Matthew 18 Summary - Quick Bible Study

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MATTHEW 18 SUMMARY IN 5 MINUTES

• WHEN:

  • The birth of Jesus probably occurred around 4 B.C..

  • From Luke 3:23, we know Jesus began His ministry when He was about 30 years old.

  • This would place the events of Jesus’ ministry roughly between 26-31 A.D..

• CHARACTERS:

  • Jesus - The Messiah. God’s “beloved Son.”

  • Disciples - Jesus followers and students.

  • Unforgiving Servant - A man who received forgiveness but wouldn’t forgive others.

  • Shepherd - A man who was the caretaker of 100 sheep.

• WHERE:

  • Matthew doesn’t tell us the exact location of this conversation between Jesus and the disciples.

  • Mark 9:33 appears to place Jesus in Capernaum when these words were spoken.

• OUTLINE:

  • WHO IS THE GREATEST? (18:1-18:5):

    • The disciples asked Jesus who was the greatest in His Kingdom.

    • Calling a child to Him, Jesus told them they must become like children.

    • The greatest in the Kingdom is the one who is humble like a child.

  • A WARNING TO THOSE WHO TEMPT OTHERS (18:6-18:9):

    • Jesus sternly rebuked those who tempted other to sin.

    • He said it would be better for a person to be drown in the sea than to cause a child of God to stumble and sin.

    • Better to remove your foot or your eye than to allow them to lead you into sin.

  • THE LOST SHEEP (18:10-18:14):

    • If a man has 100 sheep and one goes missing, he will leave the 99 and go off searching for the one that is lost.

    • In the same way, God cares about and loves those who are spiritually lost.

  • WHAT TO DO WHEN SOMEONE SINS AGAINST YOU (18:15-18:20):

    • If a brother sins against you, try to resolve the issue privately.

    • If that doesn’t work, take one or two other people with you and try again.

    • If that doesn’t work, “tell it to the church.”

    • If that still doesn’t work, no longer associate with that person.

    • After giving these instructions, Jesus reassured the disciples He would be with them as they implemented His instructions.

  • PARABLE OF THE UNFORGIVING AND UNTHANKFUL SERVANT (18:21-18:35):

    • Peter asked Jesus how many times he had to forgive someone.

    • Jesus told him “seventy-seven times.”

    • He then compared the Kingdom of Heaven to a king collecting debts.

    • One man owed the king a huge amount of money but couldn’t pay, so the king forgave him.

    • The forgiven man then went out, found a man who owed him money, choked him, and threw him in prison when he couldn’t pay.

    • When the king heard about it, he threw the servant he had forgiven into prison for not extending the forgiveness he received to the other man.

    • “So also my Heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

• BIG PICTURE:

  • Greatness in God’s eyes looks very different than greatness in the eyes of the world.

  • Jesus wasn’t “great” according to the world’s standards, yet Jesus was/is greater than our minds can fathom.

  • We have two options: (1) pursue greatness as defined by our fellow humans, or (2) pursue greatness as defined by our Creator.

• APPLICATION:

  • It is a terrible thing to be forgiven and then to withhold forgiveness from another.

  • At great expense (the blood of Jesus), God forgave us our sins.

  • Unwillingness to forgive others shows a tremendous lack of gratitude.