Matthew 18 offers us several brief teachings from Jesus. First, He told the disciples the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven is the one who is like a child–childlike, not childish. Childlikeness means being trusting, loving and filled with wonder. Childish means immature, short-tempered and filled with self. Next, Jesus warned us not to be the ones who put temptation to sin in the way of one of His little ones. Then, Jesus tells the Parable of the Lost Sheep, and how it isn’t His Father’s will for even one person to perish. The chapter closes with Jesus telling us how important it is to forgive those who sin against us. After telling us of its importance, He offers a powerful parable about a servant who owed his master vast sums of money. The master showed compassion on the servant and forgave him. But then the servant went out and failed to forgive a fellow servant who owed him a small sum of money. When the other servants brought this servant’s action to the master, the master had the servant and his family thrown into prison! This shows us how important it is for us to forgive others as Jesus has forgiven us.
In Matthew 19 we read a similar account to that in Mark 10, where the Pharisees question Jesus about divorce. The next two aspects of the chapter are also the same. It was likely the same moment. Jesus asked the Pharisees what the Law of Moses said about divorce. They told Him the Law permitted it. Jesus told them that was only because of human hardness of heart, but from the beginning God’s intention was for a man and woman to be married for as long as they lived. That is still His intention for us! Next, Jesus is approached by some families with their children for Jesus to bless the children. The disciples attempted to stop them, but Jesus rebuked the disciples, laid his hand on the children and blessed them. Finally, we read of a rich young man who came to Jesus seeking eternal life. When the man had told Jesus, he had followed the Law since his youth, Jesus told him to go sell all he had, give it to the poor, and he would have riches in heaven. Then he could come and follow Him. The man went away said, because he couldn’t give up his wealth. The disciples were astonished, because they assumed worldly wealth was a sign of God’s favor. Often it is. In this case it was the prison that kept the young man from being free to serve Jesus.
In Matthew 20 Jesus tells the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard. As we know by now, the parable tells of a vineyard owner who went to the town throughout the day at various times and hired workers. He told the ones hired in the morning he would pay them a denarius, or a day’s wage. The rest he told he would pay fairly. As it turned out, the master paid those who worked only one hour a denarius. When the ones who started first received their pay, they were upset, because they also received one denarius–the amount they had agreed would be their wage at the beginning of the day. They said the master was being unfair. He reminded them he had paid them fairly, and he had the right to be generous to the others if he desired. The point of the parable is no matter when in a person’s life he or she comes to the Lord for salvation, each one receives the same reward–salvation! Next, Jesus told the disciples of His impending death for a third time. This time, the mother of James and John came to Jesus and asked Him to put her sons in the positions of authority and power at His right and left when He came into His Kingdom. Jesus told her He didn’t have the right to make that commitment. It was up to His Father. The other ten disciples became upset when they heard of the request, so Jesus took the opportunity to remind them the greatest in God’s Kingdom is the one who serves the most. Finally, Jesus takes some time while the group is walking along to heal two blind men. This time Jesus tells them it would be done according to their faith, and their faith was enough, because they were healed.
As we return to John 18, we return to the account of Jesus’ betrayal, arrest, questioning before Annas and Caiaphas, the high priests, Peter’s denial of Jesus, and Jesus trial before Pilate. We have read the account in all four gospels, and what stands out to me in each account is Jesus’ calmness while everyone else is in a frenzy. He knew He was going to beaten and crucified, yet He answered calmly or remained silent. When the crowds jeered, He stayed calm. He watched and listened as Peter denied Him, but in Luke’s gospel alone we’re told after the third denial Jesus turned to Peter and looked at Him. Imagine that: Jesus’ friend, follower, and confidante Peter, denied ever knowing Him, and Jesus looked calmly into His eyes. Only the Savior of the world could have responded in that way.