Mat 18:2-14 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 2. A little child ] But this child could walk , for he called him to him . Nicephorus says, this was Ignatius , who was afterwards bishop of Antioch , and suffered martyrdom under, and by command of, the Roman Emperor Trojan , in the 107th year of our Lord. But this good father is not much to be depended on, being both weak and credulous.

‏ Matthew 18:2-14

Verse 2. A little child] But this child could walk, for he called him to him. Nicephorus says, this was Ignatius, who was afterwards bishop of Antioch, and suffered martyrdom under, and by command of, the Roman Emperor Trojan, in the 107th year of our Lord. But this good father is not much to be depended on, being both weak and credulous.

Verse 3. Except ye be converted] Unless ye be saved from those prejudices which are at present so baneful to your nation, (seeking a temporal and not a spiritual kingdom,) unless ye be clothed with the spirit of humility, ye cannot enter into the spirit, design, and privileges of my spiritual and eternal kingdom. The name of this kingdom should put you in mind of its nature.-1. The KING is heavenly; 2. His SUBJECTS are heavenly-minded; 3. Their COUNTRY is heavenly, for they are strangers and pilgrims upon earth; 4. The GOVERNMENT of this kingdom is wholly spiritual and divine. See on Mt 3:2.

And become as little children] i.e. Be as truly without worldly ambition, and the lust of power, as little children are, who act among themselves as if all were equal. The following saying from the Boostan of the poet Saady is very appropriate. "The hearts of infants being free from avarice, what care they for a handful of silver more than for a handful of dust?"

Verse 4. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself] So great is the disparity between the kingdom of Christ and the kingdoms of this world, that there is no way of rising to honours in the former, but by humility of mind, and continual self-abasement.

The same is greatest] Thus our Lord shows them that they were all equal, and that there could be no superiority among them, but what must come from the deepest humility; he intimates also, that wherever this principle should be found, it would save its possessor from seeking worldly honours or earthly profits, and from seeking to be a ruler over his brethren, or a lord in God's heritage.

Verse 5. One such little child] As our Lord in the preceding verses considers a little child an emblem of a genuine disciple, so by the term in this verse he means a disciple only. "Whosoever will receive, i.e. show unto such a child-like, unambitious disciple of mine, any act of kindness for my sake, I will consider it as done to myself."

Verse 6. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones] But, on the contrary, whosoever shall cause one of the least of those who believe in me to be stumbled-to go into the spirit of the world, or give way to sin-such a one shall meet with the most exemplary punishment.

Let those who act the part of the devil, in tempting others to sin, hear this declaration of our Lord, and tremble.

A millstone] μυλοςονικος, an ass's millstone, because in ancient times, before the invention of wind and water mills, the stones were turned sometimes by slaves, but commonly by asses or mules. The most ancient kind of mills among the inhabitants of the northern nations, was the quern, or hand-mill. In some places in Ireland, Scotland, and the Zetland Isles, these still exist.

Drowned in the depth of the sea.] It is supposed that in Syria, as well as in Greece, this mode of punishing criminals was practised; especially in cases of parricide; and when a person was devoted to destruction for the public safety, as in cases of plague, famine, &c. That this was the custom in Greece, we learn from the Scholiast on the Equites of Aristophanes, οτανγαρ κατεποντουντιναςβαροςαποτωντραχηλωνεκρεμων. When a person was drowned, they hung a weight, (υπερβολονλιθον, Suidas,) a vast stone about his neck. See the ancient Scholia upon the Equites, lin. 1360, and Suidas, in υπερβολονλιθον. We find also that it was a positive institute of the ancient Hindoo law. "If a woman," says the precept, "causes any person to take poison, sets fire to any person's house, or murders a man, then the magistrate, having bound a stone to her neck, shall drown her." Halhead's Code of Gentoo Laws, 4to. edition, page 306.

Verse 7. Wo!] Or, alas! ουαι. It is the opinion of some eminent critics, that this word is ever used by our Lord to express sympathy and concern.

