1InG1722 jenerG1565 StundeG5610 tratenG4334 die JüngerG3101 zu JesuG2424 und sprachenG3004: WerG5101 G686 istG2076 denn der GrößteG3187 imG1722 ReicheG932 der HimmelG3772 ? 2UndG2532 als JesusG2424 ein KindleinG3813 herzugerufenG4341 hatte, stellteG2476 er esG846 inG1722 ihreG846 MitteG3319 3undG2532 sprachG2036: WahrlichG281, ich sageG3004 euchG5213, wennG3362 ihr nichtG3362 umkehretG4762 undG2532 werdetG1096 wieG5613 die KindleinG3813, so werdetG1525 ihr nichtG3364 inG1519 das ReichG932 der HimmelG3772 eingehenG1525. 4DarumG3767, wer irgendG3748 sich selbstG1438 erniedrigenG5013 wird wieG5613 diesesG5124 KindleinG3813, dieserG3778 istG2076 der GrößteG3187 imG1722 ReicheG932 der HimmelG3772; 5undG2532 wer irgendG3739 G1437 einG1520 solchesG5108 KindleinG3813 aufnehmenG1209 wird inG1909 meinemG3450 NamenG3686, nimmtG1209 michG1691 auf. 6Wer aberG1161 irgendG3739 G302 einesG1520 dieserG5130 KleinenG3398, dieG3588 anG1519 michG1691 glaubenG4100, ärgernG4624 wird, demG846 wäre nützeG4851, daßG2443 ein MühlsteinG3458 G3684 anG1909 seinenG846 HalsG5137 gehängtG2910, undG2532 er inG1722 die TiefeG3989 des MeeresG2281 versenktG2670 würde. 7WeheG3759 der WeltG2889 der ÄrgernisseG4625 wegenG575! DennG1063 es ist notwendigG2076 G318, daß ÄrgernisseG4625 kommenG2064; dochG4133 weheG3759 dem MenschenG444, durchG1565 welchenG1223 G3739 das ÄrgernisG4625 kommtG2064! 8WennG1487 aberG1161 deineG4675 HandG5495 oderG2228 deinG4675 FußG4228 dich ärgertG4624, so haueG1581 ihnG846 abG1581 undG2532 wirfG906 ihn vonG575 dirG4571 G4675. Es istG2076 dirG4671 besserG2570, lahmG5560 oderG2228 als KrüppelG2948 inG1519 das LebenG2222 einzugehenG1525, alsG2228 mitG2192 zweiG1417 HändenG5495 oderG2228 mit zweiG1417 FüßenG4228 inG1519 das ewigeG166 FeuerG4442 geworfenG906 zu werden. 9UndG2532 wennG1487 deinG4675 AugeG3788 dichG4571 ärgertG4624, so reißG1807 esG846 ausG1807 undG2532 wirfG906 es vonG575 dirG4675. Es istG2076 dirG4671 besserG2570, einäugigG3442 inG1519 das LebenG2222 einzugehenG1525, alsG2228 mitG2192 zweiG1417 AugenG3788 inG1519 die HölleG1067 des FeuersG4442 geworfenG906 zu werden. 10SehetG3708 zu, daß ihr nichtG3361 einesG1520 dieserG5130 KleinenG3398 verachtetG2706; dennG1063 ich sageG3004 euchG5213, daßG3754 ihreG846 EngelG32 inG1722 den HimmelnG3772 allezeitG1223 G3956 das AngesichtG4383 meinesG3450 VatersG3962 schauenG991, derG3588 inG1722 den HimmelnG3772 ist. 11DennG1063 der SohnG5207 des MenschenG444 ist gekommenG2064, dasG3588 VerloreneG622 zu errettenG4982. 12WasG5101 dünktG1380 euchG5213 ? WennG1437 G5100 irgend ein MenschG444 hundertG1540 SchafeG4263 hätteG1096, undG2532 einesG1520 vonG1537 ihnenG846 sich verirrteG4105, läßtG863 er nichtG3780 die neunundneunzigG1768 aufG1909 den BergenG3735 und gehtG4198 hin und suchtG2212 dasG3588 irrendeG4105 ? 13UndG2532 wenn esG1437 geschiehtG1096, daß er esG846 findetG2147, wahrlichG281, ich sageG3004 euchG5213 G3754, er freutG5463 sich mehrG3123 überG1909 diesesG846, alsG2228 überG1909 die neunundneunzigG1768, dieG3588 nichtG3361 verirrtG4105 sindG4105. 14AlsoG3779 ist esG2076 nichtG3756 der WilleG2307 euresG1715 G5216 VatersG3962, derG3588 inG1722 den HimmelnG3772 ist, daßG2443 einesG1520 dieserG5130 KleinenG3398 verlorenG622 gehe. 15WennG1437 aberG1161 deinG4675 BruderG80 widerG1519 dichG4571 sündigtG264, so geheG5217 hin, überführeG1651 ihnG846 zwischenG3342 dirG4675 undG2532 ihmG846 alleinG3441. WennG1437 er auf dichG4675 hörtG191, so hast du deinenG4675 BruderG80 gewonnenG2770. 16WennG3362 er aberG1161 nichtG3362 hörtG191, so nimmG3880 nochG2089 einenG1520 oderG2228 zweiG1417 mitG3326 dirG4675, damitG2443 ausG1909 zweierG1417 oderG2228 dreierG5140 ZeugenG3144 MundG4750 jedeG3956 SacheG4487 bestätigtG2476 werde. 