Matthew 18
Matthew 18 | |
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Christ with children by Carl Heinrich Bloch. | |
Book | Gospel of Matthew |
Bible part | New Testament |
Order in the Bible part | 1 |
Category | Gospel |
Gospel of Matthew |
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Chapters |
Chapter 18 of the Gospel of Matthew is one of the Five Discourses of Matthew and also called the Discourse on the Church.[1] It includes the parables of The Lost Sheep and The Unforgiving Servant which also refer to the Kingdom of Heaven. The general theme of the discourse is the anticipation of a future community of followers, and the role of his apostles in leading it.[2][3]
Verses 15-17 are of particular significance to Baptists in their support of the principle of autonomy of the local church (see Baptist_beliefs).
Addressing his apostles in 18:18, Jesus states: "what things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven", see also Binding and loosing. The discourse emphasizes the importance of humility and self-sacrifice as the high virtues within the anticipated community. It teaches that in the Kingdom of God, it is childlike humility that matters, not social prominence and clout.[2][3]
Structure
The chapter can be divided into the following subsections:
- The Little Children (18:1–7)
- If thy hand offend thee (18:8–9)
- Parable of the Lost Sheep (18:10–14)
- Binding and loosing (18:15–22)
- Parable of the unforgiving servant (18:23–35)
Text
- The original text is written in Koine Greek.
- Some most ancient manuscripts containing this chapter are:
- Papyrus 25 (4th century; extant: verses 32-34)
- Codex Vaticanus (AD 325-350)
- Codex Sinaiticus (AD 330-360)
- Codex Bezae (ca. AD 400)
- Codex Washingtonianus (ca. AD 400)
- Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus (ca. AD 450)
- Codex Purpureus Rossanensis (6th century)
- Codex Petropolitanus Purpureus (6th century; extant: verses 6-25)
- Codex Sinopensis (6th century; extant: verses 4-30)
- Papyrus 44 (6th/7th century; extant: verses 15-17, 19)
- This chapter is divided into 35 verses.
See also
- Parables of Jesus
- Other related Bible parts: Mark 9, Luke 9, Lukas 15, Lukas 17
References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gospel of Matthew - Chapter 18. |
Preceded by Matthew 17 |
Chapters of the New Testament Gospel of Matthew |
Succeeded by Matthew 19 |