Fourthly, "If he neglect to hear the church, if he slight the admonition, and will neither be ashamed of his faults, nor amend them, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and publican; let him be cast out of the communion of the church, secluded from special ordinances, degraded from the dignity of a church member, let him be put under disgrace, and let the members of the society be warned to withdraw from him, that he may be ashamed of his sin, and they may not be infected by it, or made chargeable with it." 19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. If we through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body, we shall live; that is meant by our entering into life maimed, that is, the body of sin maimed; and it is but maimed at the best, while we are in this world. The argument is the same with that of the apostle, Rom 8 13. "Tell him his fault, remind him of what he has done, and of the evil of it, show him his abominations." Their believing in Christ, though they be little ones, unites them to him, and interests him in their cause, so that, as they partake of the benefit of his sufferings, he also partakes in the wrong of theirs. 12 How think ye? [1.] Secondly, It is good to see those who have the management of church discipline, agreeing in it. (3.) 13 And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. This part of the discourse concerning offences is certainly to be understood of personal wrongs, which is in our power to forgive. Parables are of use, not only for the pressing of Christian duties; for they make and leave an impression. 2. Besides the secret worship performed by particular persons, and the public services of the whole congregation, there may be occasion sometimes for two or three to come together, either for mutual assistance in conference or joint assistance in prayer, not in contempt of public worship, but in concurrence with it; there Christ will be present. Observe, Though it be but one such little child that is received in Christ's name, it shall be accepted. II. 5 29, 30), where it especially refers to seventh-commandment sins; here it is taken more generally. They suppose that all who have a place in that kingdom are great, for it is a kingdom of priests. I. First, In their sentence of suspension; Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven. Secondly, That they always behold the face of the Father in heaven. The duty of forgiving; we must from our hearts forgive. [2.] Whatever kindnesses are done to such, Christ takes as done to himself. To particular believers, who are offended and put out of their way by the stumbling-blocks that are laid in their way, or the wiles of those who seduce them out of the way. Dat ille veniam facile, cui venia est opusHe who needs forgiveness, easily bestows it. A further discourse of our Saviour's, by way of parable, to show the necessity of forgiving the injuries that are done to us. 35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. Here is a double woe annexed to offences: [1.] Though the debt was vastly great, he forgave it all, v. 32. When Abraham quitted his native country, for fear of being ensnared in the idolatry of it, and when Moses quitted Pharaoh's court, for fear of being entangled in the sinful pleasures of it, there was a right hand cut off. We think if but one or two be offended and ensnared, it is no great matter, we need not mind it; but God's thoughts of love and tenderness are above ours. Bibliographical Information Henry, Matthew. This rule was then in a special manner requisite, when the civil government was in the hands of such as were not only aliens, but enemies. As for those whom God hath chosen and called out of the world, and delivered from it, they are preserved by the power of God from the prejudice of these offences, are helped over all these stones of stumbling. 1 I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. [3.] This represents the sin of those who, though they are not unjust in demanding that which is their own, yet are rigorous and unmerciful in demanding that which is their own, to the utmost of right, which sometimes proves a real wrong. (7-14) The removal of offences. They that are shut out from the congregation of the righteous now shall not stand in it in the great day, Ps 1 5. Those that sell themselves to work wickedness, must be sold, to make satisfaction. The flesh, with its affections and lusts, must be mortified, Gal 5 24. 28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, which owed him a hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. (3.) Note, The humblest Christians are the best Christians, and most like to Christ, and highest in his favour; are best disposed for the communications of divine grace, and fittest to serve God in this world, and enjoy him in another. Count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother." 2. Though in such a world as this it is rare to find one good whom all men speak well of, yet it is more rare to find one good whom all men speak ill of. 1. To the state of fallen man in general; he is strayed like a lost sheep, the angels that stood were as the ninety-nine that never went astray; wandering man is sought upon the mountains, which Christ, in great fatigue, traversed in pursuit of him, and he is found; which is a matter of joy. Resources Matthew Henry's Commentary Acts Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Verses 1-6 Verses 7-11 Verses 12-17 Verses 18-23 Verses 24-28 In this chapter we have, I. Paul's coming to Corinth, his private converse with Aquila and Priscilla, and his public reasonings with the Jews, from whom, when they rejected him, he turned to the Gentiles, Acts 18:1-6. The stoutest heart will fail, when God sets the sins in order before it. Salem Media Group. Note, Though God makes the sins of sinners to serve his purposes, that will not secure them from his wrath; and the guilt will be laid at the door of those who give the offence, though they also fall under a woe who take it. "The Lord, who has a right to rule all; your God, who has a peculiar right to rule you." Jehovah is the fountain of being, and therefore the fountain of power, whose we are, whom we are bound to serve, and who is able to punish all disobedience. It