Matthew 18
SECTION I Detailed Notes
In that hour[1]
the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Then[2]
who is the greater[3] in
the kingdom of heaven?”
Jesus, beckoning a child,[4]
stood it[5]
in their midst[6], and
said,
“Truly I say to
you, unless you are changed,[7]
and become as children, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. So, Whoever humbles[8]
himself as this child, is greater in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives[9]
such a child in My name receives Me. But,
Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to be trapped in sin,[10]
it is better for him that a sizable millstone[11]
be suspended from his neck, and sunk in the depth of the sea.
“Woe to the
world because of sin-traps: for sin-traps inevitably come;[12]
even so, woe to the man who sets the sin-trap!
“If your hand[13]
or your foot causes you to be trapped in sin, cut it off, and throw [it] away. It is good[14]
for you to enter into the life[15]
maimed or crippled.... Or else, having
two hands and two feet be thrown into eternal fire. If your eye causes you to be trapped in sin, gouge
it out, and throw [it] away. It is good for you to enter into the life with
[just] one eye.... Or else, having two
eyes be thrown into the Gehenna of fire.
“See that you do
not look down on[16]
one of these little ones, for I tell you that their heavenly[17]
angels continually behold My heavenly Father’s face: for the Son of man came to
save the lost.
“What do you think?
If a man has one hundred sheep[18],
and one of them wanders off, doesn’t he leaving the ninety-nine on the
mountains, and search for the wanderer? If
he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices more over it, than over the ninety-nine
that did not wander off. So, It is not your[19]
heavenly Father’s will that one of these little ones perish.
“Yet,[20]
If your brother sins against you, go and reprove him, between you and him
alone. If he listens[21]
to you, you have gained[22]
your brother. But if he does not listen,
take one or two others with you, that “every word may be established by the
mouth of two or three witnesses.”[23] But, if he refuses to listen to them, tell it
to the church[24]. But, if he refuses to listen to the church,
let him be to you as an unbeliever[25]
and a traitor[26].[27]
“Truly I say to
you, Whatever you bind[28]
on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you forgive[29]
on earth shall be forgiven in heaven. Again
I say to you that if two of you agree on earth about any matter,[30]
whatever they ask, it shall be done for them by My heavenly Father: for where
two or three are assembled[31]
in My Name, I am there in their midst.”
Then coming to Him, Peter said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin
against me, and I forgive him? Until
seven times?” Jesus said,
“I do not say to
you, Until seven times, but until seventy times seven[32]
times.
“Because of
this the kingdom of heaven was compared to a human king, who wanted to review
accounts[33]
with his stewards. So starting to review,
a debtor of ten thousand talents was brought to him.[34] Since he was [unable] to pay,[35]
his lord ordered him to be sold with his wife and children and all that he had,
to make payment. Thus the steward, falling
down, prostrated[36] before
him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you everything. So, being moved with compassion, that steward’s
lord freed him, and forgave him the loan.[37] Now, immediately coming out, that steward
found one of his fellow stewards who owed him an hundred denarii,[38]
and seizing him, strangled [him],[39]
saying, Pay me what you owe.[40] Thus his fellow steward, falling down at his feet,
begged him, saying, have patience with me, and I will repay everything to you. Now he refused, but as he was leaving,[41]
threw him into prison, until he could pay the debt. Well, His fellow stewards, seeing what was taking
place, were vehemently grieved,[42]
and coming, explained to their lord everything[43]
that had taken place. Then, summoning [him], his lord said, you wicked steward,[44]
I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me. Shouldn’t you also have showed your fellow steward
mercy, as I also showed you mercy?
“And being
furious, his lord delivered him to the tormentors, until he could repay the whole
debt.[45] Thus, My heavenly Father shall do to you, as
well; unless you each forgive your brothers’ trespasses from your hearts.”[46]
SECTION II Outline
1.1 Introductory Question
1.1.1 Triggers of traps are typical of the sin-trap (object lesson
zero)
Then who is the greater in the kingdom of heaven?
