An exposition of The Gospel According to Matthew
by David L. Cooper, Th.M., Ph.D., Litt. D.
Installment eighteen

AS STATED in the last study, Matthew is chronological from chapter 14 to the close, with few exceptions. The last incident, which we have studied, is our Lord's paying the Temple tax, upon His return from His six months' period of retirement from the Holy Land. It was at Capernaum that He paid this half-shekel, one for Himself and one for Peter. The next incident of our Lord's life as related by the Evangelist was the contention that arose among the disciples as to which of them should be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. This dispute occurred when they were in Capernaum.

The dispute regarding rank among the Apostles as to who should be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven is recorded in Mark 9:33-37, Matthew 18:1-5, and Luke 9:46-48. Luke simply states that there arose a reasoning among them, whereas Matthew says, "In that hour came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" According to Mark's account, "When he [Jesus] was in the house he asked them, What were ye reasoning on the way?" From these various statements we see that there was a dispute among the disciples when they were traveling on the way. We cannot be positive just where they were when the dispute occurred or exactly when it was. It is altogether possible that it arose when they were returning from the fourth and last retirement. Or it may have been when they were on the road coming into Capernaum on this occasion. But no point is involved in this issue. The dispute occurred. Such ideas as to the rank and the position each should occupy in the kingdom should never have entered the heart of any of the Apostles, nor any of us today. It was to the shame and discredit of the Apostles that they stooped so low as to dispute about rank.

God gives to each one the talents which he possesses. Each of us should use these talents or capacities for the glory of God. As we use what He has given us, our abilities will increase and fit us for greater service in His cause. As we thus develop, the Lord, by His overruling providence, will bring us into the place which He wishes us to occupy. The Lord places each member of His body in the position which He wants him to fill. Whenever we realize this fact, we shall be satisfied with what the Lord assigns to us.

The Apostles were discussing the matter as to their positions in the kingdom of heaven. What is meant by this expression? There can be no doubt concerning the proposition that the Apostles at this time thought that Jesus would establish a literal kingdom upon the earth. Thus one of the Apostles doubtless wanted to be what we would call the prime minister. Possibly another wanted to be the secretary of state, or foreign secretary. Another might have wanted to become the treasurer. The Apostles were mistaken concerning our Lord's establishing the millennial kingdom at that time. Had they only studied the prophets, they would have known that He was not to establish such an earthly rule at His first coming. The entire redemptive career of King Messiah is set forth in the Prophets and in the Psalms. For instance, in Psalm 110:1,2 we see the entire redemptive career of King Messiah which consists of His first coming, His rejection, His ascension to the right hand of the throne of God, His session there in glory, and finally His return at the end of the age to establish His kingdom of glory upon the earth. When the psalm opens, speaking in dramatic terms, I would say that Messiah is seen in Jerusalem, being bitterly opposed by the leaders of His people. When this unfortunate situation arises, God the Father in heaven tells Him to leave the earth, to ascend to His right hand, and to stay there until He makes His enemies the footstool of His feet. This psalm does not tell us to what extent their hostility drives them. This information must be gathered from parallel passages. When we read Psalm 110 in the light of parallel passages, we see that their enmity drives them to the point that, they execute Him. After that He is buried but rises on the third day. After His resurrection, at the invitation of God the Father He ascends from this earth, going to God's right hand and sitting there during the present dispensation, the Christian Era. At the conclusion of this age, the Jewish people, who reject Him at His first coming, become enthusiastic and welcome Him at His return. Then He establishes His kingdom of glory upon the earth. From this passage, and numbers of others in the Old Testament, we see that the prophets clearly outlined Messiah's redemptive career. Moreover they show that at His first coming Messiah launches a preaching ministry which continues after His rejection and ascension to the right hand of the throne of God. They also show that the kingdom of glory would be only at the second coming of the Messiah.

We must study the kingdom of heaven--or the kingdom of God--in the New Testament in the light of the Old Testament predictions. To ignore the plain prophecies of the Old Testament is only to invite confusion in our understanding of the kingdom as presented in the New Testament.

