Matthew 18

Matthew 18:1

They saw no man, except Jesus only. When they rose from their prostration the glorious vision was gone.

Matthew 18:2

Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man. Even they themselves did not yet understand what they had seen. Still less could they, in present circumstances, make others understand. All was plainer after Christ had died, risen, and had ascended to glory. The time had not come to proclaim the mystery of the Sonship of the world.

Matthew 18:3

Why then say the scribes that Elijah must first come? They knew that the scribes, in their capacity as interpreters of prophecy, were wont to say that Elijah must come before the Messiah could appear. They said this on the strength of Mal 3:1 4:5. If Peter, James and John were of those who asked this question, they were probably seeking to ascertain if the vision they had seen was the coming of Elijah and why he did not remain.

Matthew 18:5

Elias is come already. John the Baptist, who came in the spirit and power of Elijah (Mr 1:2-8 Lu 1:17). Have done unto him whatsoever they listed. “List” and “lust” were originally one word, meaninf to “desire” or “wish”. The account of his martyrdom is given in Matthew 14:6-12 and Mr 6:21-29. The Son of man suffer by them. Henceforth he keeps the lesson of his suffering constantly before their minds. After all, his disciples were not prepared for it when the hour came.

Matthew 18:7

When they were come to the multitude. Come down out of the mountain. Compare Mr 9:14-29 Lu 9:37-42. Luke says this miracle occurred the next day (Lu 9:37).

Matthew 18:8

My son; for he is lunatic. “Epileptic”, in the Revised Version. The symptoms are those of epilepsy, in this case caused by demoniac possession. The son was a child (Lu 9:38). He was dumb as well as epileptic (Mr 9:18).

Matthew 18:9

Thy disciples. The nine apostles who had been left below when the Lord with three ascended the mountain.

Matthew 18:10

O faithless and perverse generation. Intended especially for the disciples who had failed in the cure from weakness of faith. How long shall I suffer you? Bear with your shortcomings. Bring him hither to me. The emphasis is upon “me”. This act of mercy could have been done by his disciples had they been devout, prayerful and believing.

Matthew 18:11

The devil . . . departed out of him. Compare Mr 9:26 Lu 9:42.

Matthew 18:12

Why could not we cast him out? The answer is, Lack of faith.

Matthew 18:13

This mountain. Lofty Hermon, in plain sight. Nothing shall be impossible unto you. Upon the condition of perfect faith. Compare Hebrews 11:1-40. Faith in Christ, faith exercised in fasting and prayer, are the conditions of power.

Matthew 18:14

This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. Compare Mr 9:29. Only by devout waiting before the Lord for strength. Such strength is always needful to the victories of faith. Often, too, we have demons, envy, pride, covetousness, a revengeful spirit, that must be cast out by prayer.

Matthew 18:15

While they abode in Galilee. Mark says: “They departed from there” (from the vicinity of Mt. Hermon) “and passed through Galilee” (Mr 9:30). Compare also, Lu 9:43-45.

Matthew 18:16

They were exceeding sorry. Because he said that he must be put to death. There is only grief now, but no remonstrance.

Matthew 18:17

When they were come to Capernaum. They had now returned from the journey north. Doth not your master pay tribute? Not tribute, which would be a tax due an alien, but the half shekel, an annual tax demanded of every male Jew above twenty years for the support of the temple. It would be from twenty-five to thirty-five cents, as the shekel is variously estimated from fifty to seventy cents. The collectors were not publicans, but Jewish authorities.

Matthew 18:18

He saith, Yes. Peter, as usual, answered before he reflected, and then came to Jesus with the matter. Jesus prevented him. Peter came into the house to speak about it, but Christ knew his thoughts and spoke first. Of whom do the kings of the earth take custom? Not of their own children, but from subjects. Hence, Christ, the King’s Son, for whom the temple was built, was not subject to tax for the benefit of the temple. The Son of the King would not pay tribute to the King. For the origin of this temple tax, see Exodus 30:12 2 Chronicles 24:5.

Matthew 18:20

Lest we should offend them. While not compelled to pay it as a due, he would pay it as a matter of expediency. Sometimes things are expedient for which there is not the letter of the law. Go thou to the sea. Of Galilee, close at hand. Cast an hook. Peter was a fisherman. Take up the fish that first cometh up. A miracle. The Lord by his power would draw the fish that had sought to swallow the coin to Peter’s hook. A piece of money. Greek, a stater, corresponding to a shekel, enough for two. The Lord would pay the tax, but in a manner in accord with the Divine dignity.