1.2 The First Object Lesson
1.2.1 A child is typical of things that are not so concerned with rank
(object lesson one)
Humility deserves the highest rank
Hospitality donates an equal rank
Treachery earns the lowest rank
Sin-traps, the tool of a person desperate to gain rank, are
among the most wicked of sins, and totally contrary to forgiveness and mercy.
1.3 The Next Three Object Lessons
1.3.1 The foot is typical of things that step into traps (object
lesson two)
1.3.2 The hand is typical of things that reach into traps (object
lesson three)
1.3.3 The eye is typical of things that lust for traps (object lesson
four)
The heart is the cause of sin-traps; hand, foot, and eye are
mere instruments of sin; the sinful heart is opposed to forgiveness and mercy.
1.4 The Fifth Object Lesson
Looking down on others impedes forgiveness and mercy.
1.4.1 The sheep are typical of things prone to wander (object lesson
five)
The Son of Man came to save the lost.
It is not your heavenly Father’s will that one of these little ones
perish.
1.5 Principles of Forgiveness, Mercy, Reconciliation, and
Restoration
1.5.1 An attempt in private
1.5.2 An attempt with one or two witnesses
1.5.3 An attempt in a court of the Church
1.5.4 Gentiles are typical of unbelievers (object lesson six)
1.5.5 Tax collectors are typical of traitors (object lesson seven)
The goal is to regain the reconciliation and restoration of
a brother or sister and the unity of the Church; but the regrettable outcome
can be branding as an unbeliever and a traitor.
1.6 The Authority of the Church Courts is the Authority of Christ
Christ delegates the keys of the kingdom to the whole
Church; but these keys are exercised by its courts, in lawfully elected and
duly convened assemblies.
1.7 The Limits of Forgiveness and Mercy
Forgiveness and mercy have no limits, but sinners can walk
away from them both.
1.8 Object Lessons Eight and Nine
1.8.1 The unforgiving steward is typical of failed reconciliation and
restoration (object lesson eight)
1.8.2 The unforgiven steward is typical of needed reconciliation and
restoration (object lesson nine)
The person who has received forgiveness and mercy must
either give them away to others in need or give them back to their rightful
owner. The person who has received
forgiveness and mercy, but is a traitor to grace, chooses to forfeit that
grace, and condemns himself to an eternal Gehenna of Hell’s fire.
Forgiveness and mercy are Laws of the Kingdom, as is love.
SECTION III reading
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
The reading is from the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 18, beginning at the
first verse. Please attend. This is the Word of God.
Please read aloud all of the Scripture written in Section I.[47]
Thus far do we read in God’s Holy Word.
SECTION IV Sermon
Beloved Congregation
of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace, mercy and
peace to you from God our Father; from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and
from the Holy Spirit, who sustains us in every trial. May God grant us success in all that we do in
obedience to Him.
Matthew’s fourth great discourse[48] opens with a puzzling
question based on a unique incident, found only in Matthew, in the previous
Chapter.[49] The explicit wording, “In that hour”
and this question introduction, with the word, “Then” shows that the previous
incident is in view. What hour? What acts does “Then” follow? Who is the greater in the kingdom of heaven? This incident shows that Christ’s
central concern in this discourse is about forgiveness, love, mercy,
reconciliation, restoration; about not tricking the weak into further sin: and
other similar ideas that amount to the same thing. Matthew 18 is about forgiveness. The intent of Matthew 18 is to develop a
convincing and unforgettable proof for the disciples, that forgiveness and
mercy are Laws of the Kingdom, as is love.
At the conclusion of the chapter we are left with an explicit definition
of the meaning of forgiveness, love and mercy.
Matthew 18 is about forgiveness. Matthew
18 is all about forgiveness.
In the pursuit of his aim in showing that forgiveness is a
Law of the Kingdom, Matthew employs ten or more object lessons: 0, a trigger;
1, a child; 2, a foot; 3, a hand; 4, an eye; 5, a sheep; 6, a gentile; 7, a tax
collector; 8, an unforgiving steward; 9, an unforgiven steward; 10 a great
king. While it is true that some of
these are characters in a parable, and not object lessons; even so, they are so
vivid that we lumped them all together under that one name: object lesson.
