their “real” world. In reality, this present world is very ephemeral, for “the world passeth away” (1 John 2:17).
This present unreal world has become the domain of Satan, “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4), for “the whole world lieth in wickedness [or ‘the wicked one’]” (1 John 5:19). Consequently, it is essential for believers now living in the world to heed the Lord’s warning: “I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you” (John 15:19).
The “world” includes its inhabitants and the world system they have developed. This present world, because of sin, has become so unreal that it no longer even knows its Creator. “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not” (John 1:10). Nevertheless, “God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:17). We can defeat this present evil world and prepare for our eternal service in the real world to come. “This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4).
(HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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Daily Hope
Today’s Scripture : Ecclesiastes 10:1-4
A good joke told at the proper time can relieve tension or provide a moment of lightheartedness to strenuous situations. A wiseman knows the importance of speech and how it can assist or hinder their ability to manage circumstances.
Solomon has been discussing the words of a wiseman and how a misspoken word or action can erase the careful words previously spoken. Solomon begins chapter ten with a proverb that was also used in chapter seven. Perfume is prepared to be aromatic and pleasing to the sense of smell but the addition of dead flies changes the smell and causes it to emit a foul odor. Solomon uses this illustration to highlight the potential harm that can occur when a foolish act is done at the wrong time. Folly or foolish activity is spoken here seven times and each time the writer says that it results in damaging the character of the individual.
The reason for this tendency of foolishness is stated by Solomon as coming from the heart of man (v.2). The center of man controls the “issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23) and inclines an individual to either wisdom or foolishness. In ancient times, the practice of placing the heart at the right and left hand was indicative of a man with or without wisdom. The right hand was a position of power and honor and the left was weakness and foolishness.
A foolish man not only allows his speech to reveal folly but Solomon also says that his entire life reveals this weakness. The paths he chooses and the carelessness of decisions mark the man inclined to live a life of foolhardiness and underachievement (v.3-4). Solomon describes the principle of foolishness in one’s life and how it is applied to four areas of life, which we will look at tomorrow.
Being the center of attention and the life of the party is not always a bad trait. Using the personality and traits God has given, along with the sensitivity of timing, will provide opportunity to demonstrate wise usage of humor and instruction. Proverbs also saw the wisdom of speaking carefully by saying, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear.” (Proverbs 25:11). Let us take careful inspection of the words we speak to others and seek to speak words of wisdom!
With an Expectant hope, Pastor Miller
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