This chapter deals with the way we should live and act in the kingdom of the heavens:
1) we should become like little children (vv. 2-4);
2) we should not stumble others or set up any stumbling block (vv. 5-9);
3) we should not despise even a little believer (vv. 10-14);
4) we should hear the church and not be condemned by it (vv. 15-20);
5) we should forgive a brother without limit (vv. 21-35).
All this indicates that to enter into the kingdom of the heavens we must be humble and not despise any believer, but love our brother and forgive our brother.

Lit., upon; i.e., based on, according to.

Or, advantageous, better.

Lit., millstone (turned) by a donkey.

See note Matt. 5:29¹.

See note Matt. 5:29¹.

See note Matt. 5:22^8d.

Many ancient MSS omit this verse.

Some ancient MSS read, My.

That he may know his sin and confess his wrongdoing.

That no third party may know the wrongdoing of the sinning brother. This is a covering of love.

If a brother sins against us, we need to deal with him first in love (v. 15), then by two or three witnesses (v. 16), and finally through the church with authority (v. 17).

The church revealed in 16:18 is the universal church, which is the unique Body of Christ, whereas the church revealed here is the local church, the expression of the unique Body of Christ in a certain locality. Chapter 16 concerns the building of the universal church, whereas this chapter concerns the practice of the local church. In both of its aspects the church represents the kingdom of the heavens, having authority to bind and to loose.

If any believer refuses to hear the church, he will lose the fellowship of the church and will be like the Gentile (the heathen) and the tax collector (the sinner), who are outside the fellowship of the church.

Here to bind means to condemn, and to loose means to forgive.

See note Matt. 16:19⁴.

As musical sounds are in harmony.

Strictly, ask here refers to prayer that deals with the brother who refuses to hear the church (v. 17).

Lit., it will be unto them.

These two or three are the two or three in v. 16. They are gathered together into the Lord's name, but they are not the church; for v. 17 says that if there is some problem, they need to tell it to the church.

The meetings of the believers are initiated by the Lord, who calls the believers out of all persons, matters, and things that occupy them and gathers them together into His name to enjoy the riches of His presence.

Such a gathering of a few people, of two or three, implies one of the ways for the church to meet locally. Such meetings of a few people must have been held in the believers' homes, as mentioned in Acts 2:46 and Acts 5:42, for the purpose of prayer (v. 19; Acts 12:5, 12), fellowship, the breaking of bread, teaching, or the preaching of the gospel (Acts 2:42; 5:42). Many such meetings may be held separately in the same locality, yet they are still the unique church in that locality (v. 17). Otherwise, they are not separate meetings but divisions, and they become sects (Gal. 5:20).

Lit., a man, a king.

This refers to the judgment at the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10).

Such a large amount indicates that it was impossible for the debtor to pay off the debt. This refers to the heavy debt of our sins against the Lord accumulated after we are saved.

This refers to the forgiveness of our debts incurred after we are saved and become slaves of the Lord.

Less than one ten thousandth of ten thousand talents. It refers to a sin committed against us by a brother after we are saved and become slaves of the Lord.

Our not forgiving the brother who sins against us will grieve the other brothers, and they may bring this matter to the Lord.

This refers to the Lord's dealing with His believers at His coming back. If we do not forgive the brother who sins against us, we will be disciplined by the Lord until we forgive him from the heart, i.e., until we repay all that is owed. Then the Lord will forgive us. This is forgiveness in the kingdom. This implies that if we do not forgive a brother from our heart today, we will not be allowed to enter into the kingdom in the coming age. See note Matt. 12:32^2b.