Frederick Buechner, “Becoming like Children,” The Magnificent Defeat, p. 131-135
John Dominic Crossan, The Essential Jesus, p. 125, 166
John Dominic Crossan, The Historical Jesus, p. 348
1 Henri Nouwen, Lifesigns, p. 18 f.
Lifesigns
A careful look at the gospels shows that Jesus seldom accepted the questions posed to him. He exposed them as coming from the house of fear. [list of questions including this verse] To none of these questions did Jesus give a direct answer. He gently put them aside as questions emerging from false worries. They were raised out of concern for prestige, influence, power, and control. They did not belong to the house of God. Therefore Jesus always transformed the question by his answer. He made the question new—and only then worthy of his response.
3 John Dominic Crossan, “Kingdom and Children,” The Historical Jesus, p. 266-269
3 Stephen Jay Gould, “The Without and Within of Smart Mice,” I Have Landed, p. 235
“The Without and Within of Smart Mice”
This gene doesn’t make a mouse “smart” all by its biochemical self. Rather, the gene’s action allows adult mice to retain a neural openness for learning that young mice naturally possess but then lose in aging.
Even if Tien’s gene exists, and maintains the same basic function in humans (a realistic possibility), we will need an extensive regimen of learning to potentiate any benefit from its enhanced action. … We call this regimen “education.” Perhaps Jesus expressed a good biological insight when he stated (Matthew 18:3), “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
3 Ted Loder, Guerrillas of Grace, p. 9
Guerrillas of Grace
Thus, prayer can be playful because the imagination plays with possibilities, putting them together in different combinations before we begin to enact them. Since children are naturally adept at such play, perhaps that is one reason Jesus said, “Unless you turn and become as children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them, 3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me;
18:1 εν εκεινη τη ωρα προσηλθον οι μαθηται τω ιησου λεγοντες τις αρα μειζων εστιν εν τη βασιλεια των ουρανων 18:2 και προσκαλεσαμενος ο ιησους παιδιον εστησεν αυτο εν μεσω αυτων 18:3 και ειπεν αμην λεγω υμιν εαν μη στραφητε και γενησθε ως τα παιδια ου μη εισελθητε εις την βασιλειαν των ουρανων 18:4 οστις ουν ταπεινωσει εαυτον ως το παιδιον τουτο ουτος εστιν ο μειζων εν τη βασιλεια των ουρανων 18:5 και ος εαν δεξηται παιδιον τοιουτον εν επι τω ονοματι μου εμε δεχεται
7 Abraham Lincoln, “Second Inaugural,” Lend Me Your Ears, p. 439 ff.
7 Oscar Romero, The Violence of Love, p. 62
6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.7 “Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the man by whom the temptation comes!
8 And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life maimed or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire.9 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.
18:6 ος δ αν σκανδαλιση ενα των μικρων τουτων των πιστευοντων εις εμε συμφερει αυτω ινα κρεμασθη μυλος ονικος εις τον τραχηλον αυτου και καταποντισθη εν τω πελαγει της θαλασσης 18:7 ουαι τω κοσμω απο των σκανδαλων αναγκη γαρ εστιν ελθειν τα σκανδαλα πλην ουαι τω ανθρωπω εκεινω δι ου το σκανδαλον ερχεται
18:8 ει δε η χειρ σου η ο πους σου σκανδαλιζει σε εκκοψον αυτα και βαλε απο σου καλον σοι εστιν εισελθειν εις την ζωην χωλον η κυλλον η δυο χειρας η δυο ποδας εχοντα βληθηναι εις το πυρ το αιωνιον 18:9 και ει ο οφθαλμος σου σκανδαλιζει σε εξελε αυτον και βαλε απο σου καλον σοι εστιν μονοφθαλμον εις την ζωην εισελθειν η δυο οφθαλμους εχοντα βληθηναι εις την γεενναν του πυρος
11 Luke 19:10
12-14 John Dominic Crossan, The Essential Jesus, p. 103, 162
12-14 John Dominic Crossan, The Historical Jesus, p. 351
12-14 Juana Inéz de la Cruz, from The Divine Narcissus, Divine Inspiration, p. 237
12-14 Joachim Jeremias, Rediscovering the Parables, p. 29 f 105 f
12-14 Hans-Ruedi Weber, “The Shepherd and the Sheep,” Experiments with Bible Study, p. 129
13 Jane M. Thibault, “Mourning Pages,” Weavings (March/April 2000), p. 34
“Mourning Pages”
Day 21 — Dear God, When you tell us to become like little children, do you mean as little as the infant, or as psychologically small as the fetus in the womb, neither of whom has a consciousness of you? But even the unborn child at least has the promise of the consciousness of you! I have the promise of the loss of my knowledge of you. Do not reject me now that I am forgetful, even if I forget you.