17Wenn erG1437 aberG1161 nicht aufG3878 sieG846 hörenG3878 wird, so sageG2036 es der VersammlungG1577; wennG1437 er aberG1161 G2532 auch aufG3878 die VersammlungG1577 nicht hörenG3878 wird, so seiG2077 er dirG4671 wieG5618 der HeideG1482 undG2532 der ZöllnerG5057. 18WahrlichG281, ich sageG3004 euchG5213: Was irgendG3745 G1437 ihr aufG1909 der ErdeG1093 bindenG1210 werdet, wird imG1722 HimmelG3772 gebundenG1210 seinG2071, undG2532 was irgendG3745 G1437 ihr aufG1909 der ErdeG1093 lösenG3089 werdet, wirdG2071 imG1722 HimmelG3772 gelöstG3089 sein. 19WiederumG3825 sageG3004 ich euchG5213: WennG3754 G1437 zweiG1417 von euchG5216 aufG1909 der ErdeG1093 übereinkommenG4856 werden über irgendG3956 G4012 eine SacheG4229, umG1437 welche sie auch bittenG154 mögen, so wirdG1096 sie ihnenG846 werdenG1096 vonG3844 meinemG3450 VaterG3962, derG3588 inG1722 den HimmelnG3772 ist. 20DennG1063 woG3757 zweiG1417 oderG2228 dreiG5140 versammeltG4863 sindG1526 inG1519 meinemG1699 NamenG3686, daG1563 bin ichG1510 inG1722 ihrerG846 MitteG3319. 21DannG5119 tratG4334 PetrusG4074 zu ihmG846 und sprachG2036: HerrG2962, wie oftG4212 soll ich meinemG3450 BruderG80, der widerG1519 michG1691 sündigtG264 ,G2532 G846 vergebenG863 ? bisG2193 siebenmalG2034 ? 22JesusG2424 sprichtG3004 zu ihmG846: NichtG3756 sageG3004 ich dirG4671, bisG2193 siebenmalG2034, sondernG235 bisG2193 siebzigG1441 mal siebenG2033. 23DeswegenG1223 G5124 ist das ReichG932 der HimmelG3772 einemG444 KönigeG935 gleichG3666 geworden, derG3739 mitG3326 seinenG846 KnechtenG1401 abrechnenG4868 G3056 wollteG2309. 24Als erG846 aberG1161 anfingG756 abzurechnenG4868, wurde einerG1520 zu ihmG846 gebrachtG4374, der zehntausendG3463 TalenteG5007 schuldeteG3781 G846. 25DaG1161 derselbe aber nichtG3361 hatteG2192 zu bezahlenG591, befahlG2753 [sein]G846 HerrG2962, ihnG846 undG2532 seinG846 WeibG1135 undG2532 die KinderG5043 undG2532 allesG3956, wasG3745 er hatteG2192, zu verkaufenG4097 undG2532 zu bezahlenG591. 26Der KnechtG1401 nunG3767 fielG4098 nieder, huldigteG4352 ihmG846 und sprachG3004: HerrG2962, habe GeduldG3114 mitG1909 mirG1698, undG2532 ich will dirG4671 allesG3956 bezahlenG591. 27Der HerrG2962 jenesG1565 KnechtesG1401 aberG1161, innerlichG4697 bewegt,G2532 gab ihn losG630 undG2532 erließG863 ihmG846 das DarlehnG1156. 28JenerG1565 KnechtG1401 aberG1161 ging hinausG1831 und fandG2147 einenG1520 seinerG846 MitknechteG4889, derG3739 ihmG846 hundertG1540 DenareG1220 schuldigG3784 war. UndG2532 er ergriffG2902 G846 und würgteG4155 ihnG846 und sprachG3004: BezahleG591 G3427, wennG3748 du etwas schuldigG3784 bist. 29SeinG846 MitknechtG4889 nunG3767 fielG4098 niederG1519 G846 G4228 und batG3870 ihnG846 und sprachG3004: Habe GeduldG3114 mitG1909 mirG1698, undG2532 ich will dirG4671 bezahlenG591 G3956. 30Er aberG1161 wollteG2309 nichtG3756, sondernG235 gingG565 hin und warfG906 ihnG846 insG1519 GefängnisG5438, bisG2193 er die SchuldG3784 bezahltG591 habe. 31AlsG1161 aber seineG846 MitknechteG4889 sahenG1492, was geschehenG1096 war, wurden sie sehrG4970 betrübtG3076 undG2532 gingenG2064 und berichtetenG1285 ihremG846 HerrnG2962 allesG3956, was geschehenG1096 war. 32DannG5119 riefG4341 ihnG846 seinG846 HerrG2962 herzu und sprichtG3004 zu ihmG846: BöserG4190 KnechtG1401! jeneG1565 ganzeG3956 SchuldG3782 habeG863 ich dirG4671 erlassenG863, dieweilG1893 du michG3165 batestG3870; 33solltestG1163 nichtG3756 auchG2532 duG4571 dich deinesG4675 MitknechtesG4889 erbarmtG1653 haben, wieG2532 G5613 auch ichG1473 mich deinerG4571 erbarmtG1653 habe? 34UndG2532 seinG846 HerrG2962 wurde zornigG3710 und überlieferteG3860 ihnG846 den PeinigernG930, bisG2193 er allesG3956 bezahltG591 habe, was er ihmG846 schuldigG3784 war. 35AlsoG3779 wird auchG2532 meinG3450 himmlischerG2032 VaterG3962 euchG5213 tunG4160, wennG3362 ihr nichtG3362 ein jederG1538 seinemG846 BruderG80 vonG575 HerzenG5216 G2588 vergebetG863.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 10 FURTHER TEACHING ON THE SAME SUBJECT INCLUDING THE PARABLE OF THE UNMERCIFUL DEBTOR. (Mat. 18:10-35)
