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The Prophecy Revealed In Matthew
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Lesson Forty-Four: by Christina Farris (turtle)
The hardest part of the beginning of faith is believing in God and then trusting God at His word. Jesus in this next passage had been teaching for a while
His disciples and He is actually repeats Himself in this chapter of previous studies. I am choosing not to go over this entire chapter but encouraging you to
go and do a little thinking and digging through scripture on your own. One must remember who Jesus is talking to and the fact he is talking to His disciples
but he is talking to them as if speaking to gentiles and the traditions of the world and not the traditions of the Jewish people. After all remember Jesus was
sending and would be sending His disciples to the world not to the Jews. He would be testified about in the temples to the Jews, but many hearts would
be harden as prophets declared.
Matthew 18:1-6 KJV
(1) At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
(2) And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
(3) And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
(4) Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
(5) And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
(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.
This is a warning if one hurts one child or one believer it would be better for one to tie a millstone around the neck and be thrown into the sea. However
one might want to checkout historical situations concerning millstones in Jewish life.
Judges 9:52-57 KJV
(52) And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
(53) And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head, and all to brake his skull.
(54) Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman
slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.
(55) And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place.
(56) Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren:
(57) And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.
Abimelech was at war when a woman hit him in the head with a piece of mill stone, and in truth it be better for a man to kill him then a woman. However
in so doing Abimelech caused armor bearer to sin. For the commandments is to thou shall not kill. The Israelites wanted to be like the rest of the world
much like Christian do in the since of enjoying others traditions. Almost every religion except Judaism encourages suicide for certain offenses. First of all
suicide is not honor. However Christ speaks of it why? Teaching the disciples of those things in the world. Saul fell on his sword in battle. Yet these kings
were kings of the world. If a person sinned or offended they moved or went to a place of safety. They would go through a trial and be judged. However
in the world suicide among other religious beliefs is acceptable.
Christ said it be better if he had, not that he should. Why because Christ forgives all sin. He died for all sin. Christ died for you and for me, so we would
not have to deal with the sin of the world. In the Bible it says if you sinned against someone to go to them and ask for forgiveness.
Matthew 18:21-22 KJV
(21) Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
(22) Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Leviticus 19:17-18 KJV
(17) Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.
(18) Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
Jewish tradition different then the world but Jesus taught about worlds traditions to His disciples, so that they would understand how the world believed.
Now examine the rest of the chapter.
Matthew 18:7-10 KJV
(7) Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
(8) Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than
having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.
(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.
(10) Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which
is in heaven.
Woe to the world, Christ is speaking of the world. Can a man work if he has no legs or arms, well it depends on type of job. However he would need a
caregiver. To purposely maime oneself is dangerous act, it not one of valor. Christ teaches it is the way of the world and woe to it. Why woe, because
not one of us alive have not offended someone at sometime.
Matthew 18:11-14 KJV
(11) For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.
(12) How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the
mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?
(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.
(14) Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.
Christ search for those that are lost and will receive Him. He desire none to perish, not to loose hope. However there are those that preach of this world
and do as the world. Beware of the evil. Christ loves you and Christ desires you to live for Him. Do not harm yourself but live for Jesus, He taught about
the world.
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