Matthew 18:14 - Exposition

Even so. The teaching of the parable is summed up; the conduct of the earthly shepherd is a figure of that of the heavenly Shepherd. The will of your Father … perish. To scandalize one of these little ones, or lead him into sin (which is to cause to perish), is to fight