Bible Study on Matthew 19, verses 1 to 12, to put away his wife

 

Matthew 19:1 ¶  And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judaea beyond Jordan; 2  And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there.

 

Matthew 19:3 ¶  The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? 4  And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 5  And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 6  Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. 7  They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? 8  He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. 9  And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. 10  His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. 11  But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. 12  For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

 

Here is an important passage on divorce, a point of contention in most conservative Baptist churches today. The Jew under the Law could put his wife away. There was a school of the Pharisees, according to some sources, that believed you could divorce your wife for any reason as the Romans did. Please note this passage in the Old Testament under the Law.

 

Deuteronomy 24:1 ¶  When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. 2  And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man’s wife. 3  And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife; 4  Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the LORD: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

 

Once released from the marriage bond from a man by his own actions she could never be married to him again. When she was divorced she was not married to her original husband nor ever could be.

 

Jesus and Paul gave specific foundations for divorce. Fornication, which includes adultery with a person who is not your spouse which would include your child, of course, in the cases of incest, is grounds for divorce. Paul included abandonment due to one of the spouses becoming a Christian and one rejecting them because of it although he forbade leaving your spouse because they stayed a heathen when you were converted. Paul’s admonition must be taken in the context of Jesus’ reason of fornication.

 

1Corinthians 7:10 ¶  And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: 11  But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife. 12  But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him

not put her away. 13  And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. 14  For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. 15  But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace. 16  For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?

 

There is another thing of note here that has application to our modern world. God made mankind male and female. There are only two genders. Yes, there is a very rare anomaly called hermaphroditism where a baby displays what look like both male and female genitalia and there are people who insist that they were born the wrong sex biologically. God made mankind two genders, male and female, two sexes, male and female. This is the fact whether you or society chooses to acknowledge a person self-identifying as one of over a dozen different sexual identities as many modern people insist there are.

 

In addition, a eunuch is someone who cannot reproduce, referring to a male, although they can have sex, I’ve read. Some are born that way, some have been made that way by men who use them for everything from Medieval Roman Catholic choirs to household servants who can be trusted around the master’s harem ensuring any offspring are the master’s, and some choose to not have children for their service to God. The context of this passage is about not getting married, not having a wife. This does not justify self-mutilation as that is clearly understood as a sin. Commentators such as John Gill affirm this is so as this is not necessarily a reference to the sin of self-mutilation but of a commitment to chastity in the service of the Lord. See the 144,000 Jewish virgins in Revelation.

 

I think Jesus basically tells His disciples here that if you can’t stay faithful to your spouse and remain married it is best that you do not get married at all.

Bible Study on Genesis 49, verses 1 to 4, Jacob prophesies about Reuben

 

Genesis 49:1 ¶  And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days. 2  Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father. 3  Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: 4  Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.

Jacob calls his sons together to give them his prophecies concerning their future and, in doing so, the future of their offspring. This is of tremendous importance in what is to come. We must look not only to the individual’s future, but to the future of their tribes in history, and to the prophecy in Revelation regarding the conditions under which they survive until the end of human history even if they do not know themselves as political entities. DNA studies like those on 23andme.com and other websites have shown us that our actual ancestry may be surprising with details previously unknown to us. The Bible, unlike most other books of the world’s important religions, is a book filled with prophecy of the future, prophetic warnings and declarations.

Reuben was Leah’s hope that Jacob would love her when she knew that it was Rachel to whom he was emotionally attached.

Genesis 29:32  And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.

But Reuben had sex with Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid, her personal servant.

Genesis 29:29  And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.

Whom Rachel had given to Jacob as another wife.

Genesis 30:4  And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her.

Genesis 35:22  And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:

A concubine was a sort of secondary, lesser wife in this culture. This was not ordained by God but part of what He permits sinful man to do which condemns sinful man and reveals his weakness. God’s plan is for one man and one woman to unite in marriage for life.

Genesis 2:24  Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Matthew 19:3 ¶  The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? 4  And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 5  And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 6  Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

            So, Reuben committed a great wrong by doing what he did. In the age of the church Paul criticizes a congregation for permitting such a thing before asking that the man be forgiven as he was deeply repentant and anguished over his sin.

1Corinthians 5:1  It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. 2  And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. 3  For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, 4  In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5  To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 6  Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

    7 ¶  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 8  Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

    9 ¶  I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 10  Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. 11  But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. 12  For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? 13  But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

Then;

2Corinthians 2:5 ¶  But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all. 6  Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. 7  So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. 8  Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him. 9  For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. 10  To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; 11  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Would it were that Christian congregations had a zeal against sin in their midst. Today we tend to justify or ignore instances of people committing fornication and other sins. There is little shame regarding sin against God in today’s church.

Reuben is judged unstable and weak and will not be the tribe through which Christ will come to offer redemption to mankind.

