Matthew 20

Study Guide 88: Matthew 18-20 THE WAY TO GREATNESS Overview Each Gospel writer takes the events that he reports and arranges them to develop themes he seeks to emphasize. This characteristic is especially clear in Matthew 18-20, which explores the theme of greatness in Jesus’ kingdom. The sequence begins when the disciples ask Jesus about greatness. It proceeds, through stories Jesus tells about greatness, to incidents that show the emptiness of notions about greatness held by the religious of Jesus’ day, to a final demonstration by Jesus Himself of the stunning truth that greatness is found in servanthood. What an important passage to teach members of your group. We find greatness in a servanthood like Jesus’ own. SERVANT AND SLAVE. Both Old and New Testament terms are often translated by either “ servant” or “ slave.” Yet there are special emphases in each. In Hebrew the root ‘ abad can indicate voluntary work or forced service. Its derivative, ‘ebed means either servant or slave. But sarat indicates significant service, important because one serves an important person in a close personal relationship, doing that which is truly important. In the New Testament douleuo indicates submission of the will, as in slavery. We Christians are slaves of Jesus, for we submit to Him. But diakoneo means serving by giving personal help to another. Christian servanthood means willingly submitting to the will of God, and freely offering help to others.

Commentary Sometimes we apologize for dreaming great dreams. As a young Christian, I had dreams of becoming another Apostle Paul, just as dedicated to Christ and the Gospel. My dreams were foolish and immature. But I’ m sure they were not wrong. Neither were the disciples wrong when they came to Jesus to ask about greatness. “ Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Matthew 18:1) they inquired. Their simple question launched a series of teachings and events which show us in a unique way just how different spiritual greatness is from all that we expect. It’ s all right for you and me to want to be great. But we must first grasp what greatness is. The vision we often have, looking up to the famous preacher holding large crowds spellbound, or the sensitive counsel or whom all respect, or the brilliant teacher all flock to hear, can actually blind us to the fact that a journey toward greatness is a journey down, not up!

