Matthew 18:8-9

C. NO SACRIFICE IS TOO GREAT (18:8, 9)

Matthew 18:8-9. At first glance, it would seem that Jesus has suddenly introduced irrelevant material, since He was discussing the danger of trapping others, not the disciple's own peril. But this is precisely the point: to sin against even one of these little ones who believe in Jesus is to sin against one's own soul. To cause another to stumble is to stumble into sin, taking one's own weaker brother down too. So, Christ must make men sensitive to that IN THEMSELVES which proves to be a seduction to THEMSELVES and to others. Another reason for His inserting this paragraph is the fact that to recognize the weaknesses and mortal dangers in one's own personal character is devastating to his exaggerated sense of self-worth, or pride. The status-climbing disciples must face the horrid truth: their own weaknesses and liability to sin dogs their steps even to the top of the pile and mars their supposed worthiness and nobility of character! Worse, without forgiveness and mercy from God and others, they must instantly and forever surrender all claim to such greatness and honors.

In two pithy sentences the Lord's focus zooms in on each disciple's personal responsibility for his own degree of temptability, and therefore for his own stumbling into sin. Nine times (count them!) He hammers on the personal pronouns YOU and YOURS. He had pronounced fearful woes on the world in general for its multitudinous threats to one's soul security, and to particular tempters through whom those seductions come, but now He rips aside the veil to unmask that hotbed of temptations in the heart of each disciple. This time it is YOUR hand, YOUR foot, YOUR eye. Is Jesus discussing only our liability to temptation from the point of view of our fleshly members named? (See notes on Matthew 5:29-30.)

1.

He definitely includes whatever in our fleshly desires would render a holy life useful to God difficult for ourselves and others. Our selfishness and its passionate desires must be crucified. (Romans 6; Colossians 3:5 ff; Galatians 5:24) But these temptations to sin are probably already thought of as forbidden under other precepts. Nevertheless, should anyone forget his own liability to lust, Jesus leaves nothing to guesswork on that point. What would not be so obvious would be actions that would be otherwise perfectly justifiable, which, because of the weakness of others, would become for them temptations to sin. Hand, foot and eye are gifts of God, therefore good and not intended simply to be disposed of. Rather, they are fit instruments of service to man and God, and the source of unsullied joy to their possessor. But their use can be subverted into abuse, in which case they must be sacrificed. This means that God has placed some things within our reach which, in most circumstances, are positive blessings, while in other situations, deadly instruments for seductions to evil. (Study Paul's argumentation about our members, in Romans 6:12-14.) Man dare not let himself be deceived by his most useful, justifiable elements of his person or personality. (Cf. James 1:13-15) To be true to himself and his Lord he has only one live option: dispense with such things completely.

2.

But since the illustrations He uses are of perfectly legitimate, justifiable members that, when normally and rightly used, are blessings to the well-rounded, happy life, the Savior may be pointing to what is symbolized by the hand, foot or eye: one's practice, pursuits or research. (Edersheim, Life, II, 121) Thus, He is also pointing to what we have a normally legitimate right to use, which, for the sake of our own salvation and the weak conscience of others, may be dispensed with. He means anything that compromises a person's virtue, Christlikeness, leaves him less humble, less determined to live with God.

An illuminating case in point is that of the rich young ruler, (Study Jesus-' comments on his case: Matthew 19:16-30.)

It could be personal taste, emotional attachments, partnerships, any kind of employment, occupation or hobby, the pursuit of some physical or intellectual culture or art. If these lawful things, however perfectly innocent in themselves and quite permissible for others who are not hurt by them, cannot be pursued without self-injury to our likeness to God, then, out of regard for our best self, that self for which Christ died, they must be stringently sacrificed. They may be perfectly innocent pleasures which we are unable to keep within their proper limits, pleasures that sap the strength out of our concern for the Lord's work. However dear they may be to us, to enjoy the things that cause us to sin here on earth and be lost can never match the sheer delight of eternal life.

The all-important word here is IF. Such self-severity is recommended IF our soul is endangered, but if not? Here is a fundamental principle of Christian liberty. The decision about such matters must rest in our hands and be limited to our own case. This is the point of the repeated use of the second person SINGULAR pronoun. Other people may be able to keep their members, even if we cannot. They are responsible for their own decision, but their experience cannot be our guide. Nor may they decide for us, or we for them. The restrictions we find obligatory for ourselves are not to serve as a basis for condemning them for not adopting them, nor can we impose them on them. For fuller information on Christian liberty, study Romans 14:1 to Romans 15:7; 1 Corinthians 6:12 to 1 Corinthians 11:1; Galatians 5:1-6; Galatians 5:13-15; Philippians 4:8 f; Colossians 2:8 to Colossians 3:4; James 1:25; James 2:8-12; 1 Peter 2:16.

