Matt 18:6-10
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The New Testament > Matthew > Chapter 18
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[edit] Questions
[edit] Verse 6
- It is curious that the phrase "which believe in me" is appended to "one of these little ones." Is it worse to offend children who believe in Christ than those who do not?
[edit] Verse 10
- What should we make of the last part of this verse "in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven." What does it mean that they have angels? Also, this sentence seems to suggest that some angels always behold God's face while others do not. What is the point of making this distinction?
[edit] Lexical notes
- Click the edit link above and to the right to add lexical notes
[edit] Exegesis
[edit] Verse 6
At one level the "little ones" here are little children. At another level they are the true followers of Jesus Christ. Verse 3, tells us all to "become as little children." That Jesus is referring not only to little children per se, but also to his true followers, may explain the otherwise odd phrase "which believe in me."
[edit] Verse 8
In verse 6 the subject is offending little children. Verse 7 talks about offense without referring to an object. Now in verse 8 Jesus talks of offending one's own self. The fact that later in verse 10 Jesus says "despise not of of these little ones" suggests that he hasn't left-off talking about offending little ones. So why interject here a discussion of self-offense? One interpretation is that what is meant is more like "if thy hand is offensive." Alternatively, since (as noted above) Jesus is telling us all to be little children, verses 8 and 9 are telling us how to do that--to become like little children we must stop acting in ways offensive to little children--stop offending our own selves.
[edit] Related links
[edit] Verse 6
- The Juniper Tree recorded by the Brothers Grimm (use of millstone paralleling this text)
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