2. Cross and community (17:24-18:35)

The cross involves not only suffering, but also humility and submission to others (cf. 20:28; 21:5; 23:12). The cross of discipleship thus has implications for relationships disciples have with other persons, including those within the Christian community. Disciples must cast aside all selfish concern for personal rights and prerogatives in favor of doing that which will benefit others in the church.

Jesus presents in 17:24-27 the principle that disciples must forego personal rights so as not to cause offense to others. This passage thus sets the stage for Jesus' instructions in ch. 18.

Ch. 18 consists of a question from the disciples regarding greatness (v.1), followed by Jesus' answer to this question (vv.2-35). Jesus begins with a general answer (vv.2-4), then details specific implications of this answer for life within the community (vv.5-35).

The question in 18:1 indicates a concern for rank, status, and position. There are indications elsewhere in the gospel that such concerns played a significant role in the thinking of the disciples during this period (20:20-28; 23:1-12).

In reply, Jesus indicates that greatness in the kingdom involves childlike humility. A child was the perfect model for the kind of humility Jesus advocated, since children had virtually no rights. Even as children (because of their status) were forced to submit to others and were unable to claim any rights or prerogatives, so disciples must choose to submit to others and willingly waive any claim to personal rights. In 18:5-14 Jesus declares that this humility involves submitting to the spiritual good of others within the Christian community. Jesus continues to speak of children (little ones), but the meaning of this language is different in vv.5-14 than in vv.2-4. Here Jesus uses the image of a child to indicate the vulnerability of all believers. Since all believers are capable of falling away, disciples must do everything they can to avoid causing any of their fellow believers to fall away from Christ. God will judge severely those who are instrumental in the spiritual downfall of a fellow believer (18:5-9), since God desires that not one of these persons be lost (vv.10-14).

The image shifts in 18:15-35 from child to brother. Here Jesus declares that humility in the Christian community involves redemptive actions and attitudes toward the erring brother.

The first of these redemptive actions is reconciliation (18:15-20). Rather than selfishly seeking vengeance for wrongs done, disciples should pursue reconciliation with Christians who have done wrong to them. If attempts at reconciliation fail, the church has the responsibility to discipline the wrongdoers, even if such discipline involves removing an erring brother from the privileges of Christian fellowship.

The second of these actions is forgiveness (18:21-35). Rather than selfishly holding grudges and nursing ill feelings, disciples should forgive repeatedly and without measure. The parable of the unforgiving servant teaches that they are required to do so, since (1) they themselves have received infinite forgiveness from God, and (2) refusal to forgive will result in the judgment of God (vv.23-35).