WE ARE STUDYING THE FOUR GOSPELS MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE AND JOHN TO KNOW THE LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.
TO KNOW HIM IS TO LOVE HIM.
INTRODUCTION
There is no reason to doubt that this Gospel was written by Matthew. It presents the narrative of our Lord’s life from the standpoint of the pious Jew; and the evident design of the writer is to show how completely and continually our Lord fulfilled the Old Testament Scriptures. No other Gospel contains so many quotations from the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms. In it the predominant aspect of our Lord’s character and work is the Messianic. He was great David’s Greater Son. The keyword of the book is “Behold your King.” As King, His line is traced through the kingly race. As King, He proclaims the kingdom of heaven. As King, He promulgates the laws, describes the subjects, and announces the rewards of the Kingdom. When describing His own action at the last, when He sits on His throne and all nations are gathered before Him, He speaks of Himself as King, Mat_25:40. It was on His avowal of kingship that He was condemned to die. From every viewpoint this Gospel is one of the most precious documents in the world.
By F.B.Meyer
{e-Sword Note: The following material was presented at the end of Matthew in the printed edition}
Find the outline of our Bible study on The Gospel of Matthew at the link below.
Outline Of The Gospel According To Matthew
The King of the House of David
III. FACING REJECTION, Matthew 16:13-25:46
3. Questions, Discourses and Parables of Judgment, Matthew 17:10 to Matthew 25:46
NB !Note:
The Judean ministry of Jesus, which lasted almost one year, is not discussed by Matthew. This one year period is covered in John 1;1 to the end of John 4: and fits between Mat_4:11 and Mat_4:12. Matthew takes us from the temptation directly to the Galilean ministry.
Today we will look at the following question in the outline starting with
Matthew 18:1-9
62. Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven? What sacrifices may well be made in seeking eternal life?
Who Is the Greatest?
At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
And said,
62. Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye 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.
And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth 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.
Temptations to Sin
62. What sacrifices may well be made in seeking eternal life?
Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, 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 thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
Comments by F.B.Meyer
Matthew 18:1-9
The answer for 62. Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven? What sacrifices may well be made in seeking eternal life? As presented by F.B.Meyer.
REMOVING STUMBLING-BLOCKS
Our Lord’s transfiguration suggested that the time to take up His Kingdom was near; and the Apostles began to arrange their plans. The Master therefore used a child for His text and preached a sermon on humility. We must not be childish, but childlike. See 1Co_13:11. The beauty of a little child is its unconsciousness, humility, simplicity, and faith. Christ’s kingdom abounds with the rare blending of the warrior and the child. See 2Ki_5:14. God’s best gifts are placed, not on a high shelf for us to reach up to, but on a low one to which we must stoop.
An offence is anything that makes the path of a holy and useful life more difficult for others. Be sure, in all your actions, to consider the weaker ones who are watching and following you. “Father,” said a boy, “take the safe path; I am coming.” A man, whose arm was caught in a machine, saved his boy from being drawn in by severing the arm with a hatchet. All that hurts us or others, however precious, must be severed.
Believer’s Bible commentary
Book by William MacDonald
XI. THE KING INSTRUCTS HIS DISCIPLES (Chaps. 18-20)
A. Concerning Humility (18:1-6)
Chapter 18 has been called the discourse on greatness and forgiveness. It outlines principles of conduct that are suitable for those who claim to be subjects of Christ the King.
18:1 The disciples had always thought of the kingdom of heaven as the golden age of peace and prosperity. Now they began to covet positions of preferment in it. Their self-seeking spirit found expression in the question, “Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
18:2, 3 Jesus answered with a living object lesson. Placing a little child in their midst, He said that men must be converted and become as little children to enter the kingdom of heaven. He was speaking of the kingdom in its inward reality; in order to be a genuine believer a man must abandon thoughts of personal greatness and take the lowly position of a little child. This begins when he acknowledges his sinfulness and unworthiness and receives Jesus Christ as his only hope. This attitude should continue throughout his Christian life. Jesus was not implying that His disciples were not saved. All except Judas had true faith in Him, and were therefore justified. But they had not yet received the Holy Spirit as an indwelling Person, and therefore lacked the power for true humility that we have today (but do not use as we should). Also they needed to be converted in the sense of having all their false thinking changed to conform to the kingdom.
18:4 The greatest person in the kingdom of heaven is the one who humbles himself as a little child. Obviously the standards and values in the kingdom are exactly opposite those in the world. Our whole mode of thinking must be reversed; we must think Christ’s thoughts after Him (see Php_2:5-8).
18:5 Here the Lord Jesus glides almost imperceptibly from the subject of a natural child to a spiritual child. Whoever receives one of His humble followers in His name will be rewarded as if he had received the Lord Himself. What is done for the disciple is reckoned as done for the Master.
18:6 On the other hand, anyone who seduces a believer to sin incurs enormous condemnation; it would be better for him to have a great millstone tied around his neck and be drowned in the ocean’s depths. (The great millstone referred to here required an animal to turn it; a smaller one could be turned by hand.) It is bad enough to sin against oneself, but to cause a believer to sin is to destroy his innocence, corrupt his mind, and stain his reputation. Better to die a violent death than to trifle with another’s purity!
B. Concerning Offenses (18:7-14)
18:7 Jesus went on to explain that it is inevitable that offenses should arise. The world, the flesh, and the devil are leagued to seduce and pervert. But if a person becomes an agent for the forces of evil, his guilt will be great. So the Savior warned men to take drastic action in disciplining themselves rather than to tempt a child of God.
18:8, 9 Whether the sinning member is the hand or foot or the eye, better to sacrifice it to the surgeon’s knife than to let it destroy the work of God in another person’s life. Better to enter into life without limbs or sight than to be consigned to hell with every member intact. Our Lord does not imply that some bodies will lack limbs in heaven, but merely describes the physical condition at the time a believer leaves this life for the next. There can be no question that the resurrection body will be complete and perfect.
18:10 Next the Son of God warned against despising one of His little ones, whether children or any who belong to the kingdom. To emphasize their importance, He added that their angels are constantly in the presence of God, beholding His face. Angels here probably means guardian angels (see also Heb_1:14).
|18:11 While omitted in RSV and most other modern Bibles, this verse about our Savior’s mission is a fitting climax to this section, and it has wide manuscript support.
18:12, 13 These little ones are also the object of the tender Shepherd’s saving ministry. Even if one out of a hundred sheep goes astray, He leaves the ninety-nine and searches for the lost one till He finds it. The Shepherd’s joy over finding a straying sheep should teach us to value and respect His little ones.
18:14 They are important not only to the angels and to the Shepherd, but also to God the Father. It is not His will that one of them should perish. If they are important enough to engage angels, the Lord Jesus, and God the Father, then clearly we should never despise them, no matter how unlovely or lowly they might appear.
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