Entrance into life is only possible for those who are willing to do without what they may most easily justify, but for whom the use of which would hinder their living a holy life useful to God and men. The direct consequence of this drastic severity is the salvation of two souls: the one who would have stumbled by abuse of his own liberty and the other, the little one who believes in me who would have been caused to stumble by the abuse of the first. Unconditional eternal security is just not available to earth-bound believers. Our possibilities for eternity are rigorously conditioned by the decisions we make as to whether we will make these sacrifices or not. (Hebrews 3:6-14; Hebrews 4:1; Hebrews 4:11; Hebrews 6:4-8; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:14-17; Hebrews 12:25; 1 John 1:7-10; 1 John 2:1 f, 1 John 2:9 f, 1 John 2:15-17; 1 John 4:20; 1 John 5:16 f, 1 John 5:21) The phase of the kingdom of God into which we enter by such self-sacrifice (Mark 9:47) is equal to the life (Matthew 18:9) and is co-extensive with it. Thus, the Lord refers to life in the kingdom of God, here and hereafter. Evidently Jesus is not troubled here to distinguish this life from that, because death is not going to make all that much difference. In fact, just as the kingdom of God is in existence now and continues on out into eternity (Colossians 1:13; 2 Peter 1:11), so eternal life has already begun and we know that we enjoy it because we love the brethren enough to make these essential sacrifices for ourselves and them. (1 John 2:25; 1 John 3:14-16; 1 John 5:11 ff; 1 John 2:15-17; John 5:24)

These two verses taken together prove that the eternal fire and the hell (Gehenna) of fire are identical and what is affirmed of one in Scripture is true of the other also. They stand together across the abyss from what it means to be in the kingdom of God (Matthew 18:3-4; Mark 9:47) and eternal life. (Cf. Matthew 25:46) On Gehenna, see on Matthew 5:22, esp. Matthew 10:28 notes. Jesus is not just frightening folks with imaginary fears and medieval scarecrows! If JESUS informs us that there is a hell, then it really exists. Should not the garbage-heap of the universe be the proper dumping ground for those pompous individuals who, because of their self-assured insensitiveness to their own temptability, offend a child and sow the world solid with stumbling blocks? When talking about other people, even the most hardened have no difficulty with this doctrine. (There would have to be a hell just for Hitler!) Their hedging and objections begin when Christ begins insisting that even they could end up there too.

This painfully severe self-examination is the only spirit in which to begin to correct another. (Matthew 18:15-17; Matthew 7:1-5) In our liberty to select objects for prayer, have we sinned in ceasing to pray for our brother? (Cf. 1 Samuel 12:23) Have we been a misleading example to him? (Romans 12:1-5) While restoring such a one in the spirit of meekness, we must consider ourselves because of our own vulnerability to temptations. (Galatians 6:1-5) If our own bad attitudes, offenses or neglect are factors contributing to our brother's offense, then we cannot proceed to settle the problem according to Matthew 18:15-17, but according to Matthew 5:23 f.

D. HOW DO YOU WANT IT: SAVED BY THE FIRE OR SAVED FOR THE FIRE?

At this point in the Synoptics-' narrative Mark (Mark 9:48-50) inserts the following: 48 where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. 49 For everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its saltness, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.

The allusion is simply to the process of salting meat to preserve it. Jesus says that EVERYONE indiscriminately will be salted to preserve them. However, rather than with literal salt, everyone will be salted with fire. (Mark 9:49) The fire itself, thus, is the preserving agent for everyone.

1.

The previously mentioned unquenchable fire of punishment (Mark 9:48), intended for everyone who, contrary to the demands of severe self-discipline just given, refuses to present himself as a sacrifice to God, rather than just burn him up, will actually keep him perpetually in a state of severest suffering, or eternal punishment. (kólasin aiónion of Matthew 25:46) It is an eternal fire (Matthew 18:8) and unquenchable fire (Mark 9:43).

2.

The Christian, on the other hand, who willingly submits to being a spiritual sacrifice to God, cost him whatever it may, by his embracing this very fire, will be preserved for eternal life. (Romans 12:1-2; 1 Peter 1:6-9; 1 Peter 2:11; 1 Peter 4:12 ff; 1 Peter 5:9 f)

The Lord concludes with a caution and an exhortation: (Mark 9:50)

1.

CAUTION: The preserving power of this chastening fire for the Christians only operates where men permit it to work by making every sacrifice necessary. Salt is good. Otherwise, it would be like saltless salt, useless in their individual lives. The very same chastening, disciplinary fires come to the ungodly too, but it does them no good, because they do not respond to it with the same spirit of self-sacrifice as the godly. The self-same fire to them is like salt that has lost its savor, and the corruption continues.

2.