Matthew also has an intriguing way of toying with
probabilities while he goes about proving that forgiveness is a Law of the
Kingdom. Every other phrase expresses
what might, could, should, or would happen.
The reader is left with a Proverb like puzzle, as he tries to figure out
what the chances are for a particular act to take place, and what the moral
weight of such an act might be. The use
of direct statements is rare in this passage.
Scattered and seeded among the object lessons and
probabilities are a few pithy sayings that trace the main point of the chapter. Forgiveness is a Law of the Kingdom.
Unless you are changed, and become as children, you cannot enter the
kingdom of heaven. (Verse 3)
The Son of man came to save the lost.
(Verse 11)
It is not your heavenly Father’s will that one of these little ones
perish. (Verse 14)
If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. (Verse 15)
For where two or three are assembled in My Name, I am there in their
midst. (Verse 20)
I do not say to you, Until seven times, but until seventy times seven
times. (Verse 22)
Shouldn’t you also have showed your fellow steward mercy, as I also
showed you mercy? (Verse 33)
These pithy sayings, form the backbone of the chapter. Other sayings reveal the negative nature of
man.
Let a sizable millstone be suspended from his neck, and sunk in the depth
of the sea. (Verse 6)
Woe to the world because of sin-traps: for sin-traps inevitably come; even
so, woe to the man who sets the sin-trap!
(Verse 7)
See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. (Verse 10)
Let him be to you as an unbeliever and a traitor. (Verse 17)
In verse 1, the disciples are concerned about the pecking
order. Since Jesus has to pay taxes, is
He really king? And where does that
leave me? Are Peter, James and John
really my bosses? Which one of them is
the real chief?
A child is put forward to answer the question, and to glue
the rest of the chapter together. Several
characteristics of children may come to mind, but the important ones here seem
to be:
·
A child is less concerned
about rank than an adult. It is only
after puberty that people become hyper-aggressive. A child plays king-of-the-hill today, and
forgets the whole game by tomorrow.
·
A child, sheep like, is
prone to wandering and dawdling. A child
requires constant observation to keep it from getting hurt. A child, sheep like, is incessantly getting
into trouble, and perpetually in need of forgiveness.
·
A child does not usually
hold grudges; mad at you one minute because of some discipline or other, and
marvelously forgiving the next as though nothing ever happened.
·
A child rarely looks down
on others.
Three answers are given to the disciple’s question, but we
have to solve the puzzle to figure them out:
·
The greater rank belongs to
the humbler childlike disciple.
·
In receiving or denying
hospitality, both disciple and master are equal in rank.
·
The lowest rank belongs to
the treacherous maker and setter of sin-traps, who will even stoop to tricking
children into serious sin.
The disciples are not fit to become Apostles. Their sinful preoccupation with rank makes
them unfit to do the work of the kingdom, where forgiveness is a Law of the
Kingdom. Only after Pentecost, when the
Holy Ghost has changed their nature, will they be able to cast aside this
preoccupation with rank, and be able to focus on the important kingdom issues
of absolution, forgiveness, love, mercy, reconciliation, redemption, and
restoration. The disciples must be changed, and
become as children, to enter the kingdom of heaven, and to become Apostles in the
kingdom of heaven. Sadly, it is this
incessant concern with rank that is at the center of the corruption of church
leadership today. This preoccupation
with rank is among the greater sin-traps.
Sin-traps diametrically oppose forgiveness and unity in the
church. Foot, hand, and eye are not the
causes of these things; but the heart is the root cause of all sin-traps. Maim your own body, rather than destroying
the unity of Christ’s body, the union of all these little ones in Christ, the
Church. Yet, this is exactly what this
unforgiving nature and focus on rank does.
It amputates the very hands and feet, and gouges out the eyes of Christ. Violent sins require strong medicine. Take this sin seriously. Rip your heart out of your chest before you
set this sin-trap, seeking rank, and becoming unforgiving in the process. Don’t look down on other Christians:
Orthodox, Protestant, or Roman Catholic.
