WE RESUME THE SYNOPTIC HIGH POINTS OF THE ACCOUNT OF THE APOSTLE MATTHEW CONCERNING THE ASTOUNDING LIFE OF CHRIST. THIS ROUND WE TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT CHRIST SAYS ABOUT SUBJECTS LIKE PEDOPHILIA, AND WHETHER THE RICH CAN GET TO HEAVEN! ONE HAS TO LOVE THE CANDOR OF THE SON OF GOD!
SAINT MATTHEW CHAPTER 18 SYNOPSIS:
THE DISCIPLES CAME TO JESUS SAYING, “WHO IS THE GREATEST IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN?”
JESUS CALLED A LITTLE CHILD TO HIM, AND SET HIM IN THE MIDST OF THEM, AND SAID,
“VERILY I SAY TO YOU, EXCEPT YOU BE CONVERTED, AND BECOME AS LITTLE CHILDREN, YOU SHALL NOT ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. WHOSOEVER THEREFORE SHALL HUMBLE HIMSELF AS THIS LITTLE CHILD, THE SAME IS GREATEST IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. AND WHO EVER SHALL RECEIVE ONE SUCH LITTLE CHILD IN MY NAME RECEIVES ME.
BUT WHOEVER 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.
(COMMENTARY: PAY ATTENTION GLOBAL PEDOPHILES AND THOSE HARMING OR KILLING CHILDREN!)
WOE TO THE WORLD BECAUSE OF OFFENSES! FOR IT MUST NEEDS BE THAT OFFENSES COME; BUT WOE TO THAT MAN BY WHOM THE OFFENSE COMES!”
“WHEREFORE IF YOUR HAND OR YOUR FOOT OFFENDS YOU, CUT THEM OFF, AND CAST THEM FROM THEE: IT IS BETTER FOR YOUR TO ENTER INTO LIFE HALT OR MAIMED, RATHER THAN HAVING TWO HANDS OR TWO FEET TO BE CAST INTO EVERLASTING FIRE.”
“AND IF YOUR EYE OFFENDS YOU, PLUCK IT OUT, AND CAST IF FROM YOU: IT IS BETTER FOR YOU TO ENTER INTO LIFE WITH ONE EYE, RATHER THAN HAVING TWO EYES TO BE CAST INTO HELL FIRE.”
(COMMENTARY: THESE TWO PREVIOUS PASSAGES HAVE CAUSED SOME READERS CONFUSION, NO DOUBT. SURELY CHRIST DID NOT MEAN THESE COMMENTS LITERALLY. THESE PASSAGES ARE STILL IN THE CONTEXT OF OFFENDING CHILDREN. IT IS OBVIOUSLY A SERIOUS WARNING TO CONTROL ONESELF AROUND CHILDREN.)
“TAKE HEED THAT YOU DON’T DESPISE ONE OF THESE LITTLE ONES; FOR IN HEAVEN THEIR ANGELS ALWAYS BEHOLD THE FACE OF MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN.”
“FOR THE SON OF MAN IS COME TO SAVE THAT WHICH WAS LOST. HOW DO YOU THINK? IF A MAN HAS A HUNDRED SHEEP, AND ONE OF THEM HAVE GONE ASTRAY, DOES HE NOT LEAVE THE NINETY AND NINE, AND GO INTO THE MOUNTAINS, TO SEEK THAT WHICH HAS GONE ASTRAY?”
“AND IF SO BE THAT HE FINDS IT, HE REJOICES MORE OVER THAT SHEEP, THAN OF THE NINETY-NINE WHICH DID NOT GO ASTRAY.”
“EVEN SO IT IS NOT THE WILL OF YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN, THAT ONE OF THESE LITTLE ONES SHOULD PERISH.”
“MOREOVER IF YOUR BROTHER SHALL TRESPASS AGAINST YOU, GO AND TELL HIM HIS FAULT BETWEEN YOU AND HIM ALONE: IF HE SHALL HEAR YOU, YOU HAVE GAINED YOUR BROTHER. BUT IF HE WILL NOT HEAR YOU, THEN TAKE WITH YOU ONE OR TWO MORE THAT IN THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY WORD MAY BE ESTABLISHED. AND IF HE SHALL NEGLECT TO HEAR THEM, TELL IT TO THE CHURCH: BUT IF HE NEGLECT TO HEAR THE CHURCH, LET HIM BE TO YOU AS A HEATHEN MAN (A GENTILE) AND A PUBLICAN.”
“VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, WHATSOEVER YOU SHALL BIND ON EARTH SHALL BE BOUND IN HEAVEN: AND WHATSOEVER YOU SHALL LOOSE ON EARTH SHALL BE LOOSED IN HEAVEN.”
(COMMENTARY: CHRIST MAKES IT PLAIN TO ALL THE DISCIPLES THAT THEY HAVE THE POWER OF GOD IN THE PRIESTHOOD OF THE NEW AND EVERLASTING COVENANT OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.)
“AGAIN I SAY TO YOU, THAT IF TWO OF YOU SHALL AGREE ON EARTH ON ANY THING THAT THEY SHALL ASK, IT SHALL BE DONE FOR THEM OF MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN. FOR WHERE TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED IN MY NAME, THERE AM I IN THE MIDST OF THEM.”
(COMMENTARY: OK PEOPLE HERE THE ULTIMATE DEAL! IF YOU CAN GET 2 PEOPLE IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD TO BECOME CHRISTIANS, AND YOU PRAY TOGETHER IN THE NAME OF CHRIST, YOU MAY HAVE WHATEVER IN THIS LIFE YOU NOT ONLY NEED, BUT WHATEVER YOU WANT IF IT IS RIGHT AND GOD SEES FIT TO GRANT IT. IT IS THAT SIMPLE.
THE SAD THING IN 2017 IS THAT 70 PLUS PERCENT OF AMERICAN HOUSEHOLDS ARE NOT WITH THIS PROGRAM. AT LEAST TRY THE WORDS OF CHRIST, AND TEST THE WATERS, UTILIZING EVEN THE SMALLEST DEGREE OF FAITH. CAN YOU FIND 2 IN YOUR HOUSE AND ACCOMPLISH THIS?
WHAT PROOF DO I HAVE THAT THIS CAN WORK FOR YOU? MANY STORIES, BUT HERE IS THE EARLIEST PROOF FROM MY OWN CHILDHOOD —
IN 1971, WHILE PLAYING ON A TREE SWING IN THE NORTH CAROLINA WOODS WITH ANOTHER SCHOOL FRIEND, I ACCIDENTALLY CRASHED MY SPINE FULL FORCE INTO A TREE AND WAS PARALYZED ON THE SCENE.
IN A REMARKABLE CONSEQUENCE, I WAS LIFTED FROM THE GROUND BY A SCHOOLMATE HALF MY SIZE AND DRAPED OVER HIS SHOULDER AS HE RAN WITH ME A HALF A MILE TO MY HOME. HANGING UPSIDE DOWN FROM HIS BACK, I MARVELED AT HOW THIS WAS POSSIBLE. HE RAN LIKE A DEER THROUGH HILLS, TALL GRASS, MUDDY BANKS, AND A ROARING CREEK ALL THE WAY TO MY FRONT YARD.
HE GENTLY FELL OVER WITH ME ONTO MY FRONT LAWN, BOTH OF US EXHAUSTED AND IN PAIN. HE CALLED FOR MY MOTHER AND THE TWO OF THEM LIFTED ME, MY LEGS DRAGGING WITH NUMB WEAKNESS TO MY BED.
THE BOY CAME INTO MY ROOM AND SAT WITH ME.
IN THOSE DAYS YOUR PARENTS DID NOT TAKE YOU TO THE DOCTOR UNLESS YOU WERE DYING. IT WAS NOT A WHINEY WEAK SOCIETY OF PANICKERS. I WAS TERRIBLY AFRAID OF WHAT THE INJURY WAS GOING TO DO TO MY LIFE AND SINCE WE WERE ALWAYS SCRAPED UP FROM PLAYING, IT WAS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL MY MOTHER HOW GREAT MY FEARS REALLY WERE. WE WOULD WAIT FOR MY FATHER TO COME HOME FROM WORK AND MAKE THE DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT TO DO NEXT.
