Joshua, Chapter 3, verses 1-12
1 Joshua cometh to Jordan, 2 The officers instruct the people for the passage, 7 The LORD encourageth Joshua, 9 Joshua encourageth the peopleMatthew, Chapter 18, verses 3-35
1 Christ warneth his disciples to be humble and harmless, 7 to avoid offences, and not to despise the little ones, 15 teacheth how we are to deal with our brethren when they offend us, 21 and how to forgive them, 23 which he setteth forth by a parable of the king, that took account of his servants, 32 and punished him who showed no mercy to his fellowMatthew, Chapter 19, verse 1
18
18:3 Except ye be converted - The first step toward entering into the kingdom of grace, is to become as little children: lowly in heart, knowing yourselves utterly ignorant and helpless, and hanging wholly on your Father who is in heaven, for a supply of all your wants. We may farther assert, (though it is doubtful whether this text implies so much,) except ye be turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God:, except ye be entirely, inwardly changed, renewed in the image of God, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of glory. Thus must every man be converted in this life, or he can never enter into life eternal.Ye shall in no wise enter - So far from being great in it. Mat 19:14.
18:5 And all who are in this sense little children are unspeakably dear to me. Therefore help them all you can, as if it were myself in person, and see that ye offend them not; that is, that ye turn them not out of the right way, neither hinder them in it. Mat 10:40; Luk 10:16; Joh 13:20.
18:6 See note ... Mat 18:5. Mar 9:42; Luk 17:1.
18:7 Wo to the world because of offences - That is, unspeakable misery will be in the world through them; for it must needs be that offences come - Such is the nature of things, and such the weakness, folly, and wickedness of mankind, that it cannot be but they will come; but wo to that man - That is, miserable is that man, by whom the offence cometh. Offences are, all things whereby any one is turned out of, or hindered in the way of God.
18:8 If thy hand, foot, eye, cause thee to offend - If the most dear enjoyment, the most beloved and useful person, turn thee out of, or hinder thee in the way Is not this a hard saying?Yes; if thou take counsel with flesh and blood. Mat 5:29; Mar 9:43.
18:9 See note ... Mat 18:8.
18:10 See that ye despise not one of these little ones - As if they were beneath your notice. Be careful to receive and not to offend, the very weakest believer in Christ: for as inconsiderable as some of these may appear to thee, the very angels of God have a peculiar charge over them: even those of the highest order, who continually appear at the throne of the Most High. To behold the face of God seems to signify the waiting near his throne; and to be an allusion to the office of chief ministers in earthly courts, who daily converse with their princes.
18:11 Another, and yet a stronger reason for your not despising them is, that I myself came into the world to save them. Luk 19:10.
18:12 Luk 15:4.
18:14 So it is not the will of your Father - Neither doth my Father despise the least of them. Observe the gradation. The angels, the Son, the Father.
18:15 But how can we avoid giving offence to some? or being offended at others! Especially suppose they are quite in the wrong? Suppose they commit a known sin? Our Lord here teaches us how: he lays down a sure method of avoiding all offences.Whosoever closely observes this threefold rule, will seldom offend others, and never be offended himself. If any do any thing amiss, of which thou art an eye or ear witness, thus saith the Lord, If thy brother - Any who is a member of the same religious community: Sin against thee,
- Go and reprove him alone - If it may be in person; if that cannot so well be done, by thy messenger; or in writing. Observe, our Lord gives no liberty to omit this; or to exchange it for either of the following steps. If this do not succeed,
- Take with thee one or two more - Men whom he esteems or loves, who may then confirm and enforce what thou sayest; and afterward, if need require, bear witness of what was spoken. If even this does not succeed, then, and not before,
- Tell it to the elders of the Church - Lay the whole matter open before those who watch over yours and his soul. If all this avail not, have no farther intercourse with him, only such as thou hast with heathens.
18:18 Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth - By excommunication, pronounced in the spirit and power of Christ. Whatsoever ye shall loose - By absolution from that sentence. In the primitive Church, absolution meant no more than a discharge from Church censure. Again I say - And not only your intercession for the penitent, but all your united prayers, shall be heard. How great then is the power of joint prayer! If two of you - Suppose a man and his wife. Mat 16:19.
18:20 Where two or three are gathered together in my name - That is, to worship me. I am in the midst of them - By my Spirit, to quicken their prayers, guide their counsels, and answer their petitions.
18:22 Till seventy times seven - That is, as often as there is occasion. A certain number is put for an uncertain.
18:23 Therefore - In this respect.
