Matthew 18 Bible study: As little children

"In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”" (18:1). "Jesus called a little child to himself, and set him in the middle of them" (18:2) (tap little child), and said, "Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven" (18:3). They asked who is greatest, and in 18:4 his answer comes back to the same word, in English and in Greek: "Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven" (18:4) (tap humbles). Then, "Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me" (18:5) (tap receives). Here is what almost everyone misses: in Matthew the disciples themselves bring the question to Jesus (18:1). Mark tells it another way: "he asked them, “What were you arguing among yourselves on the way?”" (Mark 9:33), and "they were silent, for they had disputed with one another on the way about who was the greatest" (Mark 9:34). Luke says, "An argument arose among them about which of them was the greatest" (Luke 9:46), and tells of Jesus "perceiving the reasoning of their hearts" (Luke 9:47). Each is quoted from its own verses, and these notes don't join the tellings or explain where they differ. Favor's Mark 9 teaches Mark's telling in Who was the greatest.

Deuteronomy 19:15→leads toMatthew 18:16

"At the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be established" (19:15). Jesus used these words for a brother who sins against you: first "go, show him his fault between you and him alone" (Matthew 18:15); then "if he doesn’t listen, take one or two more with you, that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established" (Matthew 18:16); then "tell it to the assembly" (Matthew 18:17). The WEB words it a little differently: Moses has "two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses" and "a matter", Jesus "two or three witnesses" and "every word". The Hebrew behind "matter" is davar, which Brown-Driver-Briggs gives first as "speech, word". "Established" is in 19:15, not in 17:6. Paul quotes the same words: "At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established" (2 Corinthians 13:1).

ἀφίημιaphiemisay af-EE-ay-mee

Strong's: "to send forth, in various applications". Thayer lists 18:27 and 18:32 under "to let go, give up, a debt, by not demanding it", and 18:21 and 18:35 under "to forgive one". Peter asks, "how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?" (18:21); the lord "forgave him the debt" (18:27) and says, "I forgave you all that debt" (18:32); and Jesus ends, "if you don’t each forgive your brother from your hearts" (18:35). The same verb is behind leave in "doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine" (18:12). In this chapter it comes five times, once in each of these five verses, and Matthew's Greek has it 47 times (counted in RP2018); it is also the verb of "They immediately left their nets" (4:20). Favor's Matthew 6 and Matthew 9 study it too.