HOWEVER, THE BOY KNEW WHAT NEEDED TO HAPPEN BECAUSE HE HAD WITNESSED THE TERRIBLE ACCIDENT.
HE KNELT DOWN BY THE BEDSIDE AND HELD MY HAND ASKING ME IF I BELIEVED IN JESUS CHRIST. I TOLD HIM I DID. HE ASKED ME TO PRAY WITH HIM. I WAS TAKEN OFF GUARD BY HOW THIS 11 YEAR OLD BOY, AN OTHERWISE COMMON SCHOOLMATE, HAD SUDDENLY BECOME A SERIOUS AND EMPHATIC TAKE CHARGE LEADER. I FELT THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY GHOST IN MY BEDROOM AS WE PRAYED TOGETHER FOR MY HEALING.
IMMEDIATELY THE FEELING BEGAN TO RETURN TO MY LEGS. WITHIN AN HOUR OR SO I WAS STRONG ENOUGH TO WALK AGAIN. I NEVER WENT TO THE DOCTOR, I NEVER HAD TO. THIS, I SUPPOSE, WAS THE BEGINNING OF SO MANY AMAZING PERSONAL MIRACLES I WOULD WITNESS IN MY LIFE. I HAVE SEEN GREAT HEALING ON MANY OCCASIONS SINCE THOSE WONDERFUL DAYS, EVEN MY OWN. THROUGH JESUS CHRIST ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE, WE CAN OBTAIN BLESSINGS FROM PRAYER AND FAITH.)
BACK TO THE WORDS OF CHRIST —
PETER CAME TO JESUS ASKING, “LORD, HOW OFTEN SHALL MY BROTHER SIN AGAINST ME, AND I FORGIVE HIM? UNTIL SEVEN TIMES?”
JESUS SAID, “I DON’T SAY SEVEN TIMES: BUT UNTIL SEVEN TIMES SEVENTY.”
(COMMENTARY: AGAIN CHRIST IS NOT TO BE TAKEN LITERALLY HERE. WE ARE NOT TO LIMIT OURSELVES TO 490 TIMES BUT “INFINITELY” WE MUST FORGIVE. PERHAPS THIS SEEMS VERY HARD FOR MOST OF US, HOWEVER, WE ALL MUST FIND A WAY TO FORGIVE. WE HAVE TO LET THE WRATH GO, REMEMBER THIS DOES NOT MEAN WE HAVE TO BE AROUND THIS PERSON!)
“THEREFORE IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN LIKENED TO A CERTAIN KING, WHICH WOULD TAKE ACCOUNT OF HIS SERVANTS. AND WHEN HE HAD BEGUN A RECKONING OF THEM, ONE SERVANT WAS BROUGHT TO HIM, WHICH OWED HIM TEN THOUSAND TALENTS. BUT HE HAD NO MONEY TO PAY, SO HIS LORD COMMANDED HIM TO BE SOLD, WITH HIS WIFE, AND CHILDREN, AND ALL THAT HE HAD, AND PAYMENT TO BE MADE.
THE SERVANT FELL DOWN AND WORSHIPED HIM, SAYING, LORD, HAVE PATIENCE WITH ME, AND I WILL PAY YOU ALL. THEN THE LORD OF THAT SERVANT WAS MOVED WITH COMPASSION, AND LOOSED HIM, AND FORGAVE THE DEBT.
BUT THE SAME SERVANT WENT OUT, AND FOUND ONE OF HIS FELLOW SERVANTS, WHICH OWED HIM A HUNDRED PENCE: AND HE LAID HANDS ON HIM GRABBING HIM BY THE THROAT, SAYING, PAY ME WHAT YOU OWE. AND HIS FELLOW SERVANT FELL DOWN AT HIS FEET, SAYING HAVE PATIENCE WITH ME, AND I WILL PAY YOU ALL. BUT HE WOULD NOT HAVE PATIENCE: BUT CAST HIM INTO PRISON, TILL HE SHOULD PAY THE DEBT.
