Mt 18:2
18:2 {1} And Jesus called a {a} little child unto him, and set
     him in the midst of them,

 (1) Humbleness of mind is the right way to preeminence.
     (a) A child in years.

Mt 18:3
18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be {b}
     converted, and become as little children, ye shall not
     enter into the kingdom of heaven.

     (b) An idiom taken from the Hebrews which is equivalent to
         "repent".

Mt 18:6
18:6 {2} But whoso 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.

 (2) We ought to have great respect for our brethren no matter
     how base they may be: and he that does otherwise shall be
     sharply punished.

Mt 18:7
18:7 {3} Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must
     needs be that {c} offences come; but woe to that man by
     whom the offence cometh!

 (3) A good man cannot help but experience offences, yet he must
     by no means offer offence.
     (c) Obstructions and hindrances which stop the course of good
         works.  The Greek word conveys the sense of things
         which we stumble at.

Mt 18:8
18:8 Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot {d} offend thee, cut them
     off, and cast [them] from thee: it is better for thee to
     enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two
     hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.

     (d) \\See Geneva Mt "5:29"\\

Mt 18:10
18:10 {4} Take heed 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 which is in heaven.

 (4) The weaker that a man is, the greater care we ought to have
     for his salvation, as God teaches us by his own example.

Mt 18:15
18:15 {5} Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against {e}
      thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him
      alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy
      brother.

 (5) We must strive for agreement, and not to revenge injuries.
     (e) If his offence is such that only you know your
         brother's offence.

Mt 18:16
18:16 But if he will not hear [thee, then] take with thee one or
      two more, that in the {f} mouth of two or three witnesses
      every word may be {g} established.

      (f) That is, by the word and witness; the mouth is
          sometimes taken for the word of speech, @Nu 3:16,
          and also for a still witness, namely, when the matter
          speaks for itself, as below in @Mt 21:16.
      (g) Sure and certain.

Mt 18:17
18:17 {6} And if he shall {h} neglect to hear them, tell [it]
      unto the {i} church: but if he neglect to hear the church,
      let him be unto thee as {k} an heathen man and a publican.

 (6) He that condemns the judgment of the Church, condemns God.
     (h) Literally, "does not condescend to hear", or "make as
         though he did not hear".
     (i) He speaks not of just any policy, but of an
         ecclesiastical assembly, for he speaks afterward of the
         power of loosing and binding, which belonged to the
         Church, and he has regard for the order used in those
         days, at which time the elders had the judgment of
         Church matters in their hands, @Joh 9:22 12:42 16:2,
         and used casting out of the synagogue for a punishment,
         as we do now by excommunication.
     (k) Profane, and void of religion: such men, the Jews
         called Gentiles: whose company they shunned, as they
         did the publicans.

Mt 18:19
18:19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall {l} agree
      on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it
      shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

      (l) This word, which is normally used of the body, is here
          used of the mind, for it belongs properly to poetry.

Mt 18:21
18:21 {7} Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall
      my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven
      times?

 (7) They will find God severe and not too pleased, who do not
     forgive their brethren even if they have been purposely and
     grievously injured by them.

Mt 18:24
18:24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him,
      which owed him {m} ten thousand talents.

      (m) Here is set down a very great sum of six thousand
          crowns, that the difference may be the greater, for
          there is no proportion between them.

Mt 18:26
18:26 The servant therefore fell down, and {n} worshipped him,
      saying, Lord, {o} have patience with me, and I will pay
      thee all.

      (n) This was a polite reverence which was very common in
          the East.
      (o) Yield not too much to your anger against me: so is God
          called in the Scripture, slow to anger, that is to
          say, gentle, and one that refrains his fierce wrath,
          @Ps 86:5; patient and of great mercy.



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