First Steps: Matthew 18:1-35The disciples’ request to know who was greatest in the kingdom stimulated a totally unexpected reply. “ He called a little child and had him stand among them. And He said: ‘ I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven’” (Matthew 18:2-3). Faith (Matthew 18:1-5). The child is the living embodiment of several truths which the disciples of Jesus had missed. The first truth involves faith, a theme developed in Matthew 15-17. Seeking greatness, the disciples must humble themselves, as one of the little ones who “ believe in Me.” The people of Israel did not respond when Jesus called them to Him. They stood off at a distance, reserving judgment. When Jesus called the child to Him, the child responded immediately. Without pride, humble and trusting, the child accepted Jesus’ invitation at once. Greatness comes only when we humble ourselves to trustingly respond to our King’ s every call. Concern for “ little ones” (Matthew 18:6-35). Jesus then lashed out at those who cause little ones to sin (Matthew 18:6-9). This world is the kind of place in which temptations to sin are bound to come, but “ little ones” are to be protected. So Jesus warned, “ See that you do not look down on one of these little ones” (Matthew 18:10). Who are the “ little ones” ? All of us who, like children, have responded to Jesus’ invitation and put our trust in Him. But, like children, we are to remain little ones in our attitudes toward God — to remain responsive to Jesus’ every word. The three following illustrations show us how to live with each other to preserve the quality of childlike responsiveness to Jesus in ourselves and others. *Matthew 18:10-14. Like sheep, little ones who go astray are to be searched for and restored to the fold. The Palestine shepherd gave each sheep in his flock a name and knew each sheep individually. Rather than driving his flock, the shepherd led. The sheep, knowing his voice, followed him (cf. John 10:3). When a young lamb wandered away, the shepherd left the flock in the sheepfold and braved any weather to find the lost one. Climbing over rocks, searching each crevasse, the shepherd gave himself freely to find the lost one. Finding it, the shepherd gave no thought of punishment, but knew joy that the lost one was restored. Faith does not make you or me great. But responding to Jesus’ call to care about His little ones who stray does. Caring enough to greet them with joy rather than recrimination, with love rather than condemnation. *Matthew 18:15-22. Here Jesus changed the simile. Little ones are sheep — but little ones are also brothers. “ If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault” (Matthew 18:15), Jesus began. Temptations to sin must surely come, as Jesus had already pointed out (Matthew 18:7). Even with men of faith, sin will intrude, with all its hurts and pains, to break the fellowship of the family. Such failings are not to destroy family unity. A brotherly desire for reconciliation can keep God’ s little ones from turning away from Him. This troubled Peter, who asked, “ How many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” (Matthew 18:21) Christ’ s answer: “ Seventy times seven” [i.e., “ always” ]. Faith does not lift us above the possibility of sin. But forgiveness can cancel sin’ s impact on family relationships. *Matthew 18:23-35. Once again the simile shifted. Here we the little ones are seen as servants. Christ, our King, has forgiven us a great debt. In His patience and love, He has treated us gently and lovingly. As servants of such a King, we are now called on to have patience with our fellow believers (Matthew 18:29). Failure to have such patience and to extend forgiveness will cut us off from our experience of God’ s forgiveness. This is not because God is unwilling to forgive. It is because forgiveness is like a coin: it has two sides. We cannot have “ heads” (receive forgiveness) without having “ tails” (extend forgiveness) too. Faith does not elevate our status: we are servants, subject to the will of God. And we are to treat our fellow servants as God treats us. LINK TO LIFE: CHILDREN We have so much. We can give to others. No, we’ re not rich in money, or rich in possessions. But we are rich in the forgiveness God has showered on us. Cut out from newspapers or magazines many pictures of cars, of food, of clothes, etc. In class give one child all the cars, another all the food, another all the clothes, etc. Then ask each to give you one of the things he or she has been given so many of. “ We may not really have a lot of cars, or clothes, or food. But each of us has been given a lot of one thing by God.” Explain how God has forgiven each of us for every sin. We have been given so much forgiveness that when someone does something wrong that harms us, we can give him some of the forgiveness we have received. Greatness? The disciples must have been stunned by this discourse. They had asked about greatness, but Jesus spoke only about God’ s little ones! They had been thinking about great deeds and high position, but Jesus had spoken of sheep and brothers and servants. What did all this have to do with greatness? Much, for them and for us. To be great in Christ’ s present kingdom, you and I must first of all take our places as God’ s little ones — and learn to see our fellow believers in the same way. In our desire to excel, we must never forget that we are sheep, prone to go astray, always in need of our Shepherd’ s tender care. We must never forget that all other Christians are brothers, and seek to live with them in fullest harmony. We must never forget that we are simply servants living with (not over) fellow servants. And we must treat all others with that same patience and forgiveness which Jesus shows us. One of the most poignant passages in Scripture pictures the Apostle Paul ministering to God’ s little ones. Paul reminds the Thessalonians: We were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. We loved you so much we were delighted to share with you not only the Gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. . . . You know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting, and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into His kingdom and glory. 1 Thessalonians 2:7-12Do you want to be great? Then take your place among God’ s little ones, and love them into God’ s kingdom. LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT Give a short overview of the focus of Jesus on “ little ones.” Then break into three teams. Each team is to look at one of the images (sheep, family, servants), and to (1) describe the kind of person who most needs this teaching, and (2) describe specifically how it will help that person. Each team should mention several situations in which the typical behavior of the person will be changed if the “ living with little ones” principle is applied.