SO WHEN HIS FELLOW SERVANTS TOLD THE LORD WHAT HAD TRANSPIRED, THE LORD CALLED HIM SAYING, O YOU WICKED SERVANT, I FORGAVE YOU THE DEBT, SHOULD YOU NOT HAVE HAD COMPASSION ON YOUR FELLOW SERVANT? AND HIS LORD WAS ANGRY, AND DELIVERED HIM TO THE TORMENTORS, TILL HE SHOULD PAY ALL THAT WAS DUE HIM.
“SO LIKEWISE SHALL MY HEAVENLY FATHER DO ALSO TO YOU, IF YOU FROM YOUR HEARTS DON’T FORGIVE EVERY ONE OF YOUR BROTHER’S TRESPASS.”
(COMMENTARY: OK ASIDE FROM THE FOCUS OF THIS PARABLE ON FORGIVENESS, I MAKE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT ABOUT WHAT A SERVANT WAS IN CHRIST’S TIME. The word in the New Testament usually translated as “servant” actually means “slave,” and referred to someone who was owned or controlled by someone else, not just a servant hired to do a certain job. Some slaves performed household tasks. Others, called “stewards,” supervised the work of lesser servants or managed the master’s finances. In the time of Jesus, some people were slaves because they were born to slave parents. Others were captured in war and were forced to become slaves. Some people actually sold themselves as slaves because they could have a higher standard of life as a slave than if they had to keep struggling to find housing or food on their own.
Some slaves were better educated than their masters and served as teachers of their master’s children. Slaves of rich masters had all kinds of opportunities that they would never have had on their own. But slaves had no freedom, and their owners could do with them whatever they wanted, including selling them to someone else. After slaves became 30 years old, many would become “freedmen,” with duties to the former master and his family. Some slaves earned enough money to buy their own freedom, which would mean that their children could be free also.
I HAVE PROVIDED THIS HISTORY AS FACE VALUE EXPLANATION OF THE MONIKER OF “SERVANT” IN THE EARLY NEW TESTAMENT TIMES.
SAINT MATTHEW CHAPTER 19 SYNOPSIS:
JESUS DEPARTS FROM GALILEE AND CAME INTO THE COASTS OF JUDAEA BEYOND JORDAN. GREAT MULTITUDES FOLLOWED HIM AND HE HEALED THEM.
THE PHARISEES CAME TEMPTING HIM AND SAYING, “IS IT LAWFUL FOR A MAN TO PUT AWAY HIS WIFE FOR EVERY CAUSE?”
JESUS ANSWERED,
“FOR THIS CAUSE SHALL A MAN LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER, AND SHALL CLEAVE TO HIS WIFE: AND THEY TWAIN (TWO) SHALL BE ONE FLESH? WHEREFORE THEY ARE NO MORE TWAIN, BUT ONE FLESH. WHAT THEREFORE GOD HAS JOINED TOGETHER, LET NOT MAN PUT ASUNDER.”
THE PHARISEES ASK AGAIN, “WHY DID MOSES THEN COMMAND TO GIVE A WRITING OF DIVORCE, AND TO PUT HER AWAY?”
HE SAID TO THEM,
“MOSES, BECAUSE OF THE HARDNESS OF YOUR HEARTS SUFFERED YOU TO PUT AWAY YOUR WIVES: BUT FROM THE BEGINNING IT WASN’T SO. AND I SAY TO YOU, WHOEVER PUT AWAY (DIVORCES) HIS WIFE, EXCEPT IT BE FOR FORNICATION, AND SHALL MARRY ANOTHER, COMMITS ADULTERY: AND WHOSO MARRIES HER WHICH IS PUT AWAY DOES COMMIT ADULTERY.”
(COMMENTARY: THERE YOU HAVE IT. REMEMBER FORNICATION OUTSIDE OF THE MARRIAGE IS THE KEY TO DESTROYING THAT MARRIAGE. REMEMBER ALSO THAT IF A MARRIED PARTNER FINDS THEIR SIGNIFICANT OTHER EVEN THINKING OF HAVING AN AFFAIR, THIS ALSO IS GROUNDS FOR A TRUE DIVORCE.)
THEN WERE THERE BROUGHT TO HIM LITTLE CHILDREN THAT HE SHOULD PUT HIS HANDS ON THEM, AND PRAY: AND THE DISCIPLES REBUKED THEM.