18:24 One was brought who owed him ten thousand talents - According to the usual computation, if these were talents of gold, this would amount to seventy - two millions sterling. If they were talents of silver, it must have been four millions, four hundred thousand pounds. Hereby our Lord intimates the vast number and weight of our offences against God, and our utter incapacity of making him any satisfaction.
18:25 As he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold - Such was the power which creditors anciently had over their insolvent debtors in several countries.
18:30 Went with him before a magistrate, and cast him into prison, protesting he should lie there, till he should pay the whole debt.
18:34 His lord delivered him to the tormentors - Imprisonment is a much severer punishment in the eastern countries than in ours.State criminals, especially when condemned to it, are not only confined to a very mean and scanty allowance, but are frequently loaded with clogs or heavy yokes, so that they can neither lie nor sit at ease: and by frequent scourgings and sometimes rackings are brought to an untimely end. Till he should pay all that was due to him - That is, without all hope of release, for this he could never do. How observable is this whole account; as well as the greatinference our Lord draws from it:
- The debtor was freely and fully forgiven;
- He wilfully and grievously offended;
- His pardon was retracted, the whole debt required, and the offender delivered to the tormentors for ever.
19
19:1 He departed - and from that time walked no more in Galilee. Mar 10:1.
3 The people decamp from Shittim, and are directed to follow the ark, and sanctify themselves, Jos 3:1-5.
The priests are ordered to go first, Jos 3:6.
Joshua being encouraged and directed as God, tells the people what God is about to do, Jos 3:7-13.
Jordan is divided, and Israel marches through, Jos 3:14-17.
3:1 In the morning - Not after the return of the spies, but after the three days, Jos 1:11, as it follows, Jos 3:2. Lodge there - That night, that they might go over in the day time, that the miracle might be more evident and unquestionable, and strike the greater terror into their enemies.
3:2 After three days - Either at the end of them, or upon the last of them. Through the host - The second time to give them more particular directions, as they had given them a general notice, Jos 1:10-11.
3:3 Commanded the people - In Joshua's name, and by his authority.Priests and Levites - Who were not only Levites, but priests also.For altho' the Levites were to carry the ark, Num 4:1-15, yet the priests might perform that office, and did so upon some solemn occasions.Go after it - Towards Jordan, to go over it in such a manner as I am about to describe. 'Till this time the ark went in the middle of the cloudy pillar, now it goes in the front. Probably the pillar of fire and cloud was still hovering over the ark.
3:4 Two thousand cubits - A thousand yards, at which distance from it the Israelites seem to have been encamped in the wilderness. And because they generally went from their tents to the ark to worship God, especially on the sabbath - days; hence it hath been conceived, that a sabbath - day's journey reached only to two thousand cubits. But that may be doubted; for those who encamped nearest the ark, were at that distance from it, and came so far; but the rest were farther from it, and their sabbath - day's journey was considerably longer. Near unto it - Partly from the respect they should bear to the ark; but chiefly, that the ark marching so far before you into the river, and standing still there 'till you pass over, may give you the greater assurance of your safe passage. Ye have not passed this way heretofore - While we are here, we must expect unusual events, to pathways that we have not passed before: and much more when we go hence, when we pass thro' the valley of the shadow of death. But if we have the assurance of God's presence, what have we to fear?
3:5 And Joshua said - Or rather, had said, the day before their passage; for it follows, to - morrow. Sanctify yourselves - Both in soul and body, that you may be meet to receive such a favour, and with more reverence observe this great work, and fix it in your hearts.
3:6 Take up - Namely, upon your shoulders; for so they were to carry it, Num 7:9.Before the people - Not in the middle of them, as you used to do.
3:7 Magnify thee - That is, to gain thee authority among them, as the person whom I have set in Moses's stead, and by whom I will conduct them to the possession of the promised land.
3:8 The brink - Heb. to the extremity, so far as the river then spread itself, which was now more than ordinary, Jos 3:15.In Jordan - Within the waters of Jordan, in the first entrance into the river; Where they stood for a season, 'till the river was divided, and then they went into the midst of it, and there abode 'till all the people were passed over.
3:9 Come hither - To the ark or tabernacle, the place of public assemblies. The Lord your God - Who is now about to give a proof that he is both the Lord, the omnipotent governor of heaven and earth, and all creatures; and your God, in covenant with you, having a tender care and affection for you.
3:10 Ye shall know - By experience and sensible evidence.The living God - Not a dull, dead, senseless God, such as the gods of the nations are; but a God of life, and power, and activity to watch over you, and work for you. Among you - Is present with you to strengthen and help you.
3:12 Twelve men - For the work described, Jos 4:2-3.