The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV, page 464
17:21 except by prayer and fasting. Again, this suggests that the underlying problem was the disciples’ failure to make God the object of their faith (see notes on vv. 19, 20). But this verse is not found in the best manuscripts.
17:22 about to be betrayed. By Judas Iscariot. See notes on 26:47, 50.
17:24 the temple tax. A half-shekel tax (equivalent to about two days’ wages) collected annually from every male over 20, for the upkeep of the temple (Ex. 30:13, 14; 2 Chr. 24:9). As kings did not tax their own sons, technically, Jesus, as God’s son, was exempt from the tax (v. 26). But to avoid offense, He paid on behalf of Himself and Peter (v. 27). Cf. Rom. 13:1–7; Titus 3:1; 1 Pet. 2:13–17.
Matthew 18
18:1–35 This is the fourth of 5 discourses around which Matthew frames his narrative (see Introduction: Historical and Theological Themes). This section’s theme is the childlikeness of the believer.
18:3 become as little children. This is how Jesus characterized conversion. Like the Beatitudes, it pictures faith as the simple, helpless, trusting dependence of those who have no resources of their own. Like children, they have no achievements and no accomplishments to offer or commend themselves with.
18:5 Whoever receives. See note on 10:41. one little child like this. This speaks not of literal children, but children in the sense described in vv. 3, 4 (those who have humbled themselves like children), i.e., true believers (v. 6). See notes on 10:42; 19:14.
18:6 millstone. A stone used for grinding grain. Lit. “the millstone of an ass”—a stone so large it took a donkey to turn it. Gentiles used this form of execution, and therefore it was particularly repulsive to the Jews.
18:7 Woe to the world. It is expected that those in the world will cause Christians to be offended, stumble and sin, and they will be judged for it. But it should not be that fellow believers lead others into sin, directly or indirectly. One would be better off dead. Cf. Rom. 14:13, 19, 21; 15:2; 1 Cor. 8:13.
18:8, 9 cut it off…pluck it out. See note on 5:29.
18:10 do not despise. I.e., spurn or belittle another believer by treating him or her unkindly or indifferently. their angels. This does not suggest that each believer has a personal guardian angel. Rather, the pronoun is collective and refers to the fact that believers are served by angels in general. These angels are pictured “always” watching the face of God so as to hear His command to them to help a believer when needed. It is extremely serious to treat any fellow believer with contempt since God and the holy angels are so concerned for their well-being.
18:14 perish. The word here can (and does in this context) refer to spiritual devastation rather than utter eternal destruction. This does not suggest that God’s children ever could perish in the ultimate sense (cf. John 10:28).
18:15 The prescription for church discipline in vv. 15–17 must be read in light of the parable of the lost sheep in vv. 12–14. The goal of this process is restoration. If successful, “you have gained your brother.” Step 1 is to “tell him his fault” privately.
18:16 if he will not hear. I.e., if he remains impenitent, follow step 2: “take with you one or two more,” to fulfill the principle of Deut. 19:15.
18:17 tell it to the church. If he still refuses to repent, step 3 requires that the matter be reported to the whole assembly (v. 17)—so that all may lovingly pursue the sinning brother’s reconciliation. But failing that, step 4 means that the offender must be excommunicated, regarded by the church as “a heathen and a tax collector” (see note on 5:46). The idea is not merely to punish the offender, or to shun him completely, but to remove him as a detrimental influence from the fellowship of the church, and henceforth to regard him as an evangelistic prospect rather than as a brother. Ultimately, the sin for which he is excommunicated is a hard-hearted impenitence.
18:18 bind on earth…bound in heaven. See note on 16:19.
18:19 if two of you agree on earth. This promise applies to the issue of discipline discussed in vv. 15–17. The “two of you” spoken of here harks back to the two or three witnesses involved in step two of the discipline process (see note on v. 15).
18:20 two or three. Jewish tradition requires at least 10 men (a minyan) to constitute a synagogue or even hold public prayer. Here, Christ promised to be present in the midst of an even smaller flock—”two or three witnesses” gathered in His name for the purpose of discipline (see note on v. 15).
