Matthew 18 · WEB
Greatness, Forgiveness, and the Lost Sheep
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In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?"
2Jesus called a little child to himself, and set him in the middle of them
3and said, "Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
4Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
5Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me,
6but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if a huge millstone were hung around his neck and that he were sunk in the depths of the sea.
7"Woe to the world because of occasions of stumbling! For it must be that the occasions come, but woe to that person through whom the occasion comes!
8If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippled, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire.
9If your eye causes you to stumble, 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 the Gehenna of fire.
10"See that you don't despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
11For the Son of Man came to save that which was lost.
12"What do you think? If a man has one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, doesn't he leave the ninety-nine, go to the mountains, and seek that which has gone astray?
13If he finds it, most certainly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray.
14Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
15"If your brother sins against you, go, show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained back your brother.
16But if he doesn't listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly. If he refuses to hear the assembly also, let him be to you as a Gentile or a tax collector.
18Most certainly I tell you, whatever things you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever things you release on earth will have been released in heaven.
19"Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven.
20For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them."
21Then Peter came and said to him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?"
22Jesus said to him, "I don't tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven.
23"Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
24When he had begun to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.
25But because he couldn't pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife, his children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26The servant therefore fell down and kneeled before him, saying, 'Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all!'
27The lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him and forgave him the debt.
28"But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him one hundred denarii, and he grabbed him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!'
29"So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will repay you!'
30He would not, but went and cast him into prison until he should pay back that which was due.
31So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told their lord all that was done.
32Then his lord called him in and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.
33Shouldn't you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?'
34His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors until he should pay all that was due to him.
35So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don't each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds."
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Summary
Jesus teaches that true greatness in the Kingdom belongs to those who humble themselves like children, and warns severely against causing little ones to stumble. He gives the parable of the lost sheep, instructions for confronting sin in the church, and answers Peter's question about forgiveness with the parable of the unforgiving servant. The chapter centers on humility, restoration, and limitless forgiveness rooted in God's mercy.
Themes
- Childlike humility
- Care for the vulnerable
- Church discipline and restoration
- Forgiveness without limit
- God's mercy as the model for ours
Key verses
- Matt 18:14 — “It is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”
- Matt 18:20 — “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them.”
- Matt 18:21-22 — “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I don't tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven.”
- Matt 18:3 — “Unless you turn and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.”
Context & background
This discourse likely takes place in Capernaum on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee in modern northern Israel, before Jesus' final journey to Jerusalem. A talent equaled roughly 6,000 denarii (about 20 years' wages for a laborer), so 10,000 talents was an unpayable, almost comical sum, while 100 denarii (about 100 days' wages) was a real but manageable debt. The contrast deliberately exposes the absurdity of refusing forgiveness after receiving so much. "Gehenna," referenced in verse 9, was the Valley of Hinnom outside Jerusalem, a burning trash dump that became the standard image for hell.
Cross-references
- 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 — Paul applies similar principles of church discipline
- Colossians 3:13 — "Even as Christ forgave you, so you also do"
- Deuteronomy 19:15 — "Two or three witnesses" principle Jesus applies to church discipline
- Ephesians 4:32 — "Forgive each other, just as God also in Christ forgave you"
- Luke 15:3-7 — Parallel parable of the lost sheep with similar emphasis on God's pursuit