EXHORTATION: Have salt in yourselves, i.e. let the aforementioned fire which preserves you do its work. Welcome the purifying, preserving principle of self-denial, enduring trials, removing stumbling-blocks, pride, ambition and contention. Welcome the severity of self-discipline, self-judgment and self-sacrifice. This cannot but restore peace and fellowship among you.

Another way of arriving at this same conclusion by another route is the following:

ANATHEMA = DOOMED AS A SACRIFICE = DAMNED

The point of this text may lie in the concept of sacrifice which God has taught us in the Bible. The philosophy behind any sacrificing is the unworthiness of man. He has no right to live, because the image of God in him has been marred by sins and character defects. Unfit to live, he should be destroyed. Mercy, however, offers man the privilege of sacrificing, the life of an animal for the life of the man, an object of value for the value of the giver.

Now, because of the preservative power of salt to stop corruption, the orientals used salt as a symbol of perpetuity and permanence. (Cfr. Numbers 18:19; 2 Chronicles 13:5; Ezekiel 16:4 = immortality?) So, in the symbolism of sacrifice it seems that the Lord chose salt as an absolutely essential preparation for every offering, in order to impart, among other things, this meaning to the sacrifice. (Exodus 30:35; Leviticus 2:13; Ezekiel 43:24) This sacrifice is hereby given permanent, eternal value, even though the thing offered is itself dead.

So, every human being, because he is a sinner is destined for the fire as a sacrifice, a victim of his own sins. From the fire there is no escape and no exception. But precisely at this point a merciful choice is given to humanity: (1) the opportunity to be a personal, willing, living sacrifice to the honor of God's grace, or (2) the fiery punishment in hell, serving as fuel to the honor of God's justice. Man, damned by his sins, is already doomed, hence anathema. But mercy gives him the choice of accepting his own damnation as God's righteous judgment and freely sacrificing himself as an offering to God. Thus, he becomes anathema in the sense of an offering.

Anathema (from the verb anatíthemi to place upon (the altar), to put upon (the walls of a temple as a votive offering) means what is offered up to God. (Arndt-Gingrich, 53f; Rocci, 112, 133; Thayer, 37) This is the common LXX translation of the Hebrew concept of cherem, a thing devoted to God without hope of redemption. It can be either consecrated or accursed, depending on the point of view required. (Gesenius, 305)

Unrepentant sinners who refuse to come to repentance and soul preservation by accepting the punishment for their sins in this life, must face eternal preservation in the midst of an eternal, fiery hell. The eternal fire is that which would burn them as sacrifices. Since the wicked accepted no substitute, rather than suffer as a living sacrifice in honor to God on earth, they burn as the victims of their own corruption in hell.

Christians, because they accepted the perfect Christ as their substitute sacrifice, do not themselves have to die the second death in the destruction by fire, because they will have already sacrificed themselves willingly on the altar of Christ's service in this life, (Romans 12:1-2; Galatians 5:24; Colossians 3:3; Colossians 3:5; Romans 6:1-11) They have accepted their damnation as God's righteous judgment and have been permitted to die spiritually to their sins. Thereafter, their life is to be considered as one continuous living sacrifice. Though it might seem a hell on earth, its fire not only purifies their dross, but preserves them eternally. (Cf. Hebrews 12:4-12)

The fire of the Christians which preserves (salts) them, then, is all the discipline that comes to them in the normal course of their living the Christian life, all that purges them of their impurities (1 Peter 1:6 f; 1 Peter 4:12 f) and makes them like Christ (1 Peter 2:18-25; 1 Peter 4:1 f; Romans 5:3-4; James 1:2-4; James 1:12) The man who has no fear of the blazing wrath of God is the man who has had all that is combustible in himself burnt away, who has already submitted to the fire, the purification that God directs. (Cf. Isaiah 33:14 f) Living according to the will of God, he lives in the love of God, so he has no need to be alarmed at the judgment of God upon sinners.

Christians are preserved from destruction in hell by their willing submission to suffering for Christ in this life, by humble contrition and removal of stumbling blocks in their lives and by maintaining peace with others by a loving, forgiving spirit.
What is the good salt? (Mark 9:50) It is the spirit of humble self-sacrifice for God and others which keeps Jesus-' followers united together in a common covenant whereby they can live in peace with one another. Should this salt lose its power to work its transformation, the individuals involved would not be sacrifices truly acceptable to God. The ensuing corruption would doom them to the other fire. The wicked treat their salt as worthless and so must suffer the consequences of their own corruption.

Thus, everything Christians give up for Christ's sake is considered as offered up in sacrifice to God (anathema) because damned (anathema), if sinful, and consecrated (anathema), if a fit object for offering to God. No wonder a Christian lives forever! His self-denials, subduing his desire, his enduring trials and removing offenses for Christ's sake is just another way of saying getting rid of all that is objectionable to God, so why should God destroy him?

See Matthew 18:22-35 for Fact Questions.