18:21 Up to seven times. Peter thought he was being magnanimous. The rabbis, citing several verses from Amos (1:3, 6, 9, 11, 13) taught that since God forgave Israel’s enemies only 3 times, it was presumptuous and unnecessary to forgive anyone more than 3 times.
18:22 seventy times seven. Innumerable times. See note on Luke 17:4.
18:23 servants. Due to the large amounts of money involved, it is likely these “servants” would have been provincial governors who owed the king the money from taxation.
18:24 ten thousand talents. This represents an incomprehensible amount of money. The talent was the largest denomination of currency, and “ten thousand” in common parlance signified an infinite number.
18:25 that he be sold. A way to recover some of this loss was for the king to sell the family members into slavery.
18:27 forgave him. Picturing the generous, compassionate forgiveness of God to a pleading sinner who owes Him an unpayable debt. Cf. Col. 2:14.
18:28 a hundred denarii. About 3 months’ wages. This was not a negligible amount by normal standards, but it was a pittance in comparison to what the servant had been forgiven.
18:29 Have patience…I will pay you all. Cf. v. 26. The forgiven man heard the same pleading he had given before his master, but was utterly without compassion (v. 30).
18:31 fellow servants…grieved. A lack of forgiveness is offensive to fellow believers. Most of all it offends God, who chastens His unforgiving children severely (vv. 32–34). See notes on v. 34; cf. 6:15.
18:34 his master was angry. Because He is holy and just, God is always angry at sin, including the sins of His children (cf. Heb. 12:5–11). torturers. Not executioners. This pictures severe discipline, not final condemnation. all that was due to him. The original debt was unpayable and the man was still without resources. So it seems unlikely that the slave was saddled once again with the same debt he had already been forgiven. Rather, what he now owed his master would be exacted in chastening by his master until he was willing to forgive others.
Matthew 19
19:1 the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. Perea was the name of the region just E of the Jordan River. It was not technically part of Judea, but the territory ruled by Herod the Great had included both regions, and it was commonly referred to this way. Christ’s ministry in Perea lasted only a few months. It was from here that He would make His final journey to Jerusalem just prior to the Passion Week (20:17–19).
19:3 Is it lawful. A hotly-debated difference of opinion existed between the Rabbis Shammai and Hillel (both near-contemporaries of Christ). The Shammaites interpreted the law rigidly, and permitted a man to divorce his wife only if she was guilty of sexual immorality. for just any reason. The Hillelites took a wholly pragmatic approach, and permitted a man to divorce his wife indiscriminately.
19:4 Quoted from Gen. 1:27; 5:2. Jesus’ challenge to the Pharisees echoed the question raised by Mal. 2:15: “But did He not make them one…?” (cf. v. 6).
19:5 Quoted from Gen. 2:24 (see note there).
19:7 Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce. The Pharisees misrepresented Deut. 24:1–4. It was not a “command” for divorce, but a limitation on remarriage in the event of a divorce. While recognizing the legitimacy of divorce when a man “has found some uncleanness” (Deut. 24:1) in his wife (sexual sin, by Jesus’ interpretation in v. 9), Moses did not “command” divorce. See note on Deut. 24:1–4.
19:8 Moses…permitted you to divorce. The stress is certainly on the word “permitted.” Thus Jesus clearly sides with the Shammai school of interpretation (see note on v. 3). because of the hardness of your hearts. The phrase underscores the truth that divorce is only a last-resort response to hard-hearted sexual immorality (v. 9).
19:9 sexual immorality. This is a term that encompasses all sorts of sexual sins. Both here and in 5:32, Jesus includes this “exception clause,” clearly permitting the innocent party in such a divorce to remarry without incurring the stigma of one who “commits adultery.” See notes on 5:31, 32.
19:10 it is better not to marry. The disciples correctly understood the binding nature of marriage, and that Jesus was setting a very high standard, permitting divorce only in the most extreme of circumstances.
19:12 let him accept it. Since all cannot handle it (v. 11), Christ is not enjoining celibacy here. Rather, He makes it entirely a matter of personal choice—except for those who are physically unable to marry, either through natural causes or because of the violence of other men. Still others may find there are pragmatic reasons not to marry for the good of the kingdom (see notes on 1 Cor. 7:7–9). But in no way did Christ suggest that celibacy is superior to marriage (cf. Gen. 2:18; 1 Tim. 4:3).