Take heed that ye despise--stumble.
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--A difficult verse; but perhaps the following may be more than an illustration:--Among men, those who nurse and rear the royal children, however humble in themselves, are allowed free entrance with their charge, and a degree of familiarity which even the highest state ministers dare not assume. Probably our Lord means that, in virtue of their charge over His disciples (
Heb 1:13;
John 1:51), the angels have errands to the throne, a welcome there, and a dear familiarity in dealing with "His Father which is in heaven," which on their own matters they could not assume.
11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost--or "is lost." A golden saying, once and again repeated in different forms. Here the connection seems to be, "Since the whole object and errand of the Son of man into the world is to save the lost, take heed lest, by causing offenses, ye lose the saved." That this is the idea intended we may gather from
Matt 18:14.
12 How think ye? If a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, &c.--This is another of those pregnant sayings which our Lord uttered more than once. See on the delightful parable of the lost sheep in
Luke 15:4-
Luke 15:7. Only the object there is to show what the good Shepherd will do, when even one of His sheep is lost, to find it; here the object is to show, when found, how reluctant He is to lose it. Accordingly, it is added,
14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish--How, then, can He but visit for those "offenses" which endanger the souls of these little ones?
15 Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother, &c.--Probably our Lord had reference still to the late dispute, Who should be the greatest? After the rebuke--so gentle and captivating, yet so dignified and divine--under which they would doubtless be smarting, perhaps each would be saying, It was not I that began it, it was not I that threw out unworthy and irritating insinuations against my brethren. Be it so, says our Lord; but as such things will often arise, I will direct you how to proceed. First, Neither harbor a grudge against your offending brother, nor break forth upon him in presence of the unbelieving; but take him aside, show him his fault, and if he own and make reparation for it, you have done more service to him than even justice to yourself. Next, If this fail, take two or three to witness how just your complaint is, and how brotherly your spirit in dealing with him. Again, If this fail, bring him before the Church or congregation to which both belong. Lastly, If even this fail, regard him as no longer a brother Christian, but as one "without"--as the Jews did Gentiles and publicans.
18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven--Here, what had been granted but a short time before to Peter only (see on
Matt 16:19) is plainly extended to all the Twelve; so that whatever it means, it means nothing peculiar to Peter, far less to his pretended successors at Rome. It has to do with admission to and rejection from the membership of the Church. But see on
John 20:23.
