Matthew 17:24-18:35

Payment could be made in person at the Passover festival in Jerusalem, or in other areas of Palestine, a month earlier. This incident takes place about a month before Passover.

Now, an interesting point is that after the temple was destroyed in 70 AD, the Romans diverted this tax to the temple of Jupiter in Rome, after which it ceased to be a matter of patriotism and became a symbol of Israel’s subjection to a pagan power.

The fact that the story is recorded is one of the proofs that Matthew’s Gospel is dated before AD 70.

 

Verse 25,

He (that is Peter) said, “Yes.” And when he had come into the house, (see, Jesus is staying in the house) Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?”

 

Jesus doesn’t wait for Peter to explain the incident. Instead, He asks Peter this question.

 

To verse 26,

Peter said to Him, “From strangers.” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. 

 

Jesus is trying to show Peter that just as the royal family is exempt from tax, so He, as the Son of God, would not be obligated to pay for the support of God’s house. It’s another example of Jesus stating Who He is.

 

Verse 27

Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.” 

 

Rather than cause needless offense, the Lord agreed to pay the tax.

But how would He get the money? It’s never recorded that Jesus personally carried money.

He sent Peter to the Sea of Galilee and told him to bring up the first fish he caught. In the mouth of that fish was a piece of money which Peter used to pay the tribute—one-half for the Lord Jesus and one-half for himself.

This is an astounding miracle. Even though it appears as if it’s almost made light of by the Lord, it clearly demonstrates Christ’s omniscience, His almighty power his absolute dominion over all creation.

He knew which one of all the fish in the Sea of Galilee had the money in its mouth. He knew the location of that one fish. And he knew it would be the first fish Peter would catch.

If it was just down to principle, Jesus wouldn’t have made the payment, but instead principle is not important.

He was willing to pay rather than offend. We as believers are free from the law. The law was fulfilled in Christ, nailed to the cross with him and buried with Him and it didn’t rise with Him.

Yet here we see by the Lord’s example, that we should respect the consciences of others, and not do anything that would cause offense by our actions or lack of them.

 

Now we come to Matthew chapter 18.

The next few chapters don’t seem to advance the movement in Matthew of Jesus on route to the cross, however they do fill some gaps caused by this detour in the Kingdom of Heaven due to the rejection of the King.

Matthew 13 in the Mystery Parables Discourse gave us the overall outline of the Kingdom of Heaven, but there are still questions to be answered and these chapters help.

We find that the new birth is essential for entry into the kingdom.

 

Mattew 18:1,

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

 

And here comes the human ambition, the pride, the thirst for greatness.

The disciples were still sure that the physical Kingdom of Heaven, that golden age of peace and prosperity ruled by the Messiah had come and they’re discussing among themselves who’s going to be what and who’s going to be the greatest in that Kingdom.

Jesus had just spoken of His coming suffering and His humiliation while these blokes saw only their own advancement.

How much is our human nature mutilated by our pride.

 

Verse 2 and 3,

Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 

 

Jesus could’ve answered the question, “who is the greatest?” by pointing to Himself. Instead, Jesus drew their attention to His nature by having them look at a child as an example.

 

It’s also good to notice here that if Peter really was the first pope as Roman Catholic theology and history teach, Jesus should have declared Peter as the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

 

This was probably a disappointment to the disciples as children were not regarded as having any type of position of authority or, for that matter, anything relevant to say. This is required to enter the kingdom, let alone be the greatest.

 

The first lesson is that none but the humble are in the kingdom. Unless a person is converted from the selfish pride of our hearts, and become humble as little children, a person cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

It’s a heart-searching lesson! When we come to Christ and accept who we really are, what our nature is really like, we humble ourselves. Inflated pride can never allow us to see ourselves as we are really and as God sees us.