Because of offences] Scandals, stumbling-blocks, persecutions, &c.

For it must needs be that offences come] αναγκεγαρεστιν ελθειντασκανδαλα, for the coming of offences is unavoidable. Such is the wickedness of men, such their obstinacy, that they will not come unto Christ that they may have life, but desperately continue deceiving and being deceived. In such a state of things, offences, stumbling-blocks, persecutions, &c., are unavoidable.

Wo to that man] He who gives the offence, and he who receives it, are both exposed to ruin.

Verse 8. - 9. If thy hand, &c.] See the notes on Mt 5:29, 30.

Verse 9. See Clarke on Mt 18:8.

Verse 10. One of these little ones] One of my simple, loving, humble disciples.

Their angels-always behold] Our Lord here not only alludes to, but, in my opinion, establishes the notion received by almost all nations, viz. That every person has a guardian angel; and that these have always access to God, to receive orders relative to the management of their charge. See Ps 34:8; Heb 1:14.

Always behold the face] Hence, among the Jews, the angels were styled , malakey panim, angels of the face, and Michael is said to be , sar ha-panim the prince of the face. This is an allusion to the privilege granted by eastern monarchs to their chief favourites; a privilege which others were never permitted to enjoy. The seven princes of Media and Persia, who were the chief favourites and privy-counsellors of Ahasuerus, are said to see the king's face. Es 1:14; see also 2Ki 25:19, and Jer 51:25. Our Lord's words give us to understand that humble-hearted, child-like disciples, are objects of his peculiar care, and constant attention. The clause, ενουρανοις, in the heavens, is wanting in several MSS., versions, and fathers.

Verse 11. For the Son of man, &c.] This is added as a second reason, why no injury should be done to his followers. "The Son of man has so loved them as to come into the world to lay down his life for them."

That which was lost.] απολωλος. In Re 9:11, Satan is called απολλυων, Apolluon, the destroyer, or him who lays waste. This name bears a near relation to that state in which our Lord tells us he finds all mankind-lost, desolated, ruined. So it appears that Satan and men have the nearest affinity to each other-as the destroyer and the destroyed-the desolator and the desolated-

the loser and the lost. But the Son of man came to save the lost. Glorious news! May every lost soul feel it! This verse is omitted by five MSS., two versions, and three of the fathers; but of its authenticity there can be no doubt, as it is found in the parallel place, Lu 19:10, on which verse there is not a single various reading found in any of the MSS. that have ever been discovered, nor in any of the ancient versions.

Verse 12. Doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains] So our common translation reads the verse; others, Doth he not leave the ninety and nine UPON THE MOUNTAINS, and go, &c. This latter reading appears to me to be the best; because, in Lu 15:4, it is said, he leaveth the ninety and nine IN THE DESERT. The allusion, therefore, is to a shepherd feeding his sheep on the mountains, in the desert; not seeking the lost one ON the mountains.

Leaving the ninety and nine, and seeking the ONE strayed sheep:-This was a very common form of speech among the Jews, and includes no mystery, though there are some who imagine that our Lord refers to the angels who kept not their first estate, and that they are in number, to men, as NINETY are to ONE. But it is likely that our Lord in this place only alludes to his constant solicitude to instruct, heal, and save those simple people of the sea coasts, country villages, &c., who were scattered abroad, as sheep without a shepherd, (Mt 9:36,) the scribes and Pharisees paying no attention to their present or eternal well-being. This may be also considered as a lesson of instruction and comfort to backsliders. How hardly does Christ give them up!

Verse 13. He rejoiceth more] It is justly observed by one, on this verse, that it is natural for a person to express unusual joy at the fortunate accomplishment of an unexpected event.

Verse 14. It is not the will of your Father] If any soul be finally lost, it is not because God's will or counsel was against its salvation, or that a proper provision had not been made for it; but that, though light came into the world, it preferred darkness to light, because of its attachment to its evil deeds.