Christ is so concerned about this that he will search out
every gully, ditch, and cave to find His little ones, and restore them to
forgiveness. No stone left unturned, no
rock too large, no crevice too remote to escape the loving, forgiving reach of
God. Lose your rank before you lose one
little sheep like child. God is not
concerned about sheep, is He? Well, yes
He is; but, He is far more concerned about his disciples like you and me.
Well, what about the Law, you say? Shall we be unconcerned about the Law of God? Oh no, we should be very concerned about the
Law of God; for through the Law of God we find the way to forgiveness and gain our
brother. This is the whole purpose of
the law: to seek and find reconciliation, to restore the unity of the
Church. Branding of a former brother or
sister as an unbeliever and a traitor, may become necessary, but it constitutes
a miserable failure at law. The lost
sheep was not found. There is no cause
for joy. There is only cause for
weeping. The child is lost, probably
forever. There is no forgiveness. Joy comes when Christ stands in the midst of
a forgiven and unified people, God’s children, His brothers and sisters, our
fellow sheep.
God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel
18:23, 32; 33:11; 2 Peter 3:9). What
kind of idol, demon or criminal would rejoice in the loss of one of God’s
creatures? This can only be the source
of vehement grief.
Peter asks, “How long must this go on? Seven times?”
And Christ answers, “Until the end of the age; forever.” Forgive forever.
“Because of this....”
(Verse 23). Peter’s question
calls to mind an old Rabbinic parable which was designed to give a final answer
to this question. In it, a great and
wealthy king, an unforgiving steward, an unforgiven steward, and several
witnesses are involved in a great and practical, physical and spiritual
struggle. Follow the money trail.
·
The great and wealthy king
is stern and firm, but marvelously forgiving.
He is concerned with the obvious wrongdoing, but he is far more
concerned with his steward’s welfare. So
when asked, freely shows mercy and forgives a debt roughly equivalent to $20
billion in today’s silver. Bigger than
the Chrysler bailout of 1980.
·
The unforgiving steward is
happy to receive mercy, but not at all happy to grant mercy. His false profession of faith is exposed when
he deals with his unforgiven colleague.
So when asked, freely shows that he is just another thug, a merciless
loan shark beating his victims within an inch of their lives.
·
The unforgiven steward asks
for a pittance, a measly $13,351, not enough to buy a new car. But, he receives a severe beating
instead. Being choked until he can
scarcely breathe, he fainting, falls down, and begs for mercy; but, instead is
thrown into prison.
·
The witnesses quickly bring
the report to the king, who just as quickly rights the wrong. These faithful witnesses were not silent
about this crime of unforgiveness.
The conclusion is before us.
Then, summoning [him], his lord said, you wicked steward, I forgave you
all that debt, because you begged me.
Shouldn’t you also have showed your fellow steward mercy, as I also
showed you mercy?
And being furious, his lord delivered him to the tormentors, until he could
repay the whole debt.
Thus, My heavenly Father shall do to you, as well; unless you each forgive
your brothers’ trespasses from your hearts.
Isn’t it obvious that this forgiveness applies to every kind
of sin-tap: monetary and physical debts as well as spiritual ones? If a brother or a sister is naked and hungry
... of what benefit is it to say, “Your sins are forgiven, now, go away, be
warmed and filled.” If you do not give them food and clothing.[50]
Yet, these are the very same sins of unforgiveness that are
the reason God destroyed both Israel and Judah.
Yes, and God will destroy America if we don’t change. Oh, yes, every once in a while we throw some
beans and rice to the poor, this soothes our consciences. And when it comes to the debt of giant
organizations, we are happy to bail them out, so that they can pay exorbitant and
unconscionable bonuses to their chief executives. But when it comes to the debt of the working
classes, there is only silence. There
are entitlements for people who don’t work at all. But when it comes to the debt of the working
classes, our own government is leading the charge to enslave them in debt, our
own government is promoting cruel and irresponsible, predatory lending practices. The silence of the Church is deafening.
Shame on Israel.
Shame on Judah. Shame on
America. Shame on the Church. Shame on our silence. We shall not go unpunished.
