Matthew 18
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Chapter 18 of the Gospel of Matthew is one of the Five Discourses of Matthew and also called the Discourse on the Church.[1] It includes the parables of The Lost Sheep and The Unforgiving Servant which also refer to the Kingdom of Heaven. The general theme of the discourse is the anticipation of a future community of followers, and the role of his apostles in leading it.[2][3]
Verses 15-17 are of particular significance to Baptists in their support of the principle of autonomy of the local church (see Baptist_beliefs).
Addressing his apostles in 18:18, Jesus states: "what things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven", see also Binding and loosing. The discourse emphasizes the importance of humility and self-sacrifice as the high virtues within the anticipated community. It teaches that in the Kingdom of God, it is childlike humility that matters, not social prominence and clout.[2][3]
Structure
The chapter can be divided into the following subsections:
- The Little Children (18:1–7)
- If thy hand offend thee (18:8–9)
- Parable of the Lost Sheep (18:10–14)
- Binding and loosing (18:15–22)
- Parable of the unforgiving servant (18:23–35)
References
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<references />, or <references group="..." />| Preceded by | Chapters of the New Testament Gospel of Matthew |
Succeeded by Matthew 19 |
- ↑ Preaching Matthew's Gospel by Richard A. Jensen 1998 ISBN 978-0-7880-1221-1 pages 25 & 158
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Matthew by Larry Chouinard 1997 ISBN 0-89900-628-0 page 321
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Behold the King: A Study of Matthew by Stanley D. Toussaint 2005 ISBN 0-8254-3845-4 pages 215-216
