Matthew 18

The Greatest in the Kingdom

1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” ¹

2 Jesus invited a little child to stand among them.

3 “Truly I tell you,” He said, “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5 And whoever welcomes a little child like this in My name welcomes Me.

Temptations and Trespasses

6 But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. ²

7 Woe to the world for the causes of sin. These stumbling blocks must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!

8 If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than to have two hands and two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire.

9 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell. ^[a]

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

10 See that you do not look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of My Father in heaven. ^{[b] 3}

12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost?

13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices more over that one sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.

14 In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.

A Brother Who Sins

15 If your brother sins against you, ^[c] go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. ⁴

16 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ ^[d]

17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, regard him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

18 Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

Ask in My Name

19 Again, I tell you truly that if two of you on the earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven. ⁵

20 For where two or three gather together in My name, there am I with them.”

The Unforgiving Servant

21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven times?” ⁶

22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy-seven times! ^[e]

23 Because of this, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.

24 As he began the settlements, a debtor owing ten thousand talents was brought to him. ^[f]

25 Since the man was unable to pay, the master ordered that he be sold to pay his debt, along with his wife and children and everything he owned.

26 Then the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Have patience with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’

27 His master had compassion on him, forgave his debt, and released him.

28 But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. ^[g] He grabbed him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe me!’

29 So his fellow servant fell down and begged him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you back.’

30 But he refused. Instead, he went and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay his debt.

31 When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and recounted all of this to their master.

32 Then the master summoned him and said, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave all your debt because you begged me.

33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had on you?’

34 In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should repay all that he owed.

35 That is how My heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”

Matthew 18 Commentary

Chapter 18

The importance of humility. (1-6) Caution against offences. (7-14) The removal of offences. (15-20) Conduct towards brethren, The parable of the unmerciful servant. (21-35)

Verses 1-6 Christ spoke many words of his sufferings, but only one of his glory; yet the disciples fasten upon that, and overlook the others. Many love to hear and speak of privileges and glory, who are willing to pass by the thoughts of work and trouble. Our Lord set a little child before them, solemnly assuring them, that unless they were converted and made like little children, they could not enter his kingdom. Children, when very young, do not desire authority, do not regard outward distinctions, are free from malice, are teachable, and willingly dependent on their parents. It is true that they soon begin to show other dispositions, and other ideas are taught them at an early age; but these are marks of childhood, and render them proper emblems of the lowly minds of true Christians. Surely we need to be daily renewed in the spirit of our minds, that we may become simple and humble, as little children, and willing to be the least of all. Let us daily study this subject, and examine our own spirits.

Verses 7-14 Considering the cunning and malice of Satan, and the weakness and depravity of men's hearts, it is not possible but that there should be offences. God permits them for wise and holy ends, that those who are sincere, and those who are not, may be made known. Being told before, that there will be seducers, tempters, persecutors, and bad examples, let us stand on our guard. We must, as far as lawfully we may, part with what we cannot keep without being entangled by it in sin. The outward occasions of sin must be avoided. If we live after the flesh, we must die. If we, through the Spirit, mortify the deeds of the body, we shall live. Christ came into the world to save souls, and he will reckon severely with those who hinder the progress of others who are setting their faces heavenward. And shall any of us refuse attention to those whom the Son of God came to seek and to save? A father takes care of all his children, but is particularly tender of the little ones.

Verses 15-20 If a professed Christian is wronged by another, he ought not to complain of it to others, as is often done merely upon report, but to go to the offender privately, state the matter kindly, and show him his conduct. This would generally have all the desired effect with a true Christian, and the parties would be reconciled. The principles of these rules may be practised every where, and under all circumstances, though they are too much neglected by all. But how few try the method which Christ has expressly enjoined to all his disciples! In all our proceedings we should seek direction in prayer; we cannot too highly prize the promises of God. Wherever and whenever we meet in the name of Christ, we should consider him as present in the midst of us.

Verses 21-35 Though we live wholly on mercy and forgiveness, we are backward to forgive the offences of our brethren. This parable shows how much provocation God has from his family on earth, and how untoward his servants are. There are three things in the parable: 1. The master's wonderful clemency. The debt of sin is so great, that we are not able to pay it. See here what every sin deserves; this is the wages of sin, to be sold as a slave. It is the folly of many who are under strong convictions of their sins, to fancy they can make God satisfaction for the wrong they have done him. 2. The servant's unreasonable severity toward his fellow-servant, notwithstanding his lord's clemency toward him. Not that we may make light of wronging our neighbour, for that is also a sin against God; but we should not aggravate our neighbour's wronging us, nor study revenge. Let our complaints, both of the wickedness of the wicked, and of the afflictions of the afflicted, be brought to God, and left with him. 3. The master reproved his servant's cruelty. The greatness of sin magnifies the riches of pardoning mercy; and the comfortable sense of pardoning mercy, does much to dispose our hearts to forgive our brethren. We are not to suppose that God actually forgives men, and afterwards reckons their guilt to them to condemn them; but this latter part of the parable shows the false conclusions many draw as to their sins being pardoned, though their after-conduct shows that they never entered into the spirit, or experienced the sanctifying grace of the gospel. We do not forgive our offending brother aright, if we do not forgive from the heart. Yet this is not enough; we must seek the welfare even of those who offend us. How justly will those be condemned, who, though they bear the Christian name, persist in unmerciful treatment of their brethren! The humbled sinner relies only on free, abounding mercy, through the ransom of the death of Christ. Let us seek more and more for the renewing grace of God, to teach us to forgive others as we hope for forgiveness from him.

Cross References

• 1. (Mark 9:33–41; Luke 9:46–50)
• 2. (Mark 9:42–48; Luke 17:1–4)
• 3. (Luke 15:1–7)
• 4. (Deuteronomy 19:15–21)
• 5. (John 16:23–33)
• 6. (Romans 12:14–21)

Footnotes

• [a]. Or the hell of fire; Greek the Gehenna of fire
• [b]. BYZ and TR include 11 For the Son of Man came to save the lost; see Luke 19:10.
• [c]. NE and WH do not include against you.
• [d]. Deuteronomy 19:15
• [e]. Or seventy times seven; see Genesis 4:24 LXX
• [f]. A talent was worth about twenty years’ wages for a laborer.
• [g]. A denarius was customarily a day’s wage for a laborer; see Matthew 20:2.