Matthew 18
DODDMatthew 18:10-20
Our Lord farther enforces condescension and humility, and gives rules for the accommodation of disputes and offences among Christians. Mat. XVIII. 10—20.
MAT. XVIII. 10. TAKE heed 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 which is in heaven.
MAT. XVIII. 10.
FARTHER to promote the humility and moderation of his disciples, our Lord proceeded in the discourse which he began (as in the former section) with the little child in his arms, and said, Take special heed that you despise not one of these little ones, or that you do not cast contempt on the weakest and meanest of my servants, nor slight even the soul of a child; for I say unto you, that their attendant angels, while in heaven, do incessantly behold the face of my heavenly Father;ᵃ
ᵃ Their attendant angels while in heaven, &c.] The fathers looked on this as an argument that each good man has his particular guardian angel: (see Suicer. Thesaur. Vol. I. p. 43.) And Grotius also seems to allow the force of it. I apprehend this passage rather intimates that the angels who sometimes attend the little ones spoken of, at other times stand in God’s immediate presence; and consequently that different angels are at different times employed in this kind office, if it be incessantly performed. The general sense is
plain, that the highest angels do not disdain, on proper occasions, to perform services of protection and friendship for the meanest Christian; but, as St. Paul says, they are all ministering spirits sent forth to minister to the heirs of salvation: (Heb. i. 14.) I say, the highest; because to behold the face of God may signify waiting near his throne, and be an allusion to the office of chief ministers in earthly courts, who daily converse with their princes. See Grotius; and compare 2 Sam. xvi. 19; 1 Kings xii. 6; Esth. i. 14; and Luke i. 19.
Nor will the ‘ather suffer one o them to
and if the highest courtiers in the world above do not disdain, on proper occasions, to minister unto them, much less should you disdain it. Especially when you consider how much greater an instance of condescension you have continually before you, than it is possible even the angels should give; for the Son of man himself,b that great and illustrious Personage, came not, as many have imagined, to reign and triumph upon earth, but by all the offices of humility and endearment to save that which was lost and undone; and he takes a gracious and constant oversight of the least, as well as the greatest, of his redeemed ones. (Compare Luke xix. 10, sect. cxliii.) What do you think would be the conduct of a faithful shepherd? If a man had a flock of an hundred sheep, and but one of them should wander from the rest, would he not leave the ninetynine in their pasture or fold on the mountains,c and go out with the most solicitous care and labour to seek that which is gone astray? And if he happen to find it, I assuredly say unto you, that he will bring it back with greater pleasure, and the recovery of it will give him a more sensible joy, than the safety of the ninetynine which had not wandered at all. (Compare Luke xv. 4, 5, sect. cxxii.) Even so the love and tenderness of God for those who are regarded by him as his children is such, that you may be assured it is not the will of your heavenly Father that any one of these little ones should be lost, for want of your care in attending it, or through your negligence in seeking its recovery.
And, as in order to the recovery of your weaker brethren, admonition will frequently be necessary, let me lay down a rule, which, when larger societies are formed among you, it will be of great importance to attend to with the utmost care: If thou shalt know thy brother
b For the Son of man himself.] The particle for here introduces another reason to enforce the caution not to despise these little ones, and not a proof of their angels beholding God’s face. See noted on Luke xi. 36, Vol. I. p. 352.
c Leave the ninetynine on the mountains.] The original will bear either this construction, or that which is given in our common translation; but I have rather chosen to express it thus, as most agreeable to what we find in Luke, chap. xv. 4, sect. cxxii.
hey should deal with an offending brother.