19:14 of such. These children were too young to have exercised personal faith. See Luke 18:15, where Luke refers to them as “infants.” Therefore, it is all the more significant that Christ used them as an illustration of those who make up “the kingdom of heaven” (cf. 18:1–4). Mark 10:16 also says He “blessed them.” God often shows a special mercy to those who because of age or mental deficiency are incapable of either faith or willful unbelief (cf. Jon. 4:11). They are called “innocents” in Jer. 19:4. This does not mean they are free from the inherited guilt and moral corruption of Adam’s sin (see notes on Rom. 5:12–19), but rather that they are not culpable in the same sense as those whose sins are premeditated and deliberate. Jesus’ words here suggest that God’s mercy is graciously extended to infants so that those who die are sovereignly regenerated and granted entrance into the kingdom—not because they are deserving of heaven, but because God in His grace chooses to redeem them. See notes on 2 Sam. 12:23; Mark 10:14.
19:16 Good Teacher. This is not necessarily a recognition of Christ’s deity. The young man simply meant that Christ was righteous and a teacher from God who apparently had eternal life and might know how he could get it.
19:17 Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One. Jesus was not disclaiming His own deity, but rather teaching the young man that all but God are sinners. This young man’s most serious spiritual defect was his reluctance to confess his own utter spiritual bankruptcy. See note on 5:3; cf. Luke 18:11. if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments. This, of course, is law, not gospel. Before showing him the way to life, Jesus wanted to impress on the young man both the high standard required by God and the absolute futility of seeking salvation by his own merit. This should have elicited a response about the impossibility of keeping the law perfectly (like the disciples’ response in v. 25), but instead the young man confidently declared that he qualified for heaven under those terms.
19:18, 19 These are 5 of the 6 commandments that make up the second table of the Ten Commandments—all dealing with human relationships (cf. Ex. 20:12–16; Deut. 5:16–20). See note on 22:40. Christ omitted the tenth commandment, which deals with covetousness, and added Lev. 19:18, the summation of the second half of the Decalogue. Cf. Rom. 13:1–10.
19:20 I have kept. The self-righteous young man would not admit to his own sin. See note on 9:13.
19:21 go, sell what you have and give to the poor. Again, Jesus was not setting forth terms for salvation, but rather exposing the young man’s true heart. His refusal to obey here revealed two things: 1) he was not blameless as far as the law was concerned, because he was guilty of loving himself and his possessions more than his neighbors (cf. v. 19); and 2) he lacked true faith, which involves a willingness to surrender all at Christ’s bidding (16:24). Jesus was not teaching salvation by philanthropy; but He was demanding that this young man give Him first place. The young man failed the test (v. 22). come, follow Me. This was the answer to the young man’s question in v. 16. It was a call to faith. It is likely that the young man never even heard or contemplated it, though, because his own love of his possessions was such a stumbling block that he had already rejected Jesus’ claim to lordship over his life. Thus he walked away in unbelief.
19:24 camel…eye of a needle. I.e., it is impossible. Jesus was underscoring the impossibility of anyone’s being saved by merit. Since wealth was deemed proof of God’s approval, and those who had it could give more alms, it was commonly thought that rich people were the most likely candidates for heaven (see note on Mark 10:25). Jesus destroyed that notion, and along with it, the notion that anyone can merit enough divine favor to gain entrance into heaven. See note on v. 25.
19:25 Who then can be saved? This was the right question to ask; it showed that they got Jesus’ message (see note on v. 17). Salvation is possible only through divine grace (v. 26). See notes on Rom. 3:9–20; Gal. 3:10–13; Phil. 3:4–9.
19:27 we have left all and followed You. Peter points out that they had already done what Christ demanded of the rich young ruler (v. 21). They had embarked on the life of faith with Christ. Note that Jesus did not rebuke Peter for his expectation of reward (cf. Rev. 22:12).
19:28 regeneration. Here the term does not carry its normal theological meaning of personal regeneration (cf. Titus 3:5). Instead, Jesus was speaking of “the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21). This is a reference to the earthly kingdom described in Rev. 20:1–15, when believers will sit with Christ on His throne (Rev. 3:21). judging. Governing. Cf. 1 Cor. 6:2, 3.