Although the Apostles had erroneous ideas concerning the kingdom which our Lord established on the first Pentecost after His resurrection and ascension, nevertheless they were ambitious and wanted positions of preference and honor--a most deplorable and shameful attitude for those whom the Lord had chosen and whom He afterwards used, in a most marvelous manner. There is however great encouragement for us who have so very many faults when we start out in our Christian life. When the Spirit of God came upon the Apostles at Pentecost, they seem to have lost all of those earthly ambitions and to have become out and out for God, seeking to do that alone which is pleasing to the Lord, and no longer seeking their own private or personal interests. Just as the Apostles grew in grace and in the knowledge of the truth, so can we. Let us therefore, forgetting the things that are behind, press forward to the things that are before, always seeking the glory of God and the blessing of others.

In order to enforce the lesson which the Apostles so very sadly needed, our Lord took a little child and set him in their midst and said, "Verily I say unto you, Except ye turn and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven" (vss. 3,4). Childlikeness should be the dominant characteristic of everyone who is working for God. The language of these verses was spoken directly to the Apostles. In it Jesus told them that, except they turned and became as little children, they could not enter that kingdom. This language shows that the kingdom at that time was not established. When we study all the facts we learn that it was established on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of our Lord. But praise God they did turn from their self-seeking and became like little children. Hence when the Spirit came upon them they did enter as charter members into that kingdom. From then on they continued to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth. There is no room at the present time for self-seeking or personal interest. In honor let us prefer the other. One will accomplish more and be used of God if he thus humbles himself and becomes Christlike.

In verses 6-14 we have our Lord's teaching concerning the placing of stumbling blocks in the way of even the least of those who believe upon Him. Matthew mentions His teaching on this point immediately after he has narrated the incident concerning the Apostles' dispute about rank. But what was the occasion of His speaking about these stumbling blocks? From Matthew's record one cannot learn the facts. He must turn to the parallel accounts found in Mark 9:38-50 and Luke 9:49-50. When we read these passages, we see that the Apostle John reported to Jesus that they had seen a man casting out demons in Christ's name. Because this unknown disciple was not in the original apostolic group, John took it upon himself to rebuke him for performing this miracle in the name of Christ. John confessed saying, "We forbade him, because he followed not us." John certainly had the wrong spirit and the incorrect idea concerning spiritual matters and his relation toward others who believed in the Lord Jesus. To sum up the case we would say that John had a greatly accentuated sectarian spirit. We may also detect in this incident the same selfish ambition which led the Apostles to dispute about rank.

In John's reprimanding this unknown miracle worker as he did, he was approaching the sin of casting a stumbling block before a humble, true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. In the original the word rendered stumbling block carries the idea of one's placing something before another in order to entrap him. From this fact we see that the motive which prompts a person to do that which causes another to fall enters largely into the consideration of one's putting a stumbling block before another. One must be prompted by the sincerest and purest motives in all of his actions toward his fellowman.

Our Lord declared that it is necessary for stumbling blocks to come, but He pronounced a woe upon those through whom these are brought about. People must be tested. God uses wicked and debased people by overruling what they do in His developing the characters of His saints. When some wicked person casts a stumbling block before a child of God, the Lord will make a way of escape in order that he may not be ensnared--if this one is only trusting God.

Indeed grave is the matter of casting stumbling blocks before others. In order to show the gravity of such a situation, our Lord said that it would be better to cut off one's hand or foot, or pluck out one's eye and to enter into life maimed or halt rather than to have all one's members and to be cast into the eternal fire. From this statement we can see how serious is the matter of causing others to stumble.

