Matthew 18

vv. 1-14

What is the main principle in verses 1-14 (context of the unmerciful servant)?

v.3 you must be converted and become like a little child

List the characteristics of being like a little child.

v.4 humble

v.6 believe in Me

v.13 not lost [found]

v.14 not perishing [saved]

Warning: What is it possible to do to the humble one?

1. v.10 despise

Why would a person despise a humble one?

2. v.6 cause to stumble

How could a person cause a humble one to stumble?

Why is causing a little one to stumble so offensive to God?

vv. 7-9

1. Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin(stumbling blocks)!

2. Such things must come,

3. but woe to the man through whom they come!

The facts:

1. On whom does Jesus pronounce woe?

1. On the world, Why? because of stumbling blocks.

2. On the man through whom such stumbling blocks come.

2. What is the difference between the woe pronounced on the world, and the woe pronounced upon the man?

Such things must come to the world. There is a sense of inevitability about that, but not so much for the man. One is universal and unavoidable, one is individual and avoidable–implied.

Interpretation:

Context: What are some things that cause people to sin in the context? What are some stumbling blocks?

Hands and feet and eyes.

1. If your hand or your foot causes you to sin,

2. cut it off and throw it away.

3. It is better for you to enter life named or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.

1. And if your eye causes you to sin,

2. gouge it out and throw it away.

3. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

1. What things may cause you to sin?

hands and feet and eyes

2. What two things does Jesus say to do if a hand or foot causes you to sin?

1. cut it off or gouge it out and 2.throw it away (don't cut it off and keep it)

3. What are the results of getting rid of a body part that causes you to sin, and not getting rid of a body part that causes you to sin?

cutting off–enter life maimed or crippled	life

not cutting off–be cast (whole) into eternal fire	death

Interpretation:

List the means through which stumbling comes in this whole section.

vv. 8-9 body parts

v. 6 Whoever, him, his neck, v.7 That man. All are people.

What two kinds of things show up here? What is the relationship between them?

What is this passage on body parts doing in the middle of a section on relationships between people. Why is there a section on hands and feet causing you to stumble in the middle of a section on people causing other people to stumble?

Perhaps come back here after vv.15-20

vv. 15-17

Identify the 4 steps of church discipline.

1. v.15 go to him in private

2. v.16 take 2-3 witnesses

What type of witnesses are these: legal or spiritual? What is their function, do they just come and watch, point out guilt, etc.?

3. v.17 take it to the church

4. v.17 let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax-gatherer.

What is the principle underlying these steps? What is the point of going to your brother? v.15 to win your brother

Redemptive, not just getting him to agree with you.

How are these steps in church discipline related to the principle and warning (given in vv. 1-14 of this chapter?)

If you don't handle sin in your brother in the appropriate way (humbly, in order to win him back in humbleness), you may cause him to stumble–and be worse off than if he was just "lost."

vv. 18-20