intimates that we should make it our constant practice to forgive injuries, and should accustom ourselves to it till it becomes habitual. (2.) The parable is a comment upon the fifth petition of the Lord's prayer, Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. ), where he reproves those that went to law before the unjust, and not before the saints (v. 1), and would have the saints to judge those small matters (v. 2) that pertain to this life, v. 3. [3.] But, [1.] In the foregoing chapter, we had an account of his doings, in this, of his teachings; probably, not all at the same time, in a continued discourse, but at several times, upon divers occasions, here put together, as near akin. The improvement of his triumphs; he soon became, 1. The depth of the sea is only killing, but hell is tormenting. More is implied than is expressed. II. Now observe. Lastly, Here is the application of the whole parable, (v. 35); So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you. None should come under the censure of the church as obstinate and contumacious, till it be very well proved that they are so. 9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. By his common presence he is in all places, as God; but this is a promise of his special presence. He is in the midst of them, that is, in their hearts; it is a spiritual presence, the presence of Christ's Spirit with their spirits, that is here intended. They mean not, who by character (then the question had been good, that they might know what graces and duties to excel in), but who by name. Originally written in 1706, Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary provides a condensed look at nearly every verse in the Bible. Convinced sinners cannot but humble themselves before God, and pray for mercy. The owner that had lost one sheep out of a hundred, does not slight it, but diligently enquires after it, is greatly pleased when he has found it, and has in that a sensible and affecting joy, more than in the ninety and nine that wandered not. Will it suffice to do it seven times? The happiness of heaven consists in the vision of God, seeing him face to face as he is, beholding his beauty; this the angels have without interruption; when they are ministering to us on earth, yet even then by contemplation they behold the face of God, for they are full of eyes within. But observe, Though he discharged him from the penalty as a debtor, he did not discharge him from his duty as a servant. All the saints are honourable, but not all alike so; one star differs from another star in glory. Those of the church that are presumed to be most capable of determining such matters; and he speaks ironically, when he says (v. 4), "Set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church; those, if there be no better, those, rather than suffer an irreconcileable breach between two church members." Thus the whole power of gospel ministers is resolved into the word and prayer, to which they must wholly give themselves. The angels' continual felicity and honour. Summum jus summa injuriaPush a claim to an extremity, and it becomes a wrong. The danger of not forgiving; So shall your heavenly Father do. Note, The presence of Christ in the assemblies of Christians is promised, and may in faith be prayed for and depended on; There am I. "If he will not hear the church, will not stand to their award, but persists in the wrong he has done thee, and proceeds to do thee further wrong, let him be to thee as a heathen man, and a publican; take the benefit of the law against him, but let that always be the last remedy; appeal not to the courts of justice till thou hast first tried all other means to compromise the matter in variance. The civil magistrate, say some; The Jewish sanhedrim then in being, say others; but by what follows, v. 18, it is plain that he means a Christian church, which, though not yet formed, was now in the embryo. The servant knew before that he was so much in debt, and yet was under no concern about it, till he was called to an account. Tell it to the church. 11 16); but, as children, we must desire the sincere milk of the word (1 Pet 2 2); as children, we must be careful for nothing, but leave it to our heavenly Father to care for us (ch. It is necessary to the preservation of peace, both within and without, to pass by injuries, without reckoning how often; to forgive, and forget. The sin is so heinous, and the ruin proportionably so great, that he had better undergo the sorest punishments inflicted on the worst of malefactors, which can only kill the body. See ch. 27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. Apply this. [1.] [2.] II. Of its purity, that it might have an expulsive faculty, a power to cleanse and clear itself, like a fountain of living waters, which is necessary as long as the net of the gospel brings up both good fish and bad. When he began to reckon, one of the first defaulters appeared to owe ten thousand talents. (3.) Yet this is not enough; we must from the heart desire and seek the welfare even of those that have offended us. Those that thus humble themselves will be afraid. (1.) 1. Note, Many love to hear and speak of privileges and glory, who are willing to pass by the thoughts of work and trouble. See 2 Chron 5 13; Acts 4 31. We have abundant reason to think, that if Christ ever intended that Peter and his successors at Rome should be heads of the church, and his chief vicars on earth, having so fair an occasion given him, he would now have let his disciples know it; but so far is he from this, that his answer disallows and condemns the thing itself. [2.] 3. Matthew 18:18 - Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. Matthew. Senec. 2 2, 4, 9); but never any had the least grain or glimpse of comfort in hell, nor will have to eternity. 