BUT JESUS SAID,
“ALLOW THE LITTLE CHILDREN, AND FORBID THEM NOT, TO COME TO ME: FOR SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.”
AND HE LAID HIS HANDS UPON THEM AND DEPARTED FROM THERE.
A MAN CAME TO CHRIST ASKING, “GOOD MASTER, WHAT GOOD THING SHALL I DO, THAT I MAY HAVE ETERNAL LIFE?”
JESUS SAID,
“IF YOU WILL ENTER INTO LIFE, KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS.”
THE MAN ASKED, “WHICH ONES?”
JESUS SAID, “YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, COMMIT ADULTERY, STEAL, OR BEAR FALSE WITNESS. HONOUR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER, AND LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”
THE YOUNG MAN SAID, “ALL THESE THINGS I HAVE KEPT SINCE MY YOUTH, WHAT DO I LACK?”
JESUS SAID,
“IF YOU WILL BE PERFECT, GO AND SELL WHAT YOU HAVE, AND GIVE IT TO THE POOR, AND YOU’LL HAVE TREASURE IN HEAVEN: AND COME AND FOLLOW ME.”
BUT WHEN THE YOUNG MAN HEARD THAT, HE WENT AWAY SORROWFUL, FOR HE HAD GREAT POSSESSIONS.
THEN JESUS SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES,
” TRULY I SAY, THAT A RICH MAN SHALL HARDLY ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. IT IS EASIER FOR A CAMEL TO GO THROUGH THE EYE OF A NEEDLE, THAN FOR A RICH MAN TO ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD.”
WHEN HIS DISCIPLES HEARD THIS THEY WERE EXCEEDINGLY AMAZED AND SAID, “WHO THEN CAN BE SAVED?”
JESUS SAID, “WITH MEN THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE, BUT WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.”
(COMMENTARY: MUCH DEBATE OVER WHETHER THE RICH OF THIS LIFE WILL BE IN HEAVEN HAS ENSUED IN MY LIFE CIRCLE FOR MANY YEARS. I HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT IT IS BEST THAT ANY RICH MAN SHOULD INVEST HIS MONEY IN CHARITY AND FOR HIS POSTERITY, GIVING MOST OF HIS WEALTH AWAY TO GREATER SOCIETAL BENEFIT, AS TO ENSURE THE GREATER REWARD OF HEAVEN IN THE ETERNITY. WHEN A PERSON IS A PRACTICING CHRISTIAN THEY HAVE THE HOLY GHOST PROMPTING THEM BOTH THROUGH CONSCIENCE AND SOMETIMES A STILL SMALL VOICE AS THE SCRIPTURES MENTION AS TO WHAT NEED BE DONE IN ALL THINGS IN THEIR LIVES, MONIES INCLUDED.)
THEN PETER SAID, “WE HAVE FORSAKEN ALL, AND FOLLOWED YOU; WHAT SHALL WE HAVE?”
JESUS SAID,
“YOU WHICH HAVE FOLLOWED ME, IN THE RESURRECTION WHEN THE SON OF MAN SHALL SIT IN THE THRONE OF GLORY, YOU ALSO SHALL SIT UPON TWELVE THRONES, JUDGING THE TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL. AND EVERY ONE THAT HAS FORSAKEN HOUSES, OR BRETHREN, OR SISTERS, OR FATHER, OR MOTHER, OR WIFE, OR CHILDREN, OR LANDS, FOR MY NAME’S SAKE, SHALL RECEIVE A HUNDREDFOLD, AND SHALL INHERIT EVERLASTING LIFE. BUT MANY THAT ARE FIRST SHALL BE LAST; AND THE LAST SHALL BE FIRST.”
(COMMENTARY: THIS IS A STATEMENT OF EQUALITY AMONG BELIEVERS. FOR EXAMPLE, THOSE OF THE LAST DAYS WHO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD HERE ON EARTH BY ACCEPTING AND FOLLOWING CHRIST IN THE FLESH WILL BE JUST AS ACCEPTABLE TO GOD AS ABRAHAM, ISAAC, OR JACOB AND VICE VERSA.)
NEXT . . . SAINT MATTHEW CONTINUES WITH THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS CHRIST.