Another Way? Matthew 19:1-20:16 Jesus’ ideas about greatness are revolutionary. Soon they were contrasted against the ideas of the religious of His day; ideas still popular in our day. And still wrong. The way of the Law (Matthew 19:3-15). The Pharisees are still the classic example of those zealous for God who expect to find spiritual greatness by rigid adherence to both biblical and human standards of righteousness. These proponents of strict legalism appeared to test Jesus, apparently bringing up a subject which Jesus had spoken on before. “ Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason? (Matthew 19:3) Jesus’ answer goes back to the Creation account. He pointed out that God intended marriage to unite two persons as one; thus divorce is not His intention. Immediately the Pharisees struck back. “ Why then did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce?” (Matthew 19:7) The Law permitted divorce. Jesus’ answer had to be wrong. Christ’ s response reveals the root of legalism’ s error. “ Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard” (Matthew 19:8). Yes, God permits divorce to a sinful humanity which so often falls short of His ideal. But the Law is not a way of some higher or superior righteousness! The permission to divorce shows how willing God is to accommodate His ideal in consideration of human weakness and sin! The Pharisees’ legalism led them to ask the wrong question. They did not ask, “ How can we restore the broken relationships which bring such agony into marriage?” No, they asked instead, “ When is it all right to permit hurting people to separate?” They did not care about broken hearts, crushed by rejection. The Pharisees took refuge instead in legalism, missing the meaning of the Law by setting up rules as to when it should and should not apply. The disciples also missed Jesus’ point. Jesus had been teaching about greatness, and had shown that true greatness is to restore the straying lamb, to exercise patience, and to continue ever ready to forgive. Others too are God’ s little ones, and may need years of tender love to help them grow. Failing to relate Christ’ s teaching on greatness to this legal issue, the disciples blurted out, “ In that case, it’ s better not to marry!” Even they were unwilling to commit themselves totally to another person. Jesus then spoke to the disciples. The choice not to marry is for some, but “ only those to whom it has been given” (Matthew 19:11). Within marriage, all who can live by the way of greatness should choose it (Matthew 19:12). Again Jesus drew children around Him. “ Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them,” He said to His disciples (Matthew 19:14). The incident is significant. A Jewish person became “ a child of the Law” — that is, responsible to relate to God through the Mosaic Law — at 12. These “ little children” were too young to be under Law, yet they could come to Jesus. What God wants is not legalists, but people in intimate personal relationship with Jesus, who will respond willingly to His voice. The way of “ goodness” (Matthew 19:16-30). Immediately after this a young man came up to Jesus and asked, “ What good thing must I do to get eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16) This young man was a good person, one whose goodness was expressed in his honest observation of the Law. But Jesus challenged him on one point. “ Sell your possessions and give to the poor, and . . . come, follow Me” (Matthew 19:21). The young man turned away. No. This was not a universal command to sell all, given to all the rich. Instead it was a challenge to this individual who measured his goodness by his dealings with other men. Yet, this humanistic benevolence avoids the first commandment: “ You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3, NASB). How do we know? Jesus’ words were a command from the young man’ s God. Hearing them, the young man rebelled and put wealth first. All human goodness fails at this same point. It is good enough to do good to others, but it is not enough. God must be the center and focus of our lives. As the young man went sadly away, Jesus remarked that wealth makes it difficult to enter the kingdom. The disciples, who, like others in their culture, viewed wealth as evidence of God’ s favor, asked in astonishment, “ Who then can be saved?” The answer? “ With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:25-26). At this point, Peter blurted out yet another foolish question. The disciples had left all to follow Jesus. What would they gain? Jesus accommodated His answer to their need. They were still concerned about the kind of greatness that involves status and power. Jesus reassured them. “ At the renewal of all things, when the Son of man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:28). But, Jesus added, This is not for now! For now, “ Many who are first will be last and many who are last will be first” (Matthew 19:30). The way of hard work (Matthew 20:1-16). A final parable was added to explain the “ last-first” comment. Jesus pictured a landowner who went out early in the morning and hired men to work in his harvest. Later he went out and found more standing idle. He sent them out into his fields as well. Several times during the day this pattern was repeated. At evening, those who had worked the full day were dismayed to find that others who had worked only two hours received as much pay as they! When they complained, the landowner explained that they were paid what they had agreed on that morning. As for the rest, their reward was a matter not of what they had earned, but what was given by the owner out of generosity. The last had been first. Like each of the workers in Jesus’ parable, we have been invited to serve in His kingdom. What is important is our response to the King when He calls us to our individual tasks. Greatness is not measured by how long or hard we may work trying to gain a reward. Greg found this out at a Faith/at/Work retreat. For eight years he had directed an evangelistic mission which flooded 70 countries with college students. He labored 16 and 18 hours a day, and his feeling of worth and value was directly related to the length of his day. At the retreat, Greg was confronted by a small group who revealed that they saw him as a man with a “ Messiah complex.” He was someone who thought he was called to save the world all by himself. Greg broke into tears. For the first time he realized that all his Christian life he had been trying to earn God’ s favor, caught up in an endless struggle for acceptance. During that week, Greg discovered that he is one of God’ s little ones. Currently a pastor in Colorado, Greg is now free to respond when God calls, and is finding a rich reward in the conversion and growth of many whom the Lord touches through him. In the kingdom of Christ’ s present reign we are called to greatness. But we will not find it along the roads that many of the religious have traveled. Christ has another way, marked out for all of us who humbly accept our places as His trusting little ones. LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT How would a person traveling one of the three wrong roads to greatness explain his or her expectations? Give your group members a “ starter” statement that might be made by each individual. Have them add as many more similar statements of explanation as they can. Here are some starter statements: I expect to surpass others by figuring out just what every rule in the Bible means and doesn’ t mean. I expect to win God’ s favor by the way I treat other people. I expect God to be pleased with me because I give more time to His work than others do.

