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Chapter 63

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3 views

Chapter 63

Uploaded by

trigopan668
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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CHAPTER 63

JESUS OFFERS COUNSEL ABOUT STUMBLING AND SIN

 Cousel about stumbling


 If a brother commits a sin

Jesus has just illustrated the attitude that his followers should have.
They should view themselves as children, lowly and witout status. The
disciples should receive such young children on the basis of his name
and thus receive Jesus also.

The apostles had recently been arguing over who is the greatest, so
they may take Jesus’ words as a reproof. Now the apostle John brings
up something elese that has just happened: We saw someone
expelling demons by using your name, ans we tried to prevent him,
because he is not following with us.
Does John view the apostles as the only ones who are authorized to
heal others or to expel demons? If so, how is it that this jewish man is
succesful in casting out wicked spirits? John seems to feel that the man
should not be performing powerful works because he is not
accompanying Jesus and the apostles.

To John’s surprise, Jesus says: Do not prevent him, for there is no one
who will do a powerful work on the basis of my name who will quickly
be able to say anything bad about me. For whoever is not against is is
for us. And whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you
belong to Christ, I tell you truly, he will by no means lose his reward.

No, at this time, the man does not need to accompany christ in order
to be on Jesus’ side. The christian congregation is yet to be formed, so
the fact that the man is not traveling woth Jesus does not mean that he
is a opposer or promoting a false religion. The man obviously has faith
in Jesus’ name, and what Jesus says idicates that the man will not lose
his reward.

On the other hand, it would be serious if the man was stumbled by the
words and actions of the aposltes. Jesus observes: Whoever stumbles
one of these little ones who have faith, it would be better for him if a
millstone that is turned by a donkey were put around his neck and he
were pitched into the sea. Jesus then says that his followers should
remove even something as precious as a hand, a foot, or an eye of that
causes them to stumble. It is better to be without such a cherished
thing and enter into God’s kingdom than to hold on to it and end up in
Gehenna. ( valley of Hinnom). The apostles have likely seen this valley
near Jerusalem where refuse is burned, so they can understand it as
representing permanent destruction.

Jesus also warns: see that you do not despise one of these little ones,
for I tell you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of
my father. How precious are such little ones to his father? Jesus tells of
a man who has 100 sheep but loses one. The man leaves the 99 to
search for that lost one, and on finding it he rejoices more over it than
over the 99. Jesus adds: It is not a desirable thing to my father who is
in heaven for even one of these little ones to perish.

Perhaps thinking of his apostles‘ arguing about who would be greatest,


Jesus urges them: Have salt in yourselves, and keep peace with one
another. Salt makes food more palatable. Figurative salt makes what
one says easier to accept and thus can help to preserve peace, which
arguing does not do.

At times, serious issues will arise, and Jesus tells how to handle them.
If your brother commits a sin, Jesus says, go and revel his fault
between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your
brother. What if he does not listen? Take along with you pone or two
more, Jesus advises, so that on the testimony of two or three witnesses
every matter may be establish. If that does not resolve the matter,
they are to speak to the congregation, that is, to responsible elders
who can render a decision. what if the sinner still does not listen? Let
him be to you as a man of the nations and as a tax collector, people
with whom jews would not fellowship.

Congregation overseers need to adhere to God’s word. If they find a


sinner guilty and needing discipline, their judment will already be
bound in heaven. But when they find one innocent, it will have been
loosened in heaven. These guidelines will prove helpful once the
christian congregation is formed. In such serious deliberations, Jesus
says: where there are two or three gathered together in my name,
there I am in their midst.

QUESTIONS

1. Why id the man casting out demon not to be viewed as an


opposer?
2. How serious is the matter of stumbling a little one, and how
does Jesus illustrate the importance of such little ones?
3. What guidance does Jesus provide about the course to follow if
a broter commits a sin?

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