 

 

Now to verse 4, Jesus speaking,

Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 

 

These disciples had faith to follow Christ in an external way, especially when the grandness of the physical Kingdom of Heaven was uppermost in their minds, but were they really following Him? Jesus had told them in chapter 16 verse 24 said, “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself.”

Were they denying self? Let’s not rush to condemn these thoughts. Most Christians today are often surprised at how quickly pride can overtake us and cause us to inflate self.

Before they could think of having any authority, even the lowest place in the kingdom, they must have the humility and simple faith as little children.”

 

Verses 5 and 6 now and it’s still Jesus speaking,

Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. 

“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 

 

For the one who causes one of these little ones to sin, or leads them into sin, Jesus gives a dire warning!

 

Jesus’ own nature is like one of these little children, humble, and we saw this in Matthew 11:29,

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 

It’s very easy to despise the humble. They’re the losers; the kind who’ll never make it in our competitive, aggressive, self-orientated world, and yet when we despise humble people, we also despise Jesus.

 

Jesus takes it very seriously as we see here when one of His little ones is led into sin.

“Little ones” does not only mean children, but those who humble themselves as children in the way Jesus has just described.

 

It’s bad enough to sin, but it’s far worse to lead others into sin. However, leading one of Jesus’ little ones into sin is far worse again, because it’s dragging an innocent into a situation that corrupts that innocence.

 

A severe punishment is described here. It would be better for that person to receive this punishment of the millstone than the actual punishment. Why?

Because the actual punishment makes the millstone an attractive alternative. That actual punishment is eternal damnation which, if a person destined for that knew what it entailed he’d beg for the millstone instead. Those suffering this punishment are most definitely the multitudes who’ve not only rejected the Messiah and, as such, are unbelievers, but those who actively and intentionally persecute these humble believers and purposefully and knowingly try to lead them into sin to satisfy their own lust.

 

Now we’re in Matthew 18:7-10 and its still Jesus speaking and He’s still speaking on the subject of these little ones, the meek, the humble and lowly, including the children,

Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes! 

“If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire. 

“Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. 

 

Notice what’s going on here.

We have these believers, who, under the correct context, are Jewish believers who have humbled themselves and turned to the Messiah.

Then we have a world, ruled by the prince of evil, a world of unbelievers and scoffers who’s natural leaning is towards offenses which are stumbling blocks or barriers to those humble believers.

 

Just as it was back then, we today live in a world where those who’re either knowingly or unknowingly influenced by the god of this world, Satan, will home in and with an attitude of almost desperation try to turn a believer, especially a new one, away from their belief.

They’ll do this with false teachings scoffing or even direct persecution.

If we today are truly a believer and accepted God’s salvation through Christ, that turning away that the world often succeeds in doing to us, cannot remove our salvation.

However, it can turn us away from the peace and joy and the simplicity that’s in Christ and it can make us walk directly opposite to the way the apostle Paul tells us in Romans 12:2 which is,

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. 

We’re “transformed by the renewing of our mind” by the Word of God and this world will do anything to turn us away from that.

 

However, in the days before Jesus paid the price for sin these people were still under the law and could be drawn away.

The warnings that Jesus is giving here to anyone who’s in that group of offense givers is horrific!

The mention of Angels here is a difficult piece to interpret but it is often taken as a reference to “guardian angels.”

We certainly do have angels watching over us and ministering to us as Hebrews 1 verses 13 and 14 explains and we read,

But to which of the angels has He ever said: “SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, TILL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES YOUR FOOTSTOOL”? (This is quoting Psalm 110:1).

Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation? 

This verse is not limited to only one specific “guardian angel.”

 

Verses 11,

For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. 

 

It’s interesting that this verse is missing from most of the modern Bible versions because it doesn’t actually appear in the best early Greek manuscripts which contain Matthew, however it does fit as an ending to this section and is in keeping with Matthew 15:24 where Jesus said to the Canaanite woman,

“I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 

 

Now verses 12 to 14 and we notice that Jesus is still talking of quote, “these little ones”,

For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.