10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven. 12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13 And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14 So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
18:10 ορατε μη καταφρονησητε ενος των μικρων τουτων λεγω γαρ υμιν οτι οι αγγελοι αυτων εν ουρανοις δια παντος βλεπουσιν το προσωπον του πατρος μου του εν ουρανοις 18:11 ηλθεν γαρ ο υιος του ανθρωπου σωσαι το απολωλος 18:12 τι υμιν δοκει εαν γενηται τινι ανθρωπω εκατον προβατα και πλανηθη εν εξ αυτων ουχι αφεις τα ενενηκοντα εννεα επι τα ορη πορευθεις ζητει το πλανωμενον 18:13 και εαν γενηται ευρειν αυτο αμην λεγω υμιν οτι χαιρει επ αυτω μαλλον η επι τοις ενενηκοντα εννεα τοις μη πεπλανημενοις 18:14 ουτως ουκ εστιν θελημα εμπροσθεν του πατρος υμων του εν ουρανοις ινα αποληται εις των μικρων τουτων
Andrew Greeley, “Settling Our Quarrels,” When Life Hurts, p. 40-42
Kathleen Norris, Amazing Grace, p. 126
Amazing Grace
Oscar Romero, The Violence of Love, p. 105 f.
15-17 Galatians 6:1; Luke 17:3; James 5:19-20
15-16 Proverbs 25:8-10
16 Deuteronomy 19:15
18 Matthew 16:19; John 20:23
19 Thomas 48
20 Thomas 30
15-17 Thomas Ward Jr., “Speaking the Truth in Love,” Weavings (July/August 1988), p. 27-33
15-17 John Wesley, “The Cure of Evil-Speaking,” Fifty-Three Sermons, p. 621-631
18-19 H. E. Fosdick, The Meaning of Prayer, p. 206 f.
19-20 Ivan Steiger, Ivan Steiger Sees the Bible, p. 211
20 Simone Weil, Awaiting God, p. 149
15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
18:15 εαν δε αμαρτηση εις σε ο αδελφος σου υπαγε και ελεγξον αυτον μεταξυ σου και αυτου μονου εαν σου ακουση εκερδησας τον αδελφον σου 18:16 εαν δε μη ακουση παραλαβε μετα σου ετι ενα η δυο ινα επι στοματος δυο μαρτυρων η τριων σταθη παν ρημα 18:17 εαν δε παρακουση αυτων ειπε τη εκκλησια εαν δε και της εκκλησιας παρακουση εστω σοι ωσπερ ο εθνικος και ο τελωνης 18:18 αμην λεγω υμιν οσα εαν δησητε επι της γης εσται δεδεμενα εν τω ουρανω και οσα εαν λυσητε επι της γης εσται λελυμενα εν τω ουρανω 18:19 παλιν αμην λεγω υμιν οτι εαν δυο υμων συμφωνησωσιν επι της γης περι παντος πραγματος ου εαν αιτησωνται γενησεται αυτοις παρα του πατρος μου του εν ουρανοις 18:20 ου γαρ εισιν δυο η τρεις συνηγμενοι εις το εμον ονομα εκει ειμι εν μεσω αυτων
George A. Buttrick, “Forgiven and Forgiving,” The Parables of Jesus, p. 92-103
John Dominic Crossan, The Essential Jesus, p. 78, 157f.
John Dominic Crossan, The Historical Jesus, p. 59
The Historical Jesus
John Dominic Crossan, “Parables of Action,” In Parables, p. 105-107
H. E. Fosdick, The Meaning of Prayer, p. 157 f.
Andrew Greeley, “Being Truly Sorry,” When Life Hurts, p. 43-46
Thomas R. Haney, Today’s Spirituality, p. 121
Susan E. Hylen, “Forgiveness and Life in Community,” Interpretation, (April 2000) p. 151-155
Joachim Jeremias, “The Unmerciful Servant,” Rediscovering the Parables, p. 164 ff.