The Servant Leader: Matthew 20:17-28Again Jesus took the Twelve aside and spoke to them of His death. “ We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the Law. They will condemn Him to death and will turn Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day He will be raised to life!” (Matthew 20:18-19) In the context of teaching on greatness, Jesus focused the attention of His disciples on His own choice to give His life. We see why. Immediately afterward, the mother of James and John, two of the Twelve, came to Jesus to ask for the right-and left-hand seats in the coming kingdom for her sons. These two seats represent power and honor. Momma was politicking for her boys. It’ s clear from the context that James and John had asked her to intercede, and were standing close by to hear the Lord’ s answer. “ You don’ t know what you are asking,” was Jesus’ weary reply. “ Can you,” He said, turning to the two listening disciples, “ drink the cup I am going to drink?” (Matthew 20:22) Authority and power in the kingdom are not what the disciples imagined. The leader will influence others, but he will perform his ministry in the same way that Jesus chose to perform His. Still not understanding, James and John eagerly insisted that they were able to drink Jesus’ cup. “ You will do that,” Jesus replied. But the power and position they yearned for was something Jesus would not promise. When the other 10 disciples heard, they were indignant at James and John. So Jesus called all 12 around Him, and gave what is probably the most significant instruction recorded in the New Testament about spiritual leadership. You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave — just as the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. Matthew 20:25-28In this short passage, Jesus once and for all put to rest the pretentions of the spiritual leaders of every age to that kind of “ power” which demands the right to command others. The secular ruler. Jesus set up two models or examples of leaders. The one model was provided by the secular ruler of Jesus’ day, the emperor or king or governor who “ exercises authority over” others. There are many characteristics of this style of leadership, some made explicit in the text, and others implicit in the example chosen. For instance, there is a distinctive relationship between the leader and the led: the secular ruler “ exercises authority over.” When I was in the Navy, my commanding officer, Lieutenant Kahle, was about five feet two inches tall, a full foot shorter than I. It was the most peculiar sensation, standing in front of Lieutenant Kahle and still feeling that I was looking up! There is a relational distance between the leader and the led in the secular world. Another significant characteristic is implied in both the phrases “ lord it over them” and “ exercise authority.” The secular ruler has the ability to enforce his will. He has sanctions to make sure that his orders are obeyed. This was certainly true in my Navy days. If I had not responded to orders, my liberty (time off) could have been canceled. I could have been brought up before the captain’ s mast (an informal court). I could have been court-martialed. Punishments ranging from restriction to the base, to the forfeiture of my pay, to imprisonment, assured my conformity. Secular leaders have this kind of power. A third significant characteristic implicit in both the above has to do with how leadership is exercised. From his position above, using his power to enforce, the secular ruler leads by command. He simply tells others what to do, and they do it. The servant leader. Jesus chose a servant as the countermodel for His followers. Nothing could be farther from our idea of greatness or leadership. We tend to see, as did the disciples, the pomp of power. The TV cameras focus on the great seal of the United States, a hushed quiet falls, the band in the background plays “ Hail to the Chief,” and the announcer’ s voice is heard: “ Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States.” We feel that is greatness. That is what being a leader is all about. But then Jesus directs our attention to a quiet person standing off camera; a person in overalls with the working tools of his trade. And Jesus says that is greatness! That is what being a leader is all about. This graphic contrast must have jolted the disciples just as it jolts us. Yet Jesus clearly wants us to see each of these people as leaders. Each of them is to be seen as having authority and the power to move other men. What, then, are the significant contrasts between the two? While the secular ruler is above those he leads, Jesus said, “ Not so with you” (Matthew 20:26). Instead of relational distance, there is relational closeness. The Christian leader must seek to be one with those he or she is called to serve. Instead of “ exercising authority” as a ruler who demands and enforces conformity, the Christian leader is to abandon coercion. Jesus said firmly and plainly, “Not so with you.” Force, manipulation, demand — all are ruled out in the way by which the servant leader exercises Christian authority. Out ward force can produce conformity, but it can never produce that inner commitment which moves people to choose to follow Jesus. How, then, does the servant lead? By serving! The secular ruler speaks the commands, but the spiritual leader demonstrates by his example the kingdom way of life into which he is called to lead others. No wonder Peter picked up this same theme and wrote as an elder to fellow elders, “ Be shepherds of God’ s flock that is under your care . . . not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:2-3). By serving, the Christian leader demonstrates the greatness of the love of God, and gently motivates others to follow him. “ Whoever wants to be first must be your slave — just as the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:27-28). LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT Put a T-shaped chart on the board. On the right write “ secular ruler” and on the left, “ servant leader.” Give your group eight minutes to work in pairs to develop comparisons and contrasts explicit or implied in Matthew 20:25-28 between the two kinds of leadership. Then list their insights on the chalkboard. After you have a clear description of servanthood, discuss: “ How do we exhibit this kind of spiritual leadership in our daily lives and relationships?” LINK TO LIFE: CHILDREN In the passage Jesus tells us to follow His example. Even boys and girls have an impression of what Jesus is like and how they can be like Him. Draw on what your class already knows about the Lord. Ask each to use crayons and draw a picture of Jesus doing something kind. Have your boys and girls tell about their pictures, and describe what Jesus is doing. Encourage them to talk about why Jesus is doing what He is. Then ask each to draw another picture, showing him or her doing something like what Jesus did. Again, have the children talk about their pictures. Encourage them to remember what Jesus is like, and to let Him keep on being their example of how to live with others.