Bible Study on Matthew 18, verses 21 to 35, forgiveness within the church body

 

Matthew 18:21 ¶  Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22  Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. 23  Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. 24  And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. 25  But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26  The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 27  Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. 28  But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. 29  And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 30  And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. 31  So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. 32  Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: 33  Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? 34  And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. 35  So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

 

Continuing with the thoughts from the previous passage Peter seeks clarification. How many times am I supposed to forgive? Jesus states an extreme to make a point. You would be foolish to keep a record of how many times you’ve forgiven someone so you don’t go over 77 times. The point is that we should be liberal in our willingness to forgive, and to forgive again. This is in the context of two equals in a church community. It is wicked to say that a child who has been sexually abused or a person who has been experienced grievous bodily harm at the hands of a malefactor, a criminal, must forgive especially if that person is unrepentant or just upset that they got caught. The context is within the church community, among equals before God.

 

There is a thought out there that if you can do nothing to get justice or revenge or getbacks for a wrong you might as well forgive to keep from having your bitterness burn inside of you. That’s fine but that is not the intent of this passage which is about your duty before God to forgive a brother or sister in Christ.

 

The king in this parable is God who has forgiven more than we can imagine and we are the servant to whom much has been forgiven, something we have not been willing to afford others who have wronged us much less than we have wronged God.

 

Don’t make the mistake of taking this as a you will lose your salvation if you don’t forgive a wrong. This is before the Resurrection and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the believer. Jesus is making a point here and to take this hyperliterally means that you will run around paranoid trying to forgive every slight or act of disrespect and bringing every misunderstanding before the church. These principles are Christian principles which require us to bring our complaint to the brother or sister who we believe have wronged us and then to the church if a couple of Godly friends can’t help. It reinforces that we are not to go behind the offender’s back but to confront them directly and we are not to get vengeance but to bring the matter to Godly friends and then the church but be willing to forgive liberally unless there is no repentance forthcoming.

 

Unfortunately, in today’s consumer church a repeat offender just moves on to a church that doesn’t know their bad behavior.

Bible Study on Genesis 48, verses 8 to 22, part 2, Joseph presents his sons to his father

 

Joseph presented the children in a specific order, so that Manasseh, the eldest, would receive the right hand of blessing from his grandfather, Jacob. Jacob crosses his hands and places his right hand, instead, on Ephraim’s head, and blessed Joseph. He mentions the Angel, capital A, as protecting him and asks that Angel for a blessing on the children and asks that they be included in his posterity and in the inheritance promised to his descendants. We’ve already seen what the word angel refers to but let’s review as Roman and Persian mythology have dominated a significant part of Christian history and have polluted our thinking ability and colored the lenses through which we view the Bible’s clear statements.

Remember, an angel is a presence, an appearance of something that is somewhere else, representing that person or thing but with power and ability that would prevent us from distinguishing the difference.

Isaiah 63:9  In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.

Matthew 18:10  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.

Acts 12:15  And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel.

Revelation 1:20  The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

Christ is the appearance of God; the angel of the Lord, His presence. I want to repeat the definition of an angel in Isaiah 63:9.

Isaiah 63:9  In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.

Galatians 4:14  And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

(Even can link two things that are the same such as I, even I, in Genesis 6:17 and over a dozen other verses.)

Who led the Hebrews out of Egypt.

Judges 2:1 ¶  And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.

You can imagine the angel of the LORD (LORD with all letters capitalized is Jehovah) or the angel of God as this Angel.

Joseph tried to remove his father’s hands, which Jacob had placed very deliberately where they were in full understanding of what he intended, onto the proper child in the order that he thought they should be placed. Jacob insisted, though, that Ephraim the younger would be greater than the elder. This is not the first time we have seen this, is it? Jacob himself was the younger child who supplanted the elder. But, this isn’t trickery or deception here. This blessing is from the beginning done wittingly.

The great leader to come, Joshua, a type of Christ in His Second Coming to conquer and rule, came out of Ephraim.

Numbers 13:8  Of the tribe of Ephraim, Oshea the son of Nun… 16  These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua.

Jehoshua is a different spelling of the name Joshua.

Ephraim has its issues as a tribe which shall come out in the narrative as you read. Jacob admits he is dying but tells them they will see the land, meaning their descendants will, that was promised to them. Again, verse 22 is also a prophecy of time to come.

Genesis 15:16  But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.

Bible Study on Matthew 18, verses 7 to 20, where two or three are gathered together in my name

 

Matthew 18:7 ¶  Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! 8  Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot 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. 9  And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. 10  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. 11  For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. 12  How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? 13  And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. 14  Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

 

In a sinful world are many temptations and sins. You do not want to be, however, a person through whom they come. It would be better for us to lose a part of our body that leads us into sin against God than have His wrath on us. Literally, the child has his audience in heaven but spiritually the child-like believer in trust and obedience to God has his appearance before the throne of God whose will it is that not one should perish.

 

What can be said of this passage on the one hand is the special contempt God has for those who harm the faith of a child. On the other hand, those who use the previously mentioned techniques to damage the faith of a follower of Christ, whom God does not wish to perish, merit the same wrath. We must be careful of what we say and measure how our words impact others.

 

We often pray for the children of the church. We must understand that how we live before them and how real our faith is expressed, without manipulation or exploitation, is of vital importance in leading them in faith.

