MT 18 & 19 Summaries
Chapter 18 of the Gospel of Matthew contains the fourth of the five Discourses of Matthew, also called the Discourse on the Church. It includes the parables of the Lost Sheep and the Unforgiving Servant which also refer to the Kingdom of Heaven.
Chap. 18: The disciples ask who is the greatest in heaven. Jesus tells them that unless they become as little children, they will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. It would be better for someone to have a millstone tied around his neck and drowned in the sea that cause a child who believe in Jesus to sin. If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out, etc. Do not despise children, because their angels in heaven (guardian angels?) see the face of Jesus' Father. One lost sheep found is more rejoiced over than ninety nine which are never lost. If one among the church is adamantly unrepentant, they are to be removed from fellowship. 'Where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.' A man must forgive his brother seventy times seven times. Parable: a king forgives a servant a debt of 10,000 talents when the servant begs for more time to find the money. However, the servant does not forgive others who owe him far smaller amounts. The king is angry when he hears this, and delivers over the servant for punishment.
Chap. 19:1-15: Jesus heads towards Judea and Jerusalem. The Pharisees ask Jesus if it is lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason. Jesus replies, what God has joined, let not man separate. Jesus repeats what he said about divorce in the sermon on the mount. Celibacy is fine for those who can accept it.