Matthew 18 is about forgiveness. Forgiveness is a Law of the Kingdom. Let us be faithful witnesses and demand
forgiveness while we still have a chance.
Let us practice forgiveness while we still have a chance.
But Christ is risen from the dead and there is yet hope for
us that we can overthrow this wicked sin of unforgiveness.
Amen.
[1]
This is the same hour when the drachma tax was miraculously paid: Jesus’ main
concern is to avoid causing a stumbling block for the tax collector; that is,
to avoid trapping the tax collector in a sin.
One drachma and one denarius are roughly the same in value, they
represent the standard day’s wage for a skilled worker. The principal distinction being that the
drachma (δραχμαι), a Greek
coin, was frequently marked with the facial profile of Athena on the obverse;
while the denarius, a Roman coin, was usually marked with the facial profile of
an emperor or other significant Roman person, Tiberius Caesar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Silver_denarius_of_Tiberius_14CE_
37CE_found_in_India_Indian_copy_of_a_the_same_1st_century_CE_Coin_of_Kushan_king_Kujula_Kadphises_copying_a_coin_of_Augustus.jpg).
[2]
Then or under these circumstances of paying taxes without offense, The
disciples have two concerns. One, why is
Jesus avoiding an offense, or who outranks Jesus? Two, who outranks them?
[3]
This is the comparative, not the superlative adjective. The question asks for the individual order of
ranking: what is the pecking order? The
sinful tendency to be driven by concern about ranking must be surgically
removed by the Holy Ghost.
[4]
This is a pre-pubescent male or female, not a specific child, the first object
lesson. The point of the object lesson
is that the child and child relationships represent the disciples and disciple
relationships. They cannot become
Apostles as long as their principal concern is about rank.
[5]
The use of the neuter with children is common, at least in part, because of
their undeveloped sexuality; they are not yet concerned with things like being
sexually active, or becoming hyper-aggressive like adults. Jesus is emphasizing, however subtly, an
excessive and sinful adult behavior that needs to be suppressed: namely, adult
hyper-aggressiveness, as evidenced in the incessant question among adults, “Who
is greater?”
[6]
This expression will continue to create subtle contrast: the child, the Father,
Christ, the disciples, the Apostles all are said to have their place in the
midst, in the center of attention, in the place of authority, at different
times and in different situations or scenarios.
[7]
The passive voice suggests that this is not something the disciples can do for
themselves. They become changed when the
Holy Ghost comes upon them at Pentecost.
[8]
The frequent use of the subjunctive indicates nothing more than probability,
which could be translated chanced to, but this sounds a bit wooden. The idea expressed here, if he could humble
himself, is humanly impossible. He would
if he could. This is the gift of
God. Humility is the highest rank a
person can have.
[9]
Here the subjunctive indicates the possibility that the disciples of Jesus
would in some places and at some times receive hospitality. In that hospitality they would be equal in
rank to Jesus.
[10] Σκανδαλιξω is the deliberate
setting of the trigger of a trap. In
this context the trap would be a breach of God’s Law. Intentional entrapment is the height of
cruelty, idolatry and treachery, offending both God and man, and is therefore
unforgivable. This trap was conceived,
designed, built, and set, possibly even tested by someone. Everything about it indicates premeditation,
willfulness, and arrogant (high handed) behavior. Such behavior is reprehensible when practiced
against an adult; but to do this to a child is the absolute bottom of the
barrel. Treachery (especially against a
child) is the lowest rank a person can have.
[11]
The size with which an ass would grind, a middle size, smaller than a horse,
mule or ox-stone, but larger than a human-stone.
[13]
Three more object lessons show that the disciples would be better off
mutilating themselves than being concerned about rank, and mutilating the
Church of God. Hands, feet, and eyes are
not the root causes of sin-traps; they are merely the objects that get caught
by them. The wickedness of the heart is
the root cause of sin-traps, both in setting and being caught.
[14]
It is good! We are, indeed fortunate to
enter the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church at all; and into everlasting
life in the bargain: with or without all our members. The expression is absolute, not comparative
or superlative.
