MATTHEW 18:1-141At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 3And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. 6But 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. 7Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! 8Wherefore 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. 9And 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. 10Take 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. 11For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. 12How 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? 13And 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. 14Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. (Matthew 18:1‑14).
Verses 1-4. "At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying: Who is the greatest [greater] in the kingdom of heaven [the heavens]?' And Jesus called a little child unto Him, and set him in the midst of them, 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 [the heavens]. Whosoever, therefore, shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest [greater] in the kingdom of heaven [the heavens].'”
THE disciples inquire of the Lord Jesus concerning greatness in the kingdom of the heavens. The Lord calls a little child, who, it appears from verse 6, was a believer in Him, and set him in the midst of them, and having taken him up in His arms, according to Mark 9:3636And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, (Mark 9:36), He teaches them that, in order to enter into the kingdom of the heavens, conversion is absolutely necessary. Man is born in sin and shaped in iniquity. The carnal mind is enmity against God; it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be; therefore, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God," or enter into it (John 3:3-53Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (John 3:3‑5)). Greatness in the kingdom is measured by humility, emptiness, and subjection. The less of self and the more of Christ, the greater; none of self and all of Christ, the greatest.
Verses 5, 6. "And whoso shall receive one such little child in My name receiveth Me. But whoso shall offend [stumble] one of these little ones which believe in Me, it were better for him that a large millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”
The Lord Jesus identifies the little child with Himself, which is expressed by His taking him up in His arms; so that whoever receives such an one in His name receives Him, while an offense committed against such a little believing one involves stupendous guilt, and exposes to the severest judgment.
The Offense here spoken of consists especially in putting a STUMBLING-BLOCK in the way of the young believer, so as to turn his steps aside from the paths of righteousness, holiness, or of truth; enticing him into sin, or away from the grand fundamental truths of the Word of God.
Verse 7. "Woe unto the world because of offenses [occasions of stumbling], for it must needs be that offenses come; but woe unto the man by whom the offense [stumbling-block] cometh.”
The Spirit speaketh expressly that in the last days perilous times shall come, and the Scriptures abound with warnings as to the departure from the faith and truth of God which is characteristic of the times of the end. Scriptural and Divine truth must needs be thus tested, but woe to the originators and propagators of doctrines which are subversive of the faith of the unwary and the young.
Verses 8, 9. "Wherefore, if thy hand or thy foot offend [stumble] 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. And if thine eye offend [stumble] 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 [the Gehenna of fire].”
There is an inseparable connection between divine truth and life; between life spiritual and life eternal. Hence the vital importance of maintaining the truth of God, and the fearful danger of imbibing and maintaining deadly error. When vital truths are in question it is not a mere matter of opinion, or of following this or that leader, but a question of spiritual life and death. When it comes to this, no personal or relative considerations, dear and important as they may be, even as a right hand, or foot, or eye, are to be allowed to have a moment's weight. The consequences or results are eternal; for, whatever the false theology of the present day may affirm, there is eternal life for the overcomer, and there is a Gehenna of fire—and that fire is everlasting —for those who surrender the truth of God, and accept the lie of Satan.
Verses 10-11. "Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you that in heaven [the heavens] their angels do always behold the face of My Father which is in heaven [the heavens]. For the Son of Man is come [came] to save that which was lost.”
To be a son or daughter of Jehovah God Almighty gives a dignity superior to anything earthly, whether of birth, rank, or wealth, whether the child of God be old or young, rich or poor, of exalted or of humble rank. Such an one is born of God, regenerated and indwelt by the divine, eternal Spirit; and though by nature lost, the Son of Man came into the world to save him, at no less cost than by the sacrifice of Himself. The world may overlook and despise them, but those holy and mighty angels, which stand before the Majesty of heaven and earth, recognize in them the heirs of salvation and everlasting glory, and are sent forth to minister to them while sojourners on earth.
Verses 12-14. "How think ye? If a man have a 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? And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of [over] that sheep than of [over] the ninety and nine which went not astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven [the heavens] that one of these little ones should perish.”
There is a striking similarity between this parable and that in Luke 15:3-73And he spake this parable unto them, saying, 4What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? 5And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. 7I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. (Luke 15:3‑7). There it is the LOST sheep sought and found; here it is the sheep that had GONE ASTRAY sought, found, and restored.
With regard to the expression, "one of these little ones," it is important to bear in mind the words of the Lord Jesus, in verse 6, "One of these little ones WHICH BELIEVE in Me." Thus we learn that it is a young believer who has gone astray, over whom the Father's heart is yearning. One of these young or weak disciples has been corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ, the stumbling-block of false doctrine has been put in his way, his steps have been turned aside from the paths of piety and truth, and he has been driven out to wander in the dark mountains of doubt, delusion, and error; but the Good Shepherd who died for him is seeking his restoration.
The Church of God has need to seek, by the aid of the Spirit of God, the restoration of the wanderer; while the heavenly Father is waiting with outstretched arms to welcome his return, for it is not His will that one of those believing little ones should perish. The recovery of such from the error of his way is a matter of special joy to the Father, the Spirit, and the Son, and to all who are in fellowship with them (James 5:19, 2019Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; 20Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. (James 5:19‑20); Jude 2222And of some have compassion, making a difference: (Jude 22), 23).