Do you ever find yourself asking for a sign, receive it and then question whether it was a sign or coincidence? Henry suggests of the Pharisees and Sadducee's,
Observe,I. Their demand, and the design of it.1. The demand was of a sign from heaven; this they desired him to show them; pretending they were very willing to be satisfied and convinced, when really they were far from being so, but sought excuses from an obstinate infidelity.
For Matthew 17 and 18, Henry points out,
The gospels are, in short, a record of what Jesus began both to do and to teach. In the foregoing chapter, we had an account of his doings, in this, of his teachings; probably, not all at the same time, in a continued discourse, but at several times, upon divers occasions, here put together, as near akin.
Henry describes Matthew 18 further, explaining, how he was teaching and how we should learn,
Note, Humility is a lesson so hardly learned, that we have need by all ways and means to be taught it. When we look upon a little child, we should be put in mind of the use Christ made of this child. Sensible things must be improved to spiritual purposes....Note, Converting grace makes us like little children, not foolish as children (1 Co. 14:20 ), nor fickle (Eph. 4:14 ), nor playful ch. 11:16 ); but, as children, we must desire the sincere milk of the word (1 Pt. 2:2 ); as children, we must be careful for nothing, but leave it to our heavenly Father to care for us ch. 6:31 ); we must, as children, be harmless and inoffensive, and void of malice (1 Co. 14:20 ), governable, and under command (Gal. 4:2 ); and (which is here chiefly intended) we must be humble as little children, who do not take state upon them, nor stand upon the punctilios of honour; the child of a gentleman will play with the child of a beggar (Rom. 12:16 ), the child in rags, if it have the breast, is well enough pleased, and envies not the gaiety of the child in silk; little children have no great aims at great places, or projects to raise themselves in the world; they exercise not themselves in things too high for them; and we should in like manner behave, and quiet ourselves, Ps. 131:1, Ps. 131:2 . As children are little in body and low in stature, so we must be little and low in spirit, and in our thoughts of ourselves. This is a temper which leads to other good dispositions; the age of childhood is the learning age.
I best make like a child and hit the hay! Goodnight.
I recognized the part about forgiving people...sometimes over and over again. Very hard to do sometimes. I am glad that God gives us that grace.
ReplyDeleteAnd, he does give us a number where we can say, that's it. Of course, how many times have you already forgiven when you think, I should have been keeping count. I think that's the point. 70 x 7, right?
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