Matthew 18:1-4
A LESSON IN HUMILITY. THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN AND LITTLE CHILDREN Mark 9:33-37; Luke 9:46-48... [ Continue Reading ]
A LESSON IN HUMILITY. THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN AND LITTLE CHILDREN Mark 9:33-37; Luke 9:46-48... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΝ ἘΚΕΊΝΗΙ ΤΗ͂Ι ὭΡΑΙ. The preceding incident and our Lord’s words had again excited hopes of a glorious kingdom on earth. We may suppose that Jesus and St Peter were alone when the last incident happened, they had entered the house (probably Peter’s) and were now joined by the other apostles who had... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΝ ΜΈΣΩΙ ΑΥ̓ΤΩ͂Ν. So Mark; St Luke has the more loving ἔστησεν αὐτὸ παρʼ ἑαυτῷ. St Mark notes that Jesus first took the child in His arms (ἐγκαλισάμενος αὐτό).... [ Continue Reading ]
ΣΤΡΑΦΗ͂ΤΕ, ‘be converted;’ cp. John 12:40, ἵνα μὴ … στραφῶσιν καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς. ΟΥ̓ ΜῊ ΕἸΣΈΛΘΗΤΕ, ‘shall not enter,’ much less be great therein.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΑΠΕΙΝΏΣΕΙ ἙΑΥΤΌΝ. He who shall be most Christ-like in humility (see Philippians 2:7-8) shall be most like Christ in glory. Cp. ἐταπείνωσεν ἑαυτόν, γενομένος ὑπήκοος μέχρι θανάτου, θανάτου δὲ σταυροῦ. διὸ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς αὐτὸν ὑπερύψωσεν κ.τ.λ., Philippians 2:8-9. ταπεινώσει marks the particular point in... [ Continue Reading ]
ὋΣ ἘᾺΝ ΔΈΞΗΤΑΙ. It is a sacrament of lovingkindness when Christ himself is received in the visible form of His little ones. δέχεσθαι is not only to welcome, show kindness to, but also to receive as a teacher (ἀποδέχεσθαι). The faithful see in the ταπεινότης of little children a symbol of the ταπεινό... [ Continue Reading ]
5, 6. CHRIST’S LITTLE ONES Mark 9:37-42. The thought of Jesus passes from the dispute among His disciples to the care of his little ones, the young in faith, who, if they have the weakness, have also the humility of little children.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΕΡῚ (אBL and some of the Fathers) for ἐπὶ of receptus. εἰς is also strongly supported, and περὶ may have come from the parallel passages in Mark and Luke. 6. ΠΙΣΤΕΥΌΝΤΩΝ ΕἸΣ ἘΜΈ. For the distinction between πιστεύειν εἰς ‘to believe in any one,’ i.e. to put entire faith in him, and πιστεύειν τινί,... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟΥ̓ΑΊ. Alexandrine, but corresponding to ὀά, Æsch., _Pers._ 115, 121, the Latin form is _væ._ ἀπὸ denotes that σκάνδαλα are the source of woes. ΣΚΆΝΔΑΛΑ. Snares, allurements to evil, temptations. See notes on ch. Matthew 5:29-30.... [ Continue Reading ]
OF OFFENCES Mark 9:43-48. From offences—snares and hindrances to the faith of Christ’s little ones—the discourse proceeds to offences in general—everything that hinders the spiritual life.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑΛῸΝ … Ἤ. Cp. Luke 15:7, χαρὰ ἔσται ἐπὶ ἑνὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ μετανοοῦντι ἢ ἐπὶ ἐνενηκονταεννέα δικαίοις. Instances are quoted from the classics, as Thuc. VI. 21, αἰσχρὸν βιασθέντας�, but it is better to refer the construction to the Hebrew usage, by which the comparative idea is expressed by the positive a... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜΟΝΌΦΘΑΛΜΟΝ. In classical Greek a distinction is made: the Cyclops or the Arimaspi (Hdt. III. 116) are μονόφθαλμοι. A man who has lost an eye is ἑτερόφθαλμος. Cp. Hdt. _loc. cit._ πείθομαι δὲ οὐδὲ τοῦτο, ὅκως μουνόφθαλμοι ἄνδρες φύονται. ΤῊΝ ΓΈΕΝΝΑΝ ΤΟΥ͂ ΠΥΡΌΣ. ‘The fiery Gehenna.’ This adjectival... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟἹ ἌΓΓΕΛΟΙ ΑΥ̓ΤΩ͂Ν. In these words our Lord sanctions the Jewish belief in guardian angels. Cp. Acts 12:15, ὁ ἄγγελός ἐστιν αὐτοῦ, and Hebrews 1:14, οὐχὶ πάντες εἰσὶν λειτουργικὰ πνεύματα εἰς διακονίαν�; The reserve with which the doctrine is dwelt upon in the N.T. is in contrast with the general ex... [ Continue Reading ]
CHRIST’S CARE FOR HIS LITTLE ONES ILLUSTRATED BY A PARABLE Luke 15:3-7. After a brief digression (Matthew 18:7-9), Christ’s love for His young disciples again breaks out in words. Let no one despise them. They have unseen friends in the court of heaven, who are ever in the presence of the King him... [ Continue Reading ]
Here the _textus receptus_ has: ἦλθε γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ�. This is strongly supported by the later MSS. The omission rests on the evidence of אBL, and several versions and Fathers.... [ Continue Reading ]
The expression and the imagery of the parable recall Ezekiel 34; comp. also ch. Matthew 15:24. In Luke the parable is spoken with direct reference to publicans and sinners, whom the Pharisees despised, and who are the ‘little ones’ of these verses. Such differences of context in the Gospels are very... [ Continue Reading ]
