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Matthew 18: Humility & Forgiveness In this chapter Jesus deals with two great characteristics of His disciples toward each other: humility and forgiveness. |
Matthew 18: Humility & Forgiveness
In this chapter Jesus deals with two great characteristics of His disciples toward each other: humility and forgiveness.
- Humility: God’s Care For All (18:1-14)
- This chapter opens with a question of who is the greatest – Jesus says it is the one who turns and becomes as a child.
- He further warns against making even one of those children stumble (cf. Rom. 14; Phil. 2:3-4) because it is not God’s will for even one to perish (2 Pet. 3:9; 1 Tim. 2:4; Luke 19:10, 14; John 3:16; cf. Luke 15).
- Forgiveness: Responsibility To Restore & Forgive (v15-35)
- Seeing God’s desire to seek out His children, should create the same desire within us (Eph. 5:1; 1 Cor. 11:1).
- Thus if one has sinned against us we should seek to restore that one and forgive him when he repents.
- Note responsibility of both parties when we sin against another occurs (v15 & 5:23-24).
- Note also the desire to solve the matter as quickly and quietly as possible (meekness – cf. Gal. 6:1).
- One who will not repent after due process (based on heavenly authority – v18-20) is treated as one who is lost — yet still with the hope of restoration (1 Cor. 5:1-5; 2 Cor. 2:6-8; 2 Thess. 3:14-15).
- When such a one would repent we should be ready to forgive them again and again (Luke 17:4) lest we not be forgiven by God — for by God has forgiven us a greater debt (cf. Matt. 6:12, 14-15; Col. 3:13).