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 4 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the fl. 34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. Concerning offences in general (ver 7), particularly offences given, 1. In verse 32, and the following verses, are the gifts of God to . It fixes a great gulf, which can never be broken through, Luke 16 26. this agrees with Prov 25 8, 9, "Go not forth hastily to strive, but debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself, argue it calmly and amicably; and if he shall hear thee, well and good, thou hast gained thy brother, there is an end of the controversy, and it is a happy end; let no more be said of it, but let the falling out of friends be the renewing of friendship. See a full exposition of this parable, Ezek 34 2, 10, 16, 19. That name gives to what they do an authority on earth, and an acceptableness in heaven. Dishonours done to a man like ourselves are but as peace, motes, gnats; but dishonours done to God are as talents, beams, camels. They suppose that all who have a place in that kingdom are great, for it is a kingdom of priests. As there never was a greater pattern of humility, so there never was a greater preacher of it, than Christ; he took all occasions to command it, to commend it, to his disciples and followers. (1.) What is to be done in this case. Or rather, the children of men. He shows him, First, That he should have been more compassionate to the distress of his fellow servant, because he had himself experienced the same distress. It was in the close of the day of atonement that the jubilee trumpet sounded a release of debts (Lev 25 9); for we must have compassion on our brethren, as God has on us. 1. The Israelites knew the heart of a stranger, for they were strangers; and this servant should have better known the heart of an arrested debtor, than to have been thus hard upon such a one. Peter was always the chief speaker, and already had the keys given him; he expects to be lord-chancellor, or lord-chamberlain of the household, and so to be the greatest. It is sad that any of our brethren should either make themselves beast of prey, by cruelty and barbarity; or be made beasts of slavery, by the inhuman usage of those who have power over them. It is bad being enemies to those who are so guarded; and it is good having God for our God, for then we have his angels for our angels. Having mentioned the offending of little ones, he takes occasion to speak more generally of offences. Many are borne with, who are not thereby brought to repentance (Rom 2 4), and then their being borne with does them no kindness. There is an account kept of these debts, and we must shortly be reckoned with for them. Let not earth despise those whom heaven respects; let those be looked upon by us with respect, as his favourites. 2. 2. A father takes care of all his children, but is particularly tender of the little ones, Gen 33 13. The codensed one-volume classic commentary. "The offense is a trespass against thee; if thy brother sin against thee (so the word is), if he do any thing which is offensive to thee as a Christian." This is fully explained by the apostle (1 Cor 6. Sacrifice and offering would not do it; our good works are but God's work in us, and cannot make satisfaction; we are without strength, and cannot help ourselves. The forgiving of the debt is the loosing of the debtor; He loosed him. This intimates likewise the ground of the safety of his little ones; that God is their Father, and is therefore inclined to succour them. The widow's earnestness prevailed even with the unjust judge: she might fear lest it should set him more against her; but our earnest prayer is pleasing to our God. (2.) There is no evading the enquiries of divine justice; your sin will be sure to find you out. Christ, having cautioned his disciples not to give offence, comes next to direct them what they must do in case of offences given them; which may be understood either of personal injuries, and then these directions are intended for the preserving of the peace of the church; or of public scandals, and then they are intended for the preserving of the purity and beauty of the church. Those that will use God's favours, shall never be upbraided with them, but those that abuse them, may expect it, ch. The disciples, when they put that question (v. 1), thought themselves sure of the kingdom of heaven; but Christ awakens them to be jealous of themselves. Note, Those are truly great who are truly good; and they will appear so at last, when Christ shall own them as his, though ever so mean and poor in the world. Go, and tell him his fault between thee and him alone. Do not stay till he comes to thee, but go to him, as the physician visits the patient, and the shepherd goes after the lost sheep." They are hereby encouraged with an assurance of the presence of Christ; There am I in the midst of them. It is an essential part of that religion which is pure and undefiled before God and the Father, of that wisdom from above, which is gentle, and easy to be entreated. 2. We must not look upon these little ones as contemptible, because really they are considerable. Those that do not forgive their brother's trespasses, did never truly repent of their own, nor ever truly believe the gospel; and therefore that which is taken away is only what they seemed to have, Luke 8 18. Concerning offences given by us to others, especially Christ's little ones, which we are here charged to take heed of, pursuant to what he had said, v. 6. They look so much at the crown, that they forget the yoke and the cross. 2. We have here. In the foregoing chapter, we had an account of his doings, in this, of his teachings; probably, not all at the same time, in a continued discourse, but at several times, upon divers occasions, here put together, as near akin. The infant seed of the faithful belong to the family of Christ, and are not to be despised. Note, It is a good rule, which should ordinarily be observed among Christians, not to speak of our brethren's faults to others, till we have first spoken of them to themselves, this would make less reproaching and more reproving; that is, less sin committed, and more duty done. If a man cheat and abuse me once, it is his fault; if twice, it is my own. That is an offence, 1. Those who, upon their repentance, are received by the church into communion again may take the comfort of their absolution in heaven, if their hearts be upright with God. Christ himself, when a child, was in the midst of the doctors, Luke 2 46. This is equivalent to the Shechinah, or special presence of God in the tabernacle and temple of old, Exod 40 34; 2 Chron 5 14. They