[15]
The life described here is not mere mortal life (a life, any life); but the
life, specifically the Christian life, which necessarily spans both mortality
and immortality.
[16]
This is one of the key indicators of rank seeking; yet, we are prone to it all
the time. Disciples are not to look down
on each other, or upon anyone else. The
whole business of structured hierarchy may well be necessary for the government
and wellbeing of the Church; but, it should be evident that many have taken
office in the Church, motivated purely by pride of power, rank, and
wealth. This is the antithesis of
forgiveness, for forgiveness sees others as equals, members of the same body of
Christ.
[17]
This is more exactly, in heaven; but this is unnecessarily cumbersome. Since no harm is done to the text by changing
it to the smoother English adverbial construction, this was done everywhere it
is found in association with God or angels.
[18]
Object lesson five is lose your rank, not your sheep. Don’t allow unresolved sin-traps obstruct the
business of keeping the sheep secure and together. None of the sheep should die.
[19]
The interplay, between My heavenly Father and your heavenly Father, inculcates
in the disciples minds that their job is rescuing sheep from sin, getting them
away from and out of sin-traps, getting them forgiven, and granting them
absolution. “God has no pleasure in the
death of the wicked.” (Ezekiel 18:23, 32; 33:11; 2 Peter 3:9)
[20]
Moreover is too strong a word. In spite
of all precautions on the part of the shepherd, the shepherds and the sheep
will still sin; sheep are not naturally cautious. Sin happens; even without sin-traps. The reference is not to every little slight,
supposed slight, or injury; but to serious matters. We are not to become incessant busybodies,
nit-picking every little act of wrongdoing.
Don’t sue your brother over a dollar; let it go.
[21]
Future only, no act of the will is involved.
[22]
Here is the goal of all judicial action in the Church, reconciling with the
offender through forgiveness and absolution, and restoring or repairing the
breach in the unity and wholeness of the Church.
[23]
Good legal practice requires: more than one witness, written records, and
signatures; this quotation is from Deuteronomy 19:15.
The goal of reconciliation and restoration has not changed.
[24]
This has now escalated into a full scale action of the court; convening the
assembly of the court is now necessary. The goal of
reconciliation and restoration still has not changed. Excommunication is a failure of the system,
and source of shame. It may be
necessary; but, it is far less than ideal.
[25] A
gentile, in this context, indicates one who is not a member of the covenant
believing community. It says nothing
about ethnicity. This does not mean that
a slur is not intended. Christ pulls no
punches about the fact that most gentiles were haters of God, or else they
would rejoin the covenant community.
Somewhere, every gentile genealogy began with an excommunicated
predecessor, a lost sheep that was never found, most likely because the sheep
refused the rescue. This is object
lesson six.
[26] A
tax agent, in this context, is more than a profession. It indicates one who is paid to betray his
covenant nation, a traitor. This is
object lesson seven.
[27]
This is not about civic wrongdoing either.
Civic matters should be handled by civil courts. The situation in these verses pictures final
Apostolic action, and therefore final Divine action. In the current state of fracturing within the
Church, most churches simply do not have the scope of legal authority to deal with
this on anything but a minor scale. In
all such cases, action must be pursued in civil courts, or the offense must be
dropped. For example, if a member of one
little church steals from a member of another little church, in a different
denomination; it is virtually impossible to resolve the issue. If substantial harm has been done, and church
leaders agree, they must urge the wounded party to go to civil court. Little churches attempting to handle matters
beyond the scope of their authority, have frequently ended up in senseless
wrangling, that ended in bitterness, and further fracturing of the Church. The intent of this passage is to find
forgiveness, reconciliation, and unity; not to produce division. On the other hand, it is not the intent of
this passage to let serious crime go unpunished. The fault does not rest on the victim who has
waited patiently for his or her church’s support, but with the churches, who
with their sinful fracturing have made themselves ineffective and
powerless. I’m not at all suggesting for
one single minute that I have the solution for this problem of Church
fracturing; I’m as big a part of the problem as anyone.