to be guilty of a fault, and he shall sin against thee, go and reprove him in the most convincing, yet the most gentle manner that thou canst; and that he may take it the better, let it be done between thee and him alone: if he will hear thee with due regard, it is well, for by this means thou hast gained thy brother; he will return to the way of his duty, and the friendship between you will thus be established on firmer foundations than ever, in consequence of this substantial token of thy impartial sincerity and frankness of temper. (Compare Prov. xxviii. 23.) But if he will not hearken [to thee,] take with thee one or two more, who are persons of character and reputation in the society, that their presence may add greater weight to the admonition given, and may be of service, either to silence his objections, and bring him to a sense of his fault, or to prevent disputes, and justify thy conduct, if the matter should be carried farther; as in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established more effectually than it could otherwise have been. (See Deut. xix. 15.) But if he shall be still incorrigible in his fault, and disregard them in the advice they offer him for peace, then tell it to the whole church, or
⁴ Reprove him in the most convincing — manner that thou canst.] The word ἐκείνε signifies to convince as well as to admonish. Compare John viii. 9, 46; xvi. 8; 1 Cor. xiv. 24; Tit. i. 9; and James ii. 9. The reader will observe I often choose to give the full force of a word in the paraphrase, rather than greatly to increase the number of words in the version, though so increased they might express no more than is expressed in a single word or two in the Greek.
ᵉ Tell it to the whole church.] This is one of those many scriptures which would have been very intelligible if they had not been learnedly obscured by ingenious men, whose interest it has been to spread a cloud over them. I am more and more convinced that the vulgar sense of the New Testament, that is, the sense in which an honest man of plain sense would take it on his first reading the original, or any good translation, is almost every where the true general sense of any passage; though an acquaintance with language and antiquity,
with an attentive meditation on the text and context, may illustrate the spirit and energy of a multitude of places in a manner which could not otherwise be learned. The old English editions of 1539 and 1541, render it, Tell it to the congregation; and, I think, properly enough. The word church is unhappily grown into a term of art, and has by different persons a variety of secondary ideas annexed to it; as Dr. Watts has beautifully shewn in his Essay on Uncharitableness, p. 7—10. But it signifies in general an assembly, or number of people, called together on whatever occasion, as is well known. (Compare Acts xix. 32, 39.) It is in the New Testament generally used, as here, for a particular assembly (Acts xiv. 23; 1 Cor. iv. 17; xiv. 23; xvi. 19); but sometimes it is used for the whole body of Christians, because they are now called out from the world, and are at last to be gathered together in the presence of Christ their head (2 Thes. ii. 1), and to dwell for ever with each other, and with him (1 Thes. iv. 17.) Compare Mat. xvi. 18
Whatever they bind on earth shall be bound
society of worshipping Christians to which he belongs, and among whom he has immediate communion in gospel ordinances; and if they concur in any admonition to the offender, and he be so far hardened as to disregard the whole church, or society of Christians, you have then done your utmost to reclaim him; and while he continues in this obstinate temper, you will do well to enter your protest against it, by forbearing any intimate friendship with such a person; and let him therefore in this case be to thee even as a heathen, and a publican, or other most notorious sinner, to whom you would perform only the common offices of humanity, but would avoid his intimate society as scandalous, and to whom you are not under those peculiar obligations whereby Christian brethren are bound to each other.
These are the maxims which you, my apostles, are to inculcate on my other followers, and let them see to it, that they duly regard you; for verily I say unto you, You shall be furnished with such Divine illumination and assistance, as shall abundantly confirm the authority of your decisions on every case and question which may occur; and fully prove (as I formerly told you that whatsoever you shall bind, even in this course of your humble ministry on earth, shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven. (See note b on Mat. xvi. 19, Vol. I. p. 485.)
Eph. i. 22; iii. 10; v. 24; and Col. i. 18, 24. According to Bishop Stillingfleet’s interpretation of this text, (in his Irenicum, book ii. cap. 5, § 8) it should be rendered, Tell it to an assembly, or a select company. But it is certain the force of the article is better preserved by our version; and as undoubtedly it must be an assembly of Christians (compare 1 Cor. vi. 1), so no interpretation seems so natural as that it should be that assembly which was under a peculiar obligation to watch over the person in question (compare 1 Cor. v. 12, 13, and 2 Thes. iii. 14, 15), and that whose advices and remonstrances he was peculiarly obliged to hear. And this was likewise conformable to the usage of the Jews, who admonished offenders in their synagogues, and to many of
their maxims, which commentators mention on this text. See Lightfoot’s Hor. Hebr. in loc. and Selden de Syned. lib. i cap. 9.
b As a heathen, and a publican, or other most notorious sinner.] If I am not much mistaken, that celebrated text in Titus relating to heretics (chap. iii. 10), which requires that a man who disturbs the peace, or subverts the faith of his Christian brethren, should be twice admonished, and then discarded by the society, may be much illustrated by this passage. When such a case occurs (as well as when a offended brother has just cause of complaint) each particular person concerns must judge as well as he can, remembering he is answerable to Christ for the impartiality of such judgment.
ns on the management of church censures.