 

Matthew 18: 15 ¶  Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16  But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17  And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. 18  Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19  Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 20  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

 

Look at the context of this entire passage without taking a verse out of context to make it mean something it wasn’t intended to mean. How many times has someone been angry with me for some slight, real or imagined, and chosen to go to someone else to complain, rather than to me directly? Here is Christ’s blueprint for dealing with an offense. Go first to the person who you feel has wronged you. Then, if that doesn’t work, take a couple of Godly friends. If the person is still not repentant then it is time to bring the issue before the church itself. It is only at his or her unrepentant attitude in this situation that you should reject their company and companionship.

 

If that is the way things turn out Christ says that He will respect the results that happen on earth in Heaven. The assumption is that your grievance is genuine and that you have followed His instructions. This grievance must be genuine and not a petty thing considering the magnitude of what is called for here. Responding to your thin skin, your dominating attitude, or your tyranny of weakness should not be a part of this. The grasping control freak and the manipulative “victim” attitude cannot be used to justify your grievance.

Bible Study on Genesis 48, verses 8 to 22, Joseph presents his sons to his father

 

Genesis 48:8 ¶  And Israel beheld Joseph’s sons, and said, Who are these? 9  And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them. 10  Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them. 11  And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed. 12  And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth. 13  And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near unto him. 14  And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim’s head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn. 15  And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day, 16  The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth. 17  And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head unto Manasseh’s head. 18  And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head. 19  And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations. 20  And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh. 21  And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers. 22  Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.

Many times questions are asked in the Bible in a sort of rhetorical way. The understanding is that the person asking the question knows the answer but the requirement for an answer confirms a greater principle. For instance, in Genesis we know that God knows everything so this question becomes a requirement for someone to admit to something.

Genesis 3:8  And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

    9 ¶  And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? 10  And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

Jacob is blind, or nearly so, as a consequence of age. As part of the judgment we in this world are enduring, old age leads to many physical failings on the part of even the noblest and upright of God’s men and women of destiny.

1Kings 14:4  And Jeroboam’s wife did so, and arose, and went to Shiloh, and came to the house of Ahijah. But Ahijah could not see; for his eyes were set by reason of his age.

Also read the metaphorical speech regarding old age that Solomon gives in Ecclesiastes

12.

1 ¶  Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; 2  While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain: 3  In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened, 4  And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low; 5  Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets: 6  Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. 7  Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

Joseph acknowledged that God had given him his sons and then Jacob said he wanted to bless them. Jacob expresses his joy and satisfaction that he never thought to see Joseph’s face again and yet now he has not only gotten to see Joseph’s face but also his children. One of the laments of we parents who have lost a child to death is that we will not only never see their face again in our earthly life but we will not see the children they might have had. It is an enduring pain and grief for some.

Joseph is holding his boys close and presents them to his father to be blessed and bows himself to the ground, this second greatest man in the world’s greatest superpower acknowledging the authority of his sheepherding father. It is a lesson we should learn as many of those reading this have risen to a higher social, economic, or political strata than their father but still honor him in respect. Position often has nothing to do with worthiness for respect.

Bible Study on Matthew 18, verses 1 to 6, Jesus called a little child unto him

 

Matthew 18:1 ¶  At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2  And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 3  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5  And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. 6  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.

 

We have to be as trusting as little children to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Who knows, maybe we will be little children in Heaven, which explains in one respect why Jesus says we are not given in marriage there.

 

That man or woman who humbles themselves like a weak and helpless child before God receives the highest praise and to receive such a one into fellowship is to receive Christ Himself. Plus, whoever causes one of these children to stumble, who harms their faith, well it would be better if they had had a millstone tied around their neck and they be thown into the sea. Destroying the faith of another comes in several ways.

 

See to offend as to cause to stumble or cause to sin;

 

Isaiah 8:14  And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

 

1 Peter 2:8  And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

 

Matthew 5:29  And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30  And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

 

Discouraging them, a tactic of Satan, is a way of causing a Christian to stumble in their faith by not believing they can be forgiven for sin.

 

2Corinthians 2:5 ¶  But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all. 6  Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. 7  So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. 8  Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him. 9  For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. 10  To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;

11  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

 

Another method of Satan is to entice someone to sin in some weakness of the flesh they may have;

 

Romans 14:1 ¶  Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. 2  For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. 3  Let not him

that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. 4  Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. 5  One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. 6  He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. 7  For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. 8  For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.

 

9  For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. 10  But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11  For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 12  So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. 13  Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way. 14  I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15  But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.

 

16  Let not then your good be evil spoken of: 17  For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 18  For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. 19  Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. 20  For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. 21  It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. 22  Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. 23  And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

 

Corrupting, or the case of the following from a Greek word meaning to water down wine, the word of God.

 

2 Corinthians 2:17  For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

 

I am sure you can think of other ways Christians have placed stumbling blocks in the way of your faith that could have or did make you stumble, make you to be offended. Maybe you’ve seen someone else crushed by the shenanigans of a Christian. I taught homeschoolers at one time and a young woman later told me that she had suffered abuse at the hands of a previous teacher and was grateful that I wasn’t like him when I taught her.