“What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?

And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.

Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

 

These little ones, the lost sheep of Israel, the humble of heart, are the object of the Lord’s ministry under the dispensation of the law that He’s teaching in.

Even if one out of a hundred goes astray, He leaves the ninety-nine and searches for the lost one till He finds it. His joy over finding a straying sheep show us the value He places on these little ones of who these passage speak of.

They’re important not only to the angels and to the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, but also to God the Father.

It’s not His will that even one of them should perish.

 

Sadly, this is one of God’s desires that doesn’t come to pass. Why? Because of man’s free will and his ability to choose his destiny.

 

Now to Matthew 18:15 and Jesus is speaking,

“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.

 

There’s a sort of two fold train of thought here.

First is how each man is to deal with those sins that affect him personally.

Secondly there’s a hint that the relationships of the Twelve had been put under pressure somehow, where some or all of the disciples thought of himself as being wronged by the others in some way. After all they’re only human like us.

Strong words may have even been spoken among them and needed to be addressed. After all these are rugged and tough men, not a bunch of softies.

Jesus is putting the obligation on the one who has been injured to approach his brother who’s offended him and not vice versa, and He’s saying don’t go and gossip to all and sundry about how bad the other bloke is. It’s to be between the one offended and the one doing the offending only and if the offender hears and responds then peace will be gained between the two. It’s a good lesson for the church today as well.

 

Verse 16 and 17,

But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY WORD MAY BE ESTABLISHED.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. 

 

Jesus again refers to the Old Testament here where He’s quoting Deuteronomy 19 verse 15.

The two or three witnesses was the way a dispute was to be handled under the Law.

 

Now we need to ask, “Is Christ talking here about the Church as we know it today, The Body of Christ?

No!

The word Jesus uses for “church” here is the Greek word “ekklesia” and it’s only found in the Gospels in two places, here and in Matthew 16:18.

The word ekklesia does not only refer to the Christian church as we know it today.

It also refers to these things,

a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly,

an assembly of the people convened at the public place of the council for the purpose of deliberating,

the assembly of the Israelites

any gathering or throng of men assembled by chance, tumultuously.

 

Then it can also be used in a Christian sense as an assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting

Since the Church as we know it today, the Body of Christ, did not exist when our Lord gives this passage because He hadn’t yet died and been raised from the dead, Jesus can only be is referring to the assembly or congregation of the Jewish synagogue, or to The ruling body of the synagogue.

There are some who say that Jesus is referring to the coming church as it will be after His resurrection and ascension but it’s unlikely because He’s mixing the word in here with the Mosaic law and we know that the Mosaic Law was fulfilled, It was finished, at the cross. Jesus took the law into the grave with Him, and it wasn’t resurrected with Him. The Church that we know today is simply not under that Law.

 

There’re several verses that cover the handling of people in the church, as in the Body of Christ, the true Church, today.

These’re in the Pauline epistles, the epistles written by the apostle Paul, The apostle to the Gentiles, which are our source of doctrine in the church today.

None of them refer to the method that Jesus spoke of here which, as we’ve just said, was the way disputes were handled under the law as in Deuteronomy 19:15, which was deep inside the giving of the Mosaic law.

Again, we need to be clear, Jesus is there at that time to fulfill the Law and the Prophets and to minister to Israel.

Let’s look at just some of these verses that we need to be aware of in relation to the church today.

Galatians 6:10,

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. 

 

2 Timothy 2:23-26,

…But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. 

And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will. 

 

Philippians 2:3-7, and here Paul suggests acting in the way Jesus would,

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 

Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. 

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.

 

Colossians 3:12-14,

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 

But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

 

Titus 3:9-11 and this is probably the harshest Paul gets when handling divisions,

But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. 

Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.

 

In other words, go to the person twice and if it can’t be resolved don’t persist with it.