And further, as a convincing token and demonstration of this, I say unto you, That this authority and power not only shall attend the actions of your whole united body, but even if any two of you shall agree together here on earth, concerning any thing which they shall think it proper to ask in prayer, for the miraculous confirmation of any of their determinations, it shall be immediately done for them by my Father in heaven. For where but two or three are assembled in my name, with a regard to my authority, and to the purposes of my glory, whatever the peculiar occasion be, I am there by my special, though invisible, presence, in the midst of them, and will shew, by all proper interposition of my Divine power, the regard I have to their interest and their prayers.
IMPROVEMENT.
THUS happy are the meanest servants of Christ, in the care and favour of their heavenly Master, and in the angelic guard which, by his high command, are continually attending even the lambs of his flock. So condescending are the blessed spirits above, that even the greatest of them do not disdain to minister unto the heirs of salvation; (Heb. i 14.) Let not the wisest and greatest men despise those whom angels honour with their guardianship and care; especially since the Son of man, that merciful Shepherd, has come forth into this wilderness to save that which was lost, and even to seek and recover us when we were gone astray, and should otherwise have wandered on to our eternal ruin.
What could have been more happy for the church of Christ than the observation of this plain and easy rule which he has given for ending disputes among his followers! And yet who, that sees the conduct of the generality of Christians, would imagine they had ever heard of such a rule? Instead of this private expostulation, which might often bring a debate to a speedy and amicable conclusion, what public charges! what passionate complaints! what frequent and laboured attempts to take, if the least
⁸ If any two of you shall agree together here on earth.] The text so expressly refers to agreeing in a petition, that I wonder the learned and judicious editors of the Prussian Testament should render it, If any two of you shall live on earth in a good understanding with each other. Perhaps there may be a reference to the notion the Jews had, that it was necessary at least ten should concur in social prayer, if any
extraordinary success was expected. See Trigland de Secta Karaorum, cap. x. page 172.
⁹ It shall be done for them, &c.] That this refers to a miraculous answer of prayer may appear from comparing Mat. xxi. 21, 22; Mark xi. 13, 24; John xiv. 13, 14; 1 John iii. 22; v. 14, 15; and Jam. v. 16. See Tillotson’s Works, Vol. III page 307.
How often an offending brother should be forgiven.
scandalous, yet not the least pernicious kind of revenge, by xciv. wounding the characters of those whom we imagine to have ver.17 injured us!
As for church censures, how lamentable is it that they have been so little conformable to this rule, and in many instances so contrary to it, in almost every Christian nation under heaven! Is this the form in which ecclesiastical judgments do appear in the Popish, or even in the Protestant world? Are these the maxims by which they have been, or by which they are determined, even by those who claim the largest share in the promises made to the apostles, and boast with the greatest confidence of the presence and authority of Christ with them, to confirm their sentences, and to sanctify perhaps rapine and murder? Vain wretched confidence! Let us earnestly pray that this dishonour to the Christian name may every where be wiped away; and that true religion, and even common humanity, may not with such solemn mockery be destroyed in the name of the Lord.
Let humble submission be always paid to apostolical decisions in every difficulty; and let the promises made to these leaders in the Christian Church be some encouragement even to us, on whom the ends of the world are come. None but an Omnipresent, and 20 consequently a Divine Person, could say, Wherever two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. His power and his goodness can never be impaired; let it therefore be an encouragement to social prayer; and let the remembrance of our Redeemer’s continued presence and inspection, engage us to behave ourselves agreeably to the relation that we claim to him, and to those expectations from him which we profess.