Matthew 18:22

The Greatest in the Kingdom SUMMARY OF MATTHEW 18: Who Shall Be Greatest?. Becoming As Little Children. Causing the Little Ones to Stumble. Despising the Little Ones. How to Deal with an Offending Brother. Forgiving Those Who Injure Us. Parable of the Unmerciful Servant. At the same time. As Peter returned from paying the tribute money. Came the disciples unto Jesus. Compare Mr 9:33-50 Lu 9:46-50 and also Matthew 19:13-15. Mark says the conversation occurred at Capernaum (Mr 9:33). Who is the greatest in the kingdom? The disciples had disputed in the way was to which of them should be chief ministers in the earthly kingdom that they still supposed Christ would establish (Mr 9:33,34). Mark also says that before calling the child, Jesus said: “He that would be greatest among you, let him become the servant of all” (Mr 9:35), the rule of true greatness.

Matthew 18:23

And Jesus called a little child unto him. In order to enforce the words that Mark reports (Mr 9:35), he uses a striking object lesson. This method was a prominent feature of Oriental teaching. Thus it was that Christ washed the disciples’ feet (John 13:4-17) and Agabus bound his hands and feet with Paul’s girdle (Acts 21:11).

Matthew 18:24

Except ye be converted. The Revised Version translates, “Except ye turn”, which is correct. The Greek word “strepho” translated in the Common Version “be converted” is found in the New Testament in the active voice in every instance but one, and means “to turn”. It means something that the subject is “to do”, not something that is to be done for him. Become as little children. Humble, teachable and free from selfish ambition, like little children. Ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Instead of discussing who should be greatest in the kingdom of heaven, they had better inquire whether they were going to get in at all.

Matthew 18:25

Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child. This explains the great feature in which they must become as the child. Greatness in the kingdom is not secured by seeking to be greatest. There is a lesson here for Christians, and especially preachers who are ambitious of distinction.

Matthew 18:26

Whoso shall receive one such little child in my name. “Receiving in my name” is serving with Christian love, and as belonging to Christ. Receiveth me. Observe that the true way to receive Christ is to receive into our heart, for Christ’s sake, those who need our sympathies.

Matthew 18:27

Whoso shall offend. The Revised Version makes this plainer by rendering it “cause to stumble”, or to go astray. Little ones not only embraces children who have learned to believe in Christ, but all lowly and humble disciples. Better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck. Better that a man should lose his life in so terrible a way than to destroy the souls of others. Drowned in the depth of the sea. Which was within sight. This method of capital punishment was practiced by the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, and possibly occasionally by the Jews. It is still practiced by the Turks.

Matthew 18:28

Woe unto the world because of offences! There will continue to be temptations and causes of stumbling in the world which will lead thousands astray and cause much sorrow.

Matthew 18:29

If thy hand or thy foot offend thee. Cause you to sin or stumble; ensnare you into evil. The meaning is, if an object dear as the right eye, and useful as the right hand, lead you into sin, that object however dear, you are to part with. See Matthew 5:29. Into life lame or maimed. The meaning is not that a man hath no better way to avoid sin and hell, but if he had no better, he should choose this.

Matthew 18:30

Into hell fire. “Into the Gehenna of fire”. This phrase is synonymous with “everlasting fire”, in Matthew 18:8. See PNT Matthew 5:22, for Gehenna.

Matthew 18:31

Despise not one of these little ones. Not merely one of the children, but those saints whom the world regards as insignificant and unimportant. “To despise” is, literally, “to look down upon”, and hence, to neglect. This forbids all caste in the church. In heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father. The doctrine of guardian angels is emphatically taught in the Scriptures. See 1 Kings 19:5-8 Psalms 91:11 Hebrews 1:13 Acts 27:23. Who can afford to despise the children who have representatives right at the throne of God?

Matthew 18:32

This verse does not occur in the Revised Version, and is not found in the most reliable Greek manuscripts, such as the Siniatic and Vatican.

Matthew 18:33

How think ye? This illustration of the anxiety of the shepherd for lost sheep is used to show the deep interest that God feels in any one of the straying “little ones” (Matthew 18:6,10). If a man have an hundred sheep. The man having a hundred sheep is plainly the Son of God–the Good Shepherd. See John 10:11,14 Hebrews 13:20 1 Peter 2:25 5:4.

Matthew 18:35

Even so it is not the will of your Father, etc. As the shepherd feels a deep and anxious interest in the straying sheep, and seeks to hunt and to save it, so the Father above seeks the salvation of all the humble ones in his kingdom.