The Scriptures assert that there is a place of punishment for all unbelievers and the wicked. When they are judged at the great white throne judgment, they will be sent off into everlasting punishment, which was originally designed and prepared for the devil and his angels. When men therefore elect to follow Satan and his cunning devices rather than to accept the Lord Jesus Christ, there is but one thing which God can do, namely, let them go on with their master, the devil, whom they have willfully chosen. It is not the will of God that anyone should perish, but that all should repent and come to a knowledge of the truth. Men and women who are unregenerated would not be happy and contented in the company of the redeemed in glory. Neither will they be happy in association with the devil and his angels, together with the other lost. But since they elect to reject the mercy and the grace of God, there is but one thing which a just and righteous God, who has made all provisions for the salvation of everyone, can do.

In further warning against casting stumbling blocks before the least of those who believe in Christ, our Lord declared: "See 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 who is in heaven" (Matt. 18:10). In different portions of the Old Testament we get pictures of the throne of God and of the angelic beings that behold God in His august holiness and majesty. This same thought therefore is presented in the verse just quoted. Does this passage teach the doctrine of a guardian angel which is assigned to every child born into the world? Many see the foundation for this teaching in this passage. The facts however are not sufficient to justify such a doctrine. But of this fact we may be confident, namely, that all the angelic beings are ministering spirits sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation (Heb. 1:14). A study of the Old Testament especially yields the fact that the angels often have in the past been dispatched to render service to those who shall inherit eternal salvation. There can be therefore no doubt concerning their great ministry to us today. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him and delivereth them.

In our Lord's rebuking John for his sectarian spirit, He repeated the parable of the lost sheep and the ninety-and-nine that were not lost (cf. Matt. 18:12-14 with Luke 15:3-7). Regardless of circumstances, wherever there is a lost sheep--no matter how insignificant the sheep may be--the Lord is hunting for that one. From the standpoint of the Apostles this lone miracle worker was a lost sheep and was no concern for the great Shepherd. In this John was greatly mistaken. The Lord goes to the very limit of His moral and spiritual powers in searching for the lost sheep. Regardless of circumstances, Christ will use all means and will bring the truth to everyone who really and truly longs for God and for salvation.

The transition from our Lord's teaching in connection with John's rebuking the unknown miracle worker, of whom we have just studied, to that of instructions regarding forgiving offenders is not very great. Thus Jesus gave implicit instructions concerning the matter of forgiving others. If one person sins against another, the innocent one should, in the spirit of Christ and in meekness, go to the offender alone, telling him the difficulty and endeavoring to win him back to the truth and the right. In the event that he will not listen to the pleadings of love, the innocent one is to take one or two witnesses, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. This procedure is designed to win the sinner from his evil ways. In case he will not listen to the pleadings of the three, the case is to be turned over to the church which, if its efforts fail, is to take action against the offender and to withdraw fellowship from him. This action also is designed to win the one who has done the wrong back to the Lord and to restore him to fellowship. Public action against an offender is to be taken only after the private means of restoration have failed. After a church has withdrawn fellowship from a brother walking disorderly, all the members are to treat him not as an alien, but as an erring brother, whom they love.

In our Lord's giving these instructions, He was anticipating the time when the church would be established. As all Bible students know, the preparatory-work for the establishment of the church on earth was accomplished by John the Baptist and by our Lord and His disciples during His personal ministry. But the church came into existence on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Christ, when the Spirit of God came in power and filled the Apostles who, thus led, proclaimed the gospel in all its fullness. On that day Christ, as the one and only foundation of the church, was laid (I Cor. 3:11; Acts, chap. 2).

According to verse 18 of our passage, the Lord will ratify in heaven the action of the believers and of His true church when they, in the spirit of this passage, take scriptural measures against an unrepentant disciple. When therefore brethren, in the Spirit of Christ, follow out the instructions for the restoration of an erring child of God and their efforts fail, God recognizes the action that they take in withdrawing from such a one. It is a serious matter, therefore, when an erring Christian has thus been dealt with; but when we look around at the churches of today, we see little discipline. Brethren, these things ought not to be. The Lord has expressed His will on this point, and it should be carried out in the spirit and letter of His teaching. The Lord will hold the leaders of the churches responsible for not administering church discipline to those walking disorderly. It is my firm conviction that, if the leaders of the various congregations would follow our Lord's teaching and in the spirit of Christ deal with those walking disorderly, the church would be in a flourishing spiritual condition. The subtraction of the worldly members from the fellowship would open up the way for numerous additions of real spiritually-minded people.