[28]
Literally, tying up with a rope, as any arrest would be carried out in that
era.
[29] Λυω, explicitly means to untie a
knot. Implicitly it means to free,
etc.... To be freed from sin shows that
a specific act of acquittal, deliverance, liberation, ransom, redemption, or
salvation has taken place
[30]
Any matter within their authority; not some matter pertaining to the authority
of others. This is not a license to kill
or steal: it has definite boundaries.
Two or three are able to grant forgiveness; they are not able to exact a
legal penalty, or grant a legal benefit.
[31] Συνηγμενοι indicates the official
assembly of a synagogue no matter how meager attendance might be. This is official church business. When local churches act, they act trusting in
the Name and authority of God, of Christ, of the Holy Ghost, and of the whole Church,
hoping and praying that they have acted constructively for God’s kingdom, and
obediently to Divine will; hence, with the full support of all the Holy
Angels. This is a scary business to be
entered in with all sobriety and wisdom.
“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God.”
(Hebrews 10:29-31; 12:22-29)
[32]
All the images of seventy times seven show full completion. In Genesis 4:24, forgive even if he’s as
wicked as Lamech the Terrible. In Isaiah
23:15-17, forgive until the sins are as completely forgotten as Tyre is
forgotten. In Jeremiah 25:11-12; 29:10,
forgive until the sins are as completely purged as Judah’s sins are
purged. Daniel 9:2, 24 forgive until the
completion of the kingdom is brought in at the end of the ages. Note that seventy times seven and seventy
weeks are the same number.
[33]
Review accounts is a
bit periphrastic for, “take up words or records,” but in the context there can
be little doubt about the meaning, for the ensuing actions vividly explain
everything. So take up words either
means a review of the financial records, with a view to correcting high risk or
failing ventures; or else it means a review of the financial records, with a
view to closing all of the accounts. We
only need to know that he intends to close one.
[34]
During the review a serious discrepancy is discovered. We are not told what it is, but one
calculation made in 1990 estimates the value at $3.84 billion. My calculation using 2012 silver values is
around $20 billion. The 500% increase, between
1990 and 2012, is mostly due to inflation.
$20 billion is larger than the bailout of Chrysler Corporation in
1980. $20 billion is not the size of the
account, but the size of the shortfall, or net loss.
[35]
The expression, “not having to pay,” certainly communicates inability. No wonder, what kind of a business would not be
bankrupted by this kind of a loss. The
amount is so large that it staggers the imagination, which is the intent of the
magnitude. Most businesses could at
least sell off capital to get close to zero.
But $20 billion in the red is unimaginable; it may as well be
infinite. It represents the true
magnitude of our sins, which are infinite,
[36]
He fell on his knees and face on the ground in the standard position of
prostration as demonstrated by Jehu, the King of Israel, on the “Black Obelisk”
of Shalmaneser III (http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=black+obelisk+ of+shalmaneser&view=detail&id=3A01D0995D88EC688875D7B9B237D25E3558EE34&first=0).
[37]
The contrast between the king and his unforgiving steward is remarkable. Ultimately, the king is not concerned with
the money or his rank, he quickly writes off this huge debt. The unforgiving steward, however, is all
about money and rank, for, shark like, he quickly rises to defend both, with
utmost cruelty and with murderous intent.
[38]
The shortfall is roughly $13.351 thousand, less than the price of a new
car. The ratio for the contrast between
$20 billion and $13.351 thousand is 1.5 million to 1. This ratio does not fluctuate with the value
of silver.
[39]
The contrast between performing a prostration willingly, and falling down
fainting from a beating; adds vividness to an already amazingly cruel
story. But this is how God sees us.
[40]
This is an extreme example of extortion.
This individual has many of the characteristics of a criminal loan
shark.
[41]
He is going right back out to continue his cruel and ugly business with other
victims.
[42]
Words scarcely suffice to describe the shock and violence of their emotional
reaction.
[43]
They reported in glowing detail. No
detail was spared. No stone was left
unturned.
