74 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then said he unto his disciples,.... In the Alexandrian copy, and in "three" of Beza's exemplars it is read, "his disciples"; and so read the Vulgate Latin, and all the Oriental versions; that is, Jesus said to his disciples what follows, as the Syriac and Persic versions express, and the latter reads, he said "again". About the time that he...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
In this chapter we have, I. Some particular discourses which Christ had with his disciples, in which he teaches them to take heed of giving offence, and to forgive the injuries done them (ver. 1-4), encourages them to pray for the increase of their faith (ver. 5, 6), and then teaches them humility, whatever service they had done for God, ver....
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: We are so strangely made that even good men do not always agree, and there are so many bad men about that they will cast a stumbling-block in our way if they can.
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
But woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. To do grievous damage to the soul of the very least of Christ’s people, is a great and ruinous sin; nothing can be worse. God grant that we may not do this even...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! Since the fall, we are so constituted that there are sure to be differences and disputes. It is a great mercy when men dwell together in unity. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is.” It is a work of grace; but nature has its...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
It were better for him that a millstone,.... [See comments on Matthew 18:6] and [See comments on Mr 9:42].
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend — Or cause to offend —
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
One of these little ones. Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent: thou shalt forgive him. Perhaps someone remarks, “It looks as if he would do nothing else but keep...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Take heed to yourselves..... Or to one another, that ye neither give, nor take offence. Take heed to your spirits, to your doctrines, walk, and conversation, that you give no offence to any, that you are not stumbled by what you shall see in, and meet with from others: if thy brother trespass against thee; [See comments on Matthew 18:15] rebuke...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, Thou shalt not believe in his penitence No, surely,” say you, “that is incorrect.” Yes, it is incorrect; but that is what many of you do. I was only reading as things generally are; but that is not Christ’s direction.
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, That is seven times too often.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day,.... For good men are frequently apt to fall into sin, and offend both God and man; see Proverbs 24:16 "and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent"; as often as he sins, and appears to be truly sensible of it, and humble for it, and makes acknowledgments of it; and not only...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. Do you say, “That is too many times in a day to forgive him”? Let me ask,-“ How many times in a day have you sinned? How many times in a day does God forgive you?” Ah! the seven times a day that you have to forgive your brother are but a small number compared...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the apostles said unto the Lord,.... Either on account of what was now said by Christ concerning offences, and forgiving injuries; being conscious to themselves of their own weakness to withstand temptations; and fearful lest they should be stumbled and offended with what they should meet with; or that they should give offence to others: and...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. For this kind of patient forgiving seemed too much for them, unless they had a larger stock of faith; and therein they were right. Strength of faith gives strength of love, and strength of love makes forgiveness easy.
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. They seemed so struck with the severity of this command that they asked for more faith that they might be able to obey it. And, dear friends, that is always the best thing to do. Do not refuse obedience to the Lord’s precept, but say, “Lord, increase my faith that I may be able to obey it....
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the Lord said,.... In answer to the disciples. The Syriac version leaves out the word "Lord": and the Persic version, in the room of it reads, "Jesus": if ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed; [See comments on Matthew 17:20] ye might say unto this sycamine tree; which was near at hand; for in Galilee, where Christ now was, such trees grew,...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you. Now, if faith as a grain of mustard seed can do this, what cannot strong faith do? What a mercy it is for us that there is so much power in such little faith! A...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you. Meaning that anything and everything should be possible to our faith; but we need much more of it than the most of us have. Remember how holy Bernard says, “If...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But which of you having a servant ploughing,.... In order to keep the disciples humble in the performance of such miraculous works; and that they might not imagine they could have any thing at the hands of God by merit; and to excite them to go on from one duty to another; and never think they have done, or done enough, or more than what is their...