Matthew 18:21
Our Lord cautions his disciples against a revengeful spirit, and inculcates mutual forgiveness, by the affecting parable of the unmerciful servant. Mat. XVIII. 21, to the end.
xcv. Mat. XVIII. 21. THEN when Jesus had given this advice for the accommodation of differences among his disciples, Peter, imagining it might be abused 21 by illdisposed persons, as an encouragement to offer injuries to others, came to him and said, Lord, how often must I forgive my brother, if he offend against me? must I go on to do it until he has repeated the injury seven times?
And Jesus, in reply, says to him, I do not merely say to thee, Till seven times, but even till seventy times seven: in short, the precept is
MAT. XV. III. 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 saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but, until seventy times seven.
e parable of the unmerciful servant.
unbounded, and you must never be weary of forgiving your brethren, since you are so much more indebted to the Divine mercy, than they can be to your’s.
For this reason, or with respect to this matter, I may properly say, that the kingdom of heaven, in its constitution and final process, may be likened to, or be illustrated by, the instance of a certain king that ruled over a large country, who, as he had a great number of officers under him, was determined at length to settle an account with his servants. And when he began to reckon with them, there was brought to him one who had so abused the eminent station in which he had been placed, and the high confidence which his prince had reposed in him, that he owed him a most immense sum, and stood accountable for ten thousand talents. And as he had nothing to pay which could be any equivalent for the debt, or any considerable composition for it, his lord, according to frequent custom in such cases (Exod. xxii. 3; Lev. xxv. 47; and 2 Kings iv. 1), commanded him to be sold for a slave, and also his wife and children, and all the goods that he had, and payment to be made with the price of them, as far as it would go. The servant therefore falling down in helpless consternation, prostrated himself at his master’s feet, and said, Lord, I beseech thee to have patience with me for a while longer, and I will endeavour to pay thee all. Then the Lord of that unhappy servant, whose affairs were so utterly desperate, being melted with compassion, graciously discharged him; and, knowing how vain it was to expect he should ever pay him, declared that, on con-
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May be likened to, or be illustrated, &c.] See sect. lviii. note, Vol. I.
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Owed him ten thousand talents.] According to Dr. Prideaux’s computation, if these were talents of gold, this would amount to seventy two millions sterling; which is so immense a sum, that it seems strange Antiochus the Great should be able to pay it, as Eutropius tells us he did, to purchase a peace with the Romans: (Eutrop. lib. iv. cap. 2.) But, by Livy’s account of the conditions of peace, they were talents of silver, of which Antiochus
was to pay fifteen thousand talents, that is, five hundred talents down, two thousand five hundred when the senate should ratify the peace, and the remaining twelve thousand in twelve years, at a thousand talents a year: (Liv. Histor. lib. xxxvii. cap. 45, and lib. xxxviii. cap. 38.) And even thus the sum must have amounted to 6,750,000l. See Prid. Connect. Vol. I. Pref. p. 20, and Vol. II. p. 138. Our Lord seems to have mentioned so large a sum on purpose to intimate the number and weight of our offences against God, and our utter incapacity of making him any satisfaction.
VOL. 2
The parable of the unmerciful servant
dition of his future good behaviour,ᶜ he frankly forgave him all the debt.
But just as that servant went out from the presence of his generous and indulgent sovereign, he met with one of his fellowservants, who owed him but a very inconsiderable sum of money, no more than an hundred pence;ᵈ and laying hold of him by the throat, and almost strangling him,ᵉ he said, in a furious and outrageous manner, Pay me that which thou owest me immediately, or I will detain thee as my prisoner. And his poor fellowservant fell down at his feet, as he had done at his lord’s, and entreated him, saying, in the very words which he himself had used but just before on the like occasion, Have patience with me for a while longer, and I will endeavour to pay thee all. And he would not be prevailed upon to forbear him any longer; but went away with him before a magistrate, and cast him into prison, protesting he should lie there till he should pay even the last farthing of the debt.