Naturally there grew out of our Lord's teaching on these points the assurance that whenever two or three are agreed on earth as touching anything for which they should make request, it shall be done for them by the Father. Wherever there are two or three or more true believers gathered together and when they are agreed thoroughly concerning the thing for which prayer should be made, our Lord assures us that the petition will be granted. Of course we are to understand that the thing requested must be in harmony with the will of God, for we must always pray according to His will. The Lord hears every cry and opens the door to every one who knocks. He may not do it at the moment when we expect, or He may not give the answer in the form in which we are anticipating, nevertheless He answers every petition. "Prayer changes things." As our hymn states, we often must suffer and endure many things, all because we do not take everything to the Lord in prayer.

"0 what peace we often forfeit,
0 what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!"

When Jesus finished giving His instructions regarding dealing with offenders, Peter, in his usual impetuous manner, came forward and asked the "Lord, "How oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? until seven times?" (vs. 21). Peter did not question one's duty regarding forgiving another when the offender has repented, but the Apostle thought that there was to be a limit to the number of times one should forgive another. So he asked if he should do it "seven times." Seven, as all biblical students know, is the number that indicates perfection or completion. Thus Peter was under the impression, it seems, that should one forgive another seven times, one will have performed his Christian duty and will be under no obligation to continue to forgive.

In reply our Lord said, "I say not unto thee until seven times; but, until seventy times seven!" Of course this reply is an echo of Peter's statement--"Until seven times?"-- no, until seventy times seven! Did Jesus mean that one should forgive another four hundred and ninety times and then stop? Such a rigid and literal interpretation of the flow of thought here is not justified by the facts of the context. It is clear from the drift of thought that Jesus meant an indefinite number--just as many times as one sins and repents and asks to be forgiven. Of course Jesus assumed that the one thus asking for forgiveness is sincere, genuinely sincere. That this interpretation is correct may be seen from the parable which our Lord spoke and which is recorded in verses 23-35. Jesus compared the kingdom of heaven to a king, who was making a reckoning with his servants. One was brought who owed him ten thousand talents. In the footnote of the Revised Version a talent is said to be equivalent to $1000 in American money. This debtor therefore owed the king $10,000,000. When the sovereign demanded payment, the debtor pleaded his inability to pay and asked for mercy. The king, being moved by his helpless, pitiable condition, forgave him the debt--wrote it off the books. Having had his debt cancelled, this man went out and found one of his fellow-servants who owned him one hundred shillings. Again in the footnote of the Revised Version we are told that this coin was worth about 17 cents in American money. The debt, therefore, was $17.00. The creditor, forgetting that mercy had been extended to him by his sovereign, and that his debt had been written off, began by violent treatment of his fellow servant to force him to pay the little amount of $17.00. He went so far as to have the man arrested and put into prison, thinking that by this method the man would be able to influence his friends to give him the money or by some other means he could acquire it.

When other servants of the king saw what this unmerciful man was doing, they, remembering that this man had been forgiven a $10,000,000 debt, went and reported to the king the unmerciful treatment that he was dealing out to his fellow-servant. The king immediately summoned this man into his presence and questioned him about his conduct. It is needless to say that the man was nonplused--there was nothing that he could possibly under any condition say. The king was indignant in the extreme. He showed him how unjustly and unmercifully he had acted toward his fellow-servant. Then he delivered him over to tormenters "till he should pay all that was due" which he owed.

This parable was spoken to enforce the thought that men who have been forgiven the enormous debt of their sins against a holy God must in turn be appreciative of their position and must mercifully forgive others who transgress against them. Our Lord therefore said, "So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts" (Matt. 18:35). We cannot win or gain favor or mercy by being merciful to others, but those who have been forgiven should have a sense of appreciation that they will overlook and will forgive others who wrong them. Thus our Lord emphasized the necessity for forgiving others.