[44]
It may be difficult to define unforgivable sin, but this closing parable pictures
it. It is unforgivable to receive mercy,
and fail to extend it to others. It is
unforgivable to receive forgiveness, and not forgive. Everything must be forgiven: every debt, grudge,
offense, sin, slight, transgression, trespass.
There is one exception, and that belongs to God. The person who does not forgive, who shows no
mercy, who sets traps to cause others to sin; this person receives what he
dishes out: he cannot be forgiven. But,
that is God’s decision to make, not ours.
[45]
It is impossible that this debt could ever be paid. This is banishment from the presence and
glory of God and into an eternal Gehenna of Hell’s fire, with wailing and
gnashing of teeth. (see verses 8-9).
[46]
The ultimate conclusion is that forgiveness and mercy are not options, they are
Laws of the Kingdom, as is love. This
concludes Matthew’s fourth discourse of Jesus.
However, the lesson is so important that it is repeated in chapter 25,
at the end of the fifth discourse.
[47]
This is my own translation of Matthew 18 from the Greek, Η Καινη Διαθηκη: Novum Testamentum
(Alexander Macmillan, London, 1825; reprinted by Dallas Theological Seminary
Book Room, Dallas, Texas), pp. 42-45.
The work of translation was accomplished consulting several other
versions (KJV, NKJV, RSV); Berry’s Interlinear; Zondervan’s Analytical
Greek Lexicon; Dana and Mantey, A Manual Grammar; and other resources.
[48]
William Neil, Pocket Bible Commentary (Harper San Francisco, 1975),
p.344; originally published as William Neil’s One Volume Bible Commentary
(Hodder & Stoughton, England, 1962).
Neil observes that this discourse of collected sayings “deals in general
with Christian charity [sacrificial love given unconditionally without
expectation of return; charity-love is closely related to, and identical in
nature with, forgiveness and mercy] within the Church.”
[49]
Matthew 17:24-27 records several salient facts.
They were entering Capernaum (in an extremely gloomy frame of mind,
verse 23). Peter is confronted by an
irritating (in the face of Jesus impending death, one does not need to be
pestered about relatively trivial tax issues) tax collector. Jesus whimsically (Neil, p. 343. Whimsy is a kind of playful humor, rare in
Jesus, doubtless intended to lighten the prevailing gloom. Jesus knows that His death is victory, and
does not wish His disciples to sorrow excessively; so, He gently messes with
Peter.) corrects Peter. Jesus’ tolerance
of, and ability to withstand emotional pressure out of concern for others is
incredible. Here He is concerned to
remove the emotional load from Peter and the rest of the disciples; as well as
to avoid increasing the emotional load on the tax collector(s), doubtless a
profession fraught with emotional tension, by offending him/them. The nature of the word for offense is also
captivating. The Greek words, ινα δε μη σκανδαλισωμεν, (literally, so that
we do not scandalize) refer to the action of a trigger; scandal means
trigger. It is that tiny lever which
releases the power of a trap or gun to do its violent destructive work. Obviously, the design and use of a trigger
requires considerable malice and aforethought.
If the trigger setting is off by the tiniest amount, the trap or gun
fail or misfire. If the trigger setting
is perfect, the trap or gun function with lethal force. The necessary degree of extreme caution and
premeditation involved is setting and using triggers makes this an unforgivable
wicked act. One does not wish to shoot
oneself in the foot or catch his own leg in a trap; and one certainly does not
use such traps to catch his fellow human beings, let alone brothers, sisters,
or children. This particular trigger is
involved with the possibility of causing another person to (further) violate
the Law of God; hence, it is a sin-trap.
Equally salient and whimsical is the nature of the solution. One simply does not catch (on the first cast)
a fish with a coin in its mouth. The
only way a Norwegian bachelor fisherman would find a coin in a fish’s mouth
would be by using the coin as a sinker.
The comic relief afforded by the miracle itself, further relieves
tension, while at the same time reminding the disciples that Jesus is God. The fact that a drachma and a denarius are
identical in value is not without merit; it is this twist in the story that
connects this incident with the closing parable at the close of chapter
eighteen.
[50] This
is my paraphrase of James 2:15-16.