 

Now to continue with Matthew 18:18,

“Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 

 

verses 19 to 20,

“Again, I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 

For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” 

 

Here again is the binding and loosing first given to Peter as we saw in the last episode, but it’s now given to the other apostles as well.

Whatever decisions they make, in obedience to these directions relating to how to handle an offending brother, will be accounted just, and ratified by the Lord.

Binding and loosing, in this place, as in Mattew 16:19, is related to discipline and authority.

 

The Jewish Talmud is the huge collection of Jewish oral traditions that were in addition to the hundreds of laws in the Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament, Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy, Leviticus, and Numbers.

The commandments in the Torah were God given and weren’t subject to negotiation. They were the law.

However, in regard to the Talmud, the phrase “to bind and to loose” was a common Jewish expression that referred to the authority of rabbis to make legal decisions and interpretations of the law.

 

The phrase “Take thou liberty to teach what is Bound and what is Loose” was used to commission a new rabbi and give him the authority to teach and interpret the law.

This was commonly understood by the Jews at that time including these Jewish disciples Jesus is speaking to here.

These phrases, binding and loosing, are found nowhere in the New Testament other in Matthew 16:19 and here in Matthew 18:18.

 

There’s a lot of evidence that the Gospel of Matthew was originally written in either Hebrew or Aramaic and then later translated to Greek and in these original languages the meanings of these binding and loosing phrases are apparently much clearer.

 

The phrases simply don’t relate to the Body of Christ today which came into existence after the death, burial, and resurrection of Our Lord.

 

I am there in the midst of them.

Noone but God could say these words because God alone is everywhere at all times or omnipresent.

Think of it!

Millions of assemblies of two or more are gathered at the same moment, in different places throughout creation, and Jesus is in each of them.

Can anyone claim this ability except God? But Jesus says these words, therefore Jesus is God.

Today in The Body of Christ Jesus is in the midst of any gathering because He’s IN the believer. He indwells the believer. This wasn’t the case when Jesus gave this passage to the disciples.

 

 

Matthew 18:21 now,

Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

 

Old Peter thought he was being very charitable and unselfish when he said this because according to the rabbis two or three times was all you had to forgive someone and Peter’s willing to forgive a whole seven times.

But Peter’s generosity fell far short of Jesus’s idea.

Verse 22,

Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. 

Seventy times seven is again a reference to the Old Testament in Genesis 4:24,

If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”

Christ’s meaning is that throughout a man’s life he should be forgiving of those that sin against him and He illustrates this in the following parable in verse 23,

Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 

And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 

But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. 

The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ 

Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. 

“But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ 

So, his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ 

And he would not but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. 

So, when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. 

Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 

Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ 

And his master was angry and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. 

“So, My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.” 

 

This parable of the servant, who was forgiven but refused to forgive someone else, illustrates the principle of forgiveness, but again, it’s not normative, or the norm, the standard of forgiveness, for believers, the Body of Christ, today.

To see the norm, the standard for us today we go to Ephesians 4:31-32,

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 

And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. 

See the difference?

Because God has forgiven us, we’re to forgive each other.

If God forgave our sins in the same way we forgive others, none of us would be forgiven. But after we’ve become children of God because we’ve been forgiven, we’re to forgive. This is the norm, the standard of Christian conduct today.

 

Well, my friends that completes Matthew chapter 18.

In the next episode we’re going to take another very short interlude from the Gospel of Matthew.

During our study of this book, we continually see the names of God the Father, The Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ used where each is spoken of as God.

For those who’re confused by this or for those who’ve never actually defined the triune nature of God we’re going to look at scripture that clearly shows us the threefold nature of God which is basic foundation on which the entire scripture stands.

After that we’ll open chapter 19 of Matthew where Jesus again enters Judea as He moves to Jerusalem for the last time before His crucifixion. There’s definite intention in all that He does and says. So, until then may God enlighten His Word to You and draw you to His presence, because really, nothing else is more important.