suppose that there are degrees in this greatness. Note, It is the folly of many who are under convictions of sin, to imagine that they can make God satisfaction for the wrong they have done him; as those who, like a compounding bankrupt, would discharge the debt, by giving their first-born for their transgressions (Mic 6 7), who go about to establish their own righteousness, Rom 10 3. This word makes a wall of fire about them; he that touches them, touches the apple of God's eye. Silver and gold would not pay our debt, Ps 49 6, 7. If there be no liberty and opportunity for large and numerous assemblies, yet then it is the will of God that two or three should gather together, to show their good-will to the great congregation. Note, We should think no pains too much to take for the recovering of a sinner to repentance. We must think nothing too dear to part with, for the keeping of a good conscience. "To be witnesses of his conduct, in case the matter should afterward be brought before the church." 4. God keeps an account (Deut 32 34), because he is the Judge, and vengeance is his; but we must not, lest we be found stepping into his throne. [2.] II. We have here, I. [2.] The title Christ here gives to God was made use of, v. 19, in a comfortable promise; It shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven; here it is made use of in a terrible threatening. He begs time; Have patience with me. He doth not say, "If you shall agree to sentence and decree a thing, it shall be done" (as if ministers were judges and lords); but, "If you agree to ask it of God, from him you shall obtain it." Here observe. We must not despise them, not think meanly of them, as lambs despised, Job 12 5. Fourthly, The unanimous petitions of the church of God, for the ratification of their just censures, shall be heard in heaven, and obtain an answer; "It shall be done, it shall be bound and loosed in heaven; God will set his fiat to the appeals and applications you make to him." Note, It is justly expected, that such as have received mercy, should show mercy. See with what eye Solomon looked both upon the tears of the oppressed, and the power of the oppressors, Eccl 4 1. Thus he would have payment to be made, that is, something done towards it; though it is impossible that the sale of one so worthless should amount to the payment of so great a debt. (6.) Of its peace and order, that every member may know his place and duty, and the purity of it may be preserved in a regular way and not tumultuously. Secondly, The application of this comparison (v. 14); It is not the will of your Father, that one of these little ones should perish. Or, figuratively; true but weak believers are these little ones, who in their outward condition, or the frame of their spirits, are like little children, the lambs of Christ's flock. Nay, if Christ came into the world to save souls, and his heart is so much upon that work, he will reckon severely with those that obstruct and hinder it, by obstructing the progress of those that are setting their faces heavenward, and so thwart his great design. To be sold. The New Testament of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; so this second part of the holy Bible is entitled: The new covenant; so it might as well be rendered; the word signifies both. Pride threw the angels that sinned out of heaven, and will keep us out, if we be not converted from it. Thirdly, Prayer must evermore go along with church discipline. Matthew 16:19. In work of this kind we must travail in birth again (Gal 4 19); and it is after many pains and throes that the child is born. 6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Matthew Henry (18 October 1662 - 22 June 1714) was a Nonconformist minister and author, born in Wales but spending much of his life in England.. Show more Matthew Henry's well-known six-volume Exposition of the Old and New Testaments (1708-10) or Complete Commentary, provides an exhaustive verse by verse study of the Bible. Christ's errand into the world was to save that which was lost, to reduce us to our allegiance, restore us to our work, reinstate us in our privileges, and so to put us into the right way that leads to our great end; to save those that are spiritually lost from being eternally so. It supposes that all God's people are praying people; all God's children keep up both a constant and an occasional correspondence with him, send to him statedly, and upon every emergency. [2.] This present world is an evil world, it is so full of offences, of sins, and snares, and sorrows; a dangerous road we travel, full of stumbling-blocks, precipices, and false guides. 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. Christ, having taught us to indulge the weakness of our brethren, here cautions us not to indulge their wickedness under pretence of that. He is their Father in heaven, a place of prospect, and therefore he sees all the indignities offered them; and a place of power, therefore he is able to avenge them. 14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. [2.] How insolently did he trample upon one as good as himself, that submitted to him! Those that will be reasoned out of their sins, need not be shamed out of them. Look how they will answer it another day, who, though they bear the Christian name, persist in the most rigorous and unmerciful treatment of their brethren, as if the strictest laws of Christ might be dispensed with for the gratifying of their unbridled passions; and so they curse themselves every time they say the Lord's prayer. Or, Secondly, By constraint; when there are not more than two or three to come together, or, if there be, they dare not, for fear of the Jews, yet Christ will be in the midst of them, for it is not the multitude, but the faith and sincere devotion, of the worshippers, that invites the presence of Christ; and though there be but two or three, the smallest number that can be, yet, if Christ make one among them, who is the principal one, their meeting is as honourable and comfortable as if they were two or three thousand. Agamemn. The parable represents the kingdom of heaven, that is, the church, and the administration of the gospel dispensation in it.

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