19:30 first will be last, and the last first. This statement means that everyone ends up the same, a truth that is explained by the parable that follows (see note on 20:16).
Matthew 20
20:1 hire laborers. This was typical during harvest. Day laborers stood in the market place from dawn, hoping to be hired for the day’s work. The work day began at 6:00 a.m. and went to 6:00 p.m.
20:2 a denarius a day. A fair wage for a full day’s labor (see note on 22:19).
20:3 third hour. 9:00 a.m. They were standing idle because no one had hired them (v. 7).
20:4 whatever is right. So eager to work, these men did not even negotiate a specific wage.
20:6 eleventh hour. I.e., 5:00 p.m. Desperate for work, they had waited nearly “all day.” They would take whatever they could get.
20:8 last to the first. This is the clue that opens the parable (see note on v. 16).
20:13 I am doing you no wrong. Everyone received a full day’s wage, to their shock (vv. 9–11). The man was acting graciously to those whom he overpaid. This was no slight against those whom he paid a full wage for a full day’s work. That was precisely what they agreed to in the beginning. But it was his privilege to extend the same generosity to all (v. 15; cf. Rom. 9:15).
20:16 the last will be first, and the first last. In other words, everyone finishes in a dead heat. No matter how long each of the workers worked, they each received a full day’s wage. Similarly, the thief on the cross will enjoy the full blessings of heaven alongside those who have labored their whole lives for Christ. Such is the grace of God (see note on 19:30).
20:17 going up to Jerusalem. Thus began His final journey to the cross.
20:19 crucify. This was the third time Jesus told the disciples of His death (see note on 16:21; cf. 17:22, 23)—plus 3 of the disciples had overheard Jesus discussing His death with Moses and Elijah at the Transfiguration (Luke 9:31). This time, however, He added more details.
20:20 mother of Zebedee’s sons. Mark 10:35 says James and John themselves raised the question of v. 21. There is no contradiction. It is possible either that the 3 of them asked together, or perhaps even more likely that they had discussed it among themselves beforehand, and each posed the question to Jesus privately.
20:21 Grant…these two sons of mine. Probably playing off the words of Jesus in 19:28, James and John had enlisted their mother to convey their proud, self-seeking request to Jesus. This was a recurring matter among the disciples (cf. 18:1, 4; 23:11; Mark 9:34; Luke 9:46; 22:24, 26), right up to the table at the Last Supper.
20:22 You do not know what you ask. The greatest glory goes to those who suffer the most for Christ. the cup that I am about to drink. The cup of God’s wrath (see notes on 26:39; Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42; John 18:11). the baptism that I am baptized with. This refers to the immersion of the Lord into suffering (cf. Luke 12:50). However, the phrases referring to baptism here and in v. 23 do not appear in the best manuscripts.
20:23 You will indeed. James was beheaded (Acts 12:2) and John tortured and exiled to Patmos (Rev. 1:9) for the sake of Christ. for whom it is prepared. God alone has chosen.
20:24 were greatly displeased. Jealous displeasure, no doubt. They all would have petitioned Jesus for the exalted, favored positions, given the opportunity. See note on v. 21.
20:25–28 In this rich text, the Lord was teaching the disciples that the style of greatness and leadership for believers is different. The Gentile leaders dominate in dictatorial fashion, using carnal power and authority. Believers are to do the opposite—they lead by being servants and giving themselves away for others, as Jesus did.
20:28 to give His life a ransom for many. The word translated “for” means “in the place of,” underscoring the substitutionary nature of Christ’s sacrifice. A “ransom” is a price paid to redeem a slave or a prisoner. Redemption does not involve a price paid to Satan. Rather, the ransom is offered to God—to satisfy His justice and wrath against sin. The price paid was Christ’s own life—as a blood atonement (cf. Lev. 17:11; Heb. 9:22). This, then, is the meaning of the cross: Christ subjected Himself to the divine punishment against sin on our behalf (cf. Is. 53:4, 5; see note on 2 Cor. 5:21). Suffering the brunt of divine wrath in the place of sinners was the “cup” He spoke of having to drink, and the baptism He was preparing to undergo (v. 22).