Elton Trueblood, The Humor of Christ, p. 48 f.
21-22 Psalm 79:12; Daniel 9:24; Luke 17:3-4
22 Genesis 4:15, 4:24
34 Matthew 5:25-26
21-22 L. William Countryman, Forgiven and Forgiving, p. 117
21-22 John Dominic Crossan, The Essential Jesus, p. 124, 166
21-22 Desmond Tutu, “Contrition,” An African Prayer Book, p. 38
“Contrition”
A Jew had a particular besetting sin, and he used to confess it and God would forgive him. But no sooner had he been absolved than he would trip up and sin again. One day this happened and he rushed back to God and said, “I’m sorry, I’ve done it again.” And God asked, “What have you done again?” For God suffers from amnesia when it comes to our sins.
21 Henri Nouwen, Lifesigns, p. 18 f.
Lifesigns
A careful look at the gospels shows that Jesus seldom accepted the questions posed to him. He exposed them as coming from the house of fear. [list of questions including this verse] To none of these questions did Jesus give a direct answer. He gently put them aside as questions emerging from false worries. They were raised out of concern for prestige, influence, power, and control. They did not belong to the house of God. Therefore Jesus always transformed the question by his answer. He made the question new—and only then worthy of his response.
21 Albert Schweitzer, A Place for Revelation, p. 45-52
21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.
23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; 25 and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. 32 Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me; 33 and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, till he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
18:21 τοτε προσελθων αυτω ο πετρος ειπεν κυριε ποσακις αμαρτησει εις εμε ο αδελφος μου και αφησω αυτω εως επτακις 18:22 λεγει αυτω ο ιησους ου λεγω σοι εως επτακις αλλ εως εβδομηκοντακις επτα
18:23 δια τουτο ωμοιωθη η βασιλεια των ουρανων ανθρωπω βασιλει ος ηθελησεν συναραι λογον μετα των δουλων αυτου 18:24 αρξαμενου δε αυτου συναιρειν προσηνεχθη αυτω εις οφειλετης μυριων ταλαντων 18:25 μη εχοντος δε αυτου αποδουναι εκελευσεν αυτον ο κυριος αυτου πραθηναι και την γυναικα αυτου και τα τεκνα και παντα οσα ειχεν και αποδοθηναι 18:26 πεσων ουν ο δουλος προσεκυνει αυτω λεγων κυριε μακροθυμησον επ εμοι και παντα σοι αποδωσω 18:27 σπλαγχνισθεις δε ο κυριος του δουλου εκεινου απελυσεν αυτον και το δανειον αφηκεν αυτω 18:28 εξελθων δε ο δουλος εκεινος ευρεν ενα των συνδουλων αυτου ος ωφειλεν αυτω εκατον δηναρια και κρατησας αυτον επνιγεν λεγων αποδος μοι ει τι οφειλεις 18:29 πεσων ουν ο συνδουλος αυτου εις τους ποδας αυτου παρεκαλει αυτον λεγων μακροθυμησον επ εμοι και αποδωσω σοι 18:30 ο δε ουκ ηθελεν αβαπελθων εβαλεν αυτον εις φυλακην εως ου αποδω το οφειλομενον 18:31 ιδοντες δε οι συνδουλοι αυτου τα γενομενα ελυπηθησαν σφοδρα και ελθοντες διεσαφησαν τω κυριω εαυτων παντα τα γενομενα 18:32 τοτε προσκαλεσαμενος αυτον ο κυριος αυτου λεγει αυτω δουλε πονηρε πασαν την οφειλην εκεινην αφηκα σοι επει παρεκαλεσας με 18:33 ουκ εδει και σε ελεησαι τον συνδουλον σου ως και εγω σε ηλεησα 18:34 και οργισθεις ο κυριος αυτου παρεδωκεν αυτον τοις βασανισταις εως ου αποδω παν το οφειλομενον αυτω 18:35 ουτως και ο πατηρ μου ο επουρανιος ποιησει υμιν εαν μη αφητε εκαστος τω αδελφω αυτου απο των καρδιων υμων τα παραπτωματα αυτων