And when his other fellowservants saw what was done, they were exceedingly grieved at such an instance of unexampled cruelty from a man in his circumstances, and came and gave their lord the king an exact and faithful account of the whole matter,ᶠ who was highly incensed at so inhuman an action. Then his lord, having called him again, said unto him with just indignation, Thou wicked and barbarous slave,ᵍ thou knowest that I frankly forgave thee all that vast debt which thou owedst to me, because thou didst entreat my pity: And shouldst not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, when in thy power, even as I but just before had compassion on thee? Thou art most inex-
ᶜ On condition of his future good behaviour.] This is a circumstance exceeding natural, and by the revocation of the pardon afterwards it seems strongly implied.
ᵈ An hundred pence.] Reckoning the Roman denarius at seven pence halfpenny of our money, it amounted to three pounds and half a crown.
ᵉ By the throat, and almost strangling him.] This is the proper import of the word σπιγά, which yet more strongly expresses his cruelty.
ᶠ Gave their lord an exact and faithful account.] This is the meaning of the word διαφυσία, as Albert has shewn; Observ. p. 116.
ᵍ Thou wicked slave.] The word διαφυσία is not always a term of reproach, nor does it necessarily imply more than servant. (compare Mat. xxv. 21, 23) Yet in this connection I thought it would well bear the version I have given it, which may best express the indignation with which his lord is supposed to speak.
ons on an unforgiving and revenge ul spirit.
cusable in what thou hast done, and I am determined to treat thee accordingly.
And his lord, being justly incensed revoked the grant of remission he had just before made, as forfeited by so vile a behaviour; and not only put him in prison, but delivered him to the tormentors there, to fetter and scourge him,^h till he should pay all that was due to him; which was equivalent to condemning him to perpetual confinement and painful imprisonment during life.
And Jesus concluded the discourse with saying, Thus also will my heavenly Father deal with you, if you do not every one of you from your very hearts forgive his brother his trespasses; and I leave it to your own consciences to judge whether it be safe for you to tempt the strictness of his inexorable justice, by the severity of your conduct towards your offending brethren.
IMPROVEMENT.
How unreasonable and how odious does a severe and uncharitable temper appear, when we view it in the light of this 24 parable! Yet what light can be more just than this? We are indebted to God more than ten thousand talents; from our infancy we begin to contract the debt, and are daily increasing it in our ripening years: justly, therefore, might he cast us into the prison of hell till we paid the uttermost farthing. And were we to fall at 26 his feet, with a promise of paying him all on his patient forbearance, it must be the language of gross ignorance, or of presumptuous folly, when addressed to a Being who knows our poverty, and knows that, in consequence of it, we are utterly incapable of making him any amends. But he magnifies his grace in the kind offers of a free forgiveness; and shall we who receive it, and hold our lives and all our hope by it, take our brethren by the throat, because they owe us a few pence? or shall 28 we carry along with us deep continued resentment, glowing like a hidden fire in our bosoms? God forbid! For surely if we do so, out of our own mouth shall we be condemned, while we 34 acknowledge the justice of the sentence here passed against this cruel servant.
^h Delivered him to the tormentors, &c.] Imprisonment is a much greater punishment in the eastern parts of the world than here: state criminals especially, when condemned to it, are not only forced to submit to a very mean and scanty allowance, but are frequently loaded with clogs or yokes of heavy wood, in which they cannot either lie or sit at ease; and, by frequent scourgings, and sometimes by racking, are quickly brought to an untimely end. (See Samedo’s China, page 225.) To this there is probably a reference here. Compare sect. xxxii. note^h, Vol. I. p. 185.
A stranger, acting in the name of Christ
Christ himself has made the application: so Father deal with you, if you do not forgive your has instructed us elsewhere to ask forgiveness it. (Mat. vi. 14, 15.) Let us then from this m our hearts of every sentiment of rancour and r allow a word, or even a wish, that savours of it we hope our addresses to the throne of Divine m with a favorable audience, let us lift up holy wrath, as well as without doubting. (1 Tim. ii