A Last Example: Matthew 20:29-34The disciples had asked about greatness in Jesus’ present kingdom. Jesus had answered them — fully. Greatness involves humbling ourselves and taking our place as one of God’ s little ones. Greatness involves accepting others as little ones too: seeking to restore when they go astray, having patience, and always being willing to let forgiveness wash away the hurts that sin must bring. Greatness also involves rejecting the attractive but destructive ways in which religious people often seek greatness. Legalism, good deeds, hard work — none of these can produce greatness in Christ’ s kingdom. Finally, Jesus has given us His own clear prescription for greatness. Learn how to lead others as a servant. Be one of those men or women who choose to drink Jesus’ cup and give up their lives for the sake of others. Then Matthew recorded a deeply moving incident that helps us sense what Jesus’ kind of greatness is. As Christ and the disciples were leaving Jericho, a great crowd followed. Two blind men, sitting by the road, heard that Jesus was passing by. They cried out to Him. The crowd callously told them to shut up. But the two only called louder. And Jesus stopped. Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, toward His trial and crucifixion. He was burdened by great crowds who did not care, and by disciples who did not understand. But Jesus set aside His own burdens and need to respond to this call for help. “ Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed Him” (Matthew 20:34). Jesus stopped — for the individual in the crowd. Jesus cared — for the outcasts whom the crowd considered worthless. This is greatness. To touch in compassion, and to give ourselves for others as their servant, for Jesus’ sake.

Teaching Guide Prepare Who is the “ greatest” Christian you know personally, using the criteria Jesus establishes in this chapter?

Explore

1. Give your group an overview of the theme of greatness as it is developed in this passage. Explain the links between each incident and teaching, so they will sense how it all fits together in a unified whole.
2. Have group members work in teams to describe the kind of person who most needs the teaching implicit in each incident in Matthew 18:1-35. See the “ link-to-life” activity above.

Expand

1. Put the T-shaped chart suggested above on the chalkboard. Let your group members work together to compare and contrast the servant and the secular ruler. After this is done, discuss: “ How does servanthood find expression in our daily lives today? Why does Jesus stress ‘ Not so with you?’ What would be wrong with mixing servant and secular methods in leading others? In what ways does our church follow the servant model? In what areas does our church need to move away from a secular approach to spiritual leadership?”
2. Or work on listing statements that might be made by those who have adopted one of the false roads to spiritual greatness that Jesus looks at in Matthew 19:1-30 and Matthew 20:1-34. See “ link-to-life” above.

Apply Read aloud Matthew 20:29-34. But first, ask each person to visualize the scene and to imagine how Jesus must have felt as He turned toward Jerusalem and His ultimate rejection and crucifixion. Ask each to pray quietly that God will help him or her follow the example of Jesus, who truly “ gave His life,” not just on Calvary, but daily, to meet the needs of others.