FORGIVENESS OF SINS Luke 17:3-4 God’s forgiveness of sinners suggests the duty of forgiveness among men.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἜΛΕΓΞΟΝ ΑΥ̓ΤῸΝ Κ.Τ.Λ. ‘Rebuke him.’ See Leviticus 19:17, ‘Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke (ἐλέγξεις, LXX.) thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him’ (rather, ‘not bear sin on his account,’ ‘by bearing secret ill-will,’ Ephesians 4:26; or by ‘encouragin... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἸΠῈ ΤΗ͂Ι ἘΚΚΛΗΣΊΑΙ. The word ἐκκλησία is found only here and ch. Matthew 16:18 (where see note) in the Gospels. In the former passage the reference to the Christians Church is undoubted. Here either (1) the assembly or congregation of the Jewish synagogue, or rather, (2) the ruling body of the syna... [ Continue Reading ]
ὍΣΑ ἘᾺΝ ΔΉΣΗΤΕ Κ.Τ.Λ. What was spoken to Peter alone is now spoken to all the disciples, representing the Church. ‘Whatsoever you as a Church declare binding or declare not binding, that decision shall be ratified in heaven.’ Note the tense, ἔσται δεδεμένα … λελυμένα, ‘shall have been bound … loosed... [ Continue Reading ]
ΣΥΜΦΩΝΉΣΟΥΣΙΝ has far higher authority than συμφωνήσωσιν, a grammatical correction. 19. The slight digression is continued. Christ thinks of His Church. Not only shall your decisions be ratified, but your requests shall be granted, provided ye agree. ἘᾺΝ ΣΥΜΦΩΝΉΣΟΥΣΙΝ. For this construction see Win... [ Continue Reading ]
ΔΎΟ Ἢ ΤΡΕΙ͂Σ. In the smallest gathering of His followers Christ will be present. ΣΥΝΗΓΜΈΝΟΙ. συνάγειν is used specially of the ‘gathering’ of the Church, as Acts 11:26, συναχθῆναι ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ. Matthew 20:8, ἐν τῷ ὑπερῴῳ οὗ ἦμεν συνηγμένοι. Hence in later Ecclesiastical Greek σύναξις is ‘a religi... [ Continue Reading ]
ἝΩΣ ἙΠΤΆΚΙΣ. The Rabbinical rule was that no one should ask forgiveness of his neighbour more than thrice. Peter, who asks as a scribe a scribe’s question, thought he was making a great advance in liberality and shewing himself worthy of the kingdom of heaven. But the question itself indicates compl... [ Continue Reading ]
ἝΩΣ ἙΒΔΟΜΗΚΟΝΤΆΚΙΣ ἙΠΤΆ, i.e. an infinite number of times. There is no limit to forgiveness.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἨΘΈΛΗΣΕΝ ΣΥΝΑ͂ΡΑΙ ΛΌΓΟΝ ΜΕΤᾺ ΤΩ͂Ν ΔΟΎΛΩΝ ΑΥ̓ΤΟΥ͂. The picture is drawn from an Oriental Court. The provincial governors, farmers of taxes, and other high officials, are summoned before a despotic sovereign to give an account of their administration. ἨΘΈΛΗΣΕΝ, ‘chose,’ ‘resolved:’ all is subject to... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜΥΡΊΩΝ ΤΑΛΆΝΤΩΝ. Even if silver talents are meant, the sum is enormous—at least two million pounds of our money. It was probably more than the whole annual revenue of Palestine at this time; see Joseph. _Ant._ XII. 4. 4. The modern kingdoms of Norway or Greece or Denmark hardly produce a larger nati... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜῊ ἜΧΟΝΤΟΣ, ‘since he had not.’ He had wasted in extravagance the provincial revenues, or the proceeds of taxation.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΡΟΣΕΚΎΝΕΙ. The imperfect tense denotes persistence.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤῸ ΔΆΝΕΙΟΝ�. With the almost reckless generosity of an Eastern Court that delights to exalt or debase with swift strokes. The pardon is free and unconditional.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕὟΡΕΝ, ‘found,’ perhaps even sought him out. ἝΝΑ ΤΩ͂Ν ΣΥΝΔΟΎΛΩΝ. By this is meant the debt of man to man, offences which men are bound to forgive one another. ἙΚΑΤῸΝ ΔΗΝΆΡΙΑ. The _denarius_ was a day’s wage (ch. Matthew 20:2). The sum therefore is about three months’ wages for an ordinary labourer... [ Continue Reading ]
εἰς τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ. Almost certainly a gloss, the weight of the earlier MSS. is in favour of the omission. 29. ΠΑΡΕΚΆΛΕΙ. Contrast this with προσεκύνει, Matthew 18:26. παρακαλεῖν would be used by an equal addressing an equal.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΛΥΠΉΘΗΣΑΝ ΣΦΌΔΡΑ. This seems to point to the common conscience of mankind approving or anticipating the divine sentence.... [ Continue Reading ]
Cp. the Lord’s Prayer, where forgiveness of others is put forward as the claim for divine pardon.... [ Continue Reading ]
The acquittal is revoked—a point not to be pressed in the interpretation. The truth taught is the impossibility of the unforgiving being forgiven, but the chief lesson is the example of the divine spirit of forgiveness in the act of the king. This example the pardoned slave should have followed. ΤΟ... [ Continue Reading ]
τὰ παραπτώματα αὐτῶν. After ΚΑΡΔΙΩ͂Ν ὙΜΩ͂Ν. These words have the support of C and 12 uncials, but are omitted in the earlier MSS. 35. ἈΠῸ ΤΩ͂Ν ΚΑΡΔΙΩ͂Ν ὙΜΩ͂Ν. A different principle from the Pharisee’s arithmetical rules of forgiveness.... [ Continue Reading ]