19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name--or "unto my name."
there am I in the midst of them--On this passage--so full of sublime encouragement to Christian union in action and prayer--observe, first, the connection in which it stands. Our Lord had been speaking of church meetings before which the obstinate perversity of a brother was in the last resort to be brought, and whose decision was to be final--such honor does the Lord of the Church put upon its lawful assemblies. But not these assemblies only does He deign to countenance and honor. For even two uniting to bring any matter before Him shall find that they are not alone, for My Father is with them, says Jesus. Next, observe the premium here put upon union in prayer. As this cannot exist with fewer than two, so by letting it down so low as that number, He gives the utmost conceivable encouragement to union in this exercise. But what kind of union? Not an agreement merely to pray in concert, but to pray for some definite thing. "As touching anything which they shall ask," says our Lord--anything they shall agree to ask in concert. At the same time, it is plain He had certain things at that moment in His eye, as most fitting and needful subjects for such concerted prayer. The Twelve had been "falling out by the way" about the miserable question of precedence in their Master's kingdom, and this, as it stirred their corruptions, had given rise--or at least was in danger of giving rise--to "offenses" perilous to their souls. The Lord Himself had been directing them how to deal with one another about such matters. "But now shows He unto them a more excellent way." Let them bring all such matters--yea, and everything whatsoever by which either their own loving relationship to each other, or the good of His kingdom at large, might be affected--to their Father in heaven; and if they be but agreed in petitioning Him about that thing, it shall be done for them of His Father which is in heaven. But further, it is not merely union in prayer for the same thing--for that might be with very jarring ideas of the thing to be desired--but it is to symphonious prayer, the prayer by kindred spirits, members of one family, servants of one Lord, constrained by the same love, fighting under one banner, cheered by assurances of the same victory; a living and loving union, whose voice in the divine ear is as the sound of many waters. Accordingly, what they ask "on earth" is done for them, says Jesus, "of My Father which is in heaven." Not for nothing does He say, "of MY FATHER"--not "YOUR FATHER"; as is evident from what follows: "For where two or three are gathered together unto My name"--the "My" is emphatic, "there am I in the midst of them." As His name would prove a spell to draw together many clusters of His dear disciples, so if there should be but two or three, that will attract Himself down into the midst of them; and related as He is to both the parties, the petitioners and the Petitioned--to the one on earth by the tie of His assumed flesh, and to the other in heaven by the tie of His eternal Spirit--their symphonious prayers on earth would thrill upward through Him to heaven, be carried by Him into the holiest of all, and so reach the Throne. Thus will He be the living Conductor of the prayer upward, and the answer downward.
Parable of the Unmerciful Debtor (
Matt 18:21-
Matt 18:35).
21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?--In the recent dispute, Peter had probably been an object of special envy, and his forwardness in continually answering for all the rest would likely be cast up to him--and if so, probably by Judas--notwithstanding his Masters' commendations. And as such insinuations were perhaps made once and again, he wished to know how often and how long he was to stand it.
till seven times?--This being the sacred and complete number, perhaps his meaning was, Is there to be a limit at which the needful forbearance will be full?
22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but, Until seventy times seven--that is, so long as it shall be needed and sought: you are never to come to the point of refusing forgiveness sincerely asked. (See on
Luke 17:3-
Luke 17:4).
23 Therefore--"with reference to this matter."
is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants--or, would scrutinize the accounts of his revenue collectors.
24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents--If Attic talents are here meant, 10,000 of them would amount to above a million and a half sterling; if Jewish talents, to a much larger sum.
25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made--(See
2Kgs 4:1;
Neh 5:8;
Lev 25:39).
26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him--or did humble obeisance to him.
saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all--This was just an acknowledgment of the justice of the claim made against him, and a piteous imploration of mercy.
27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt--Payment being hopeless, the master is first moved with compassion; next, liberates his debtor from prison; and then cancels the debt freely.
28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants--Mark the difference here. The first case is that of master and servant; in this case, both are on a footing of equality. (See
Matt 18:33).
which owed him an hundred pence--If Jewish money is intended, this debt was to the other less than one to a million.
and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat--he seized and throttled him.
saying, Pay me that thou owest--Mark the mercilessness even of the tone.
29 And his fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all--The same attitude, and the sam words which drew compassion from his master, are here employed towards himself by his fellow servant.
30 And he would not; but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt, &c.--Jesus here vividly conveys the intolerable injustice and impudence which even the servants saw in this act on the part of one so recently laid under the heaviest obligation to their common master.
32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, &c.--Before bringing down his vengeance upon him, he calmly points out to him how shamefully unreasonable and heartless his conduct was; which would give the punishment inflicted on him a double sting.
34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors--more than jailers; denoting the severity of the treatment which he thought such a case demanded.
till he should pay all that was due unto him.
35 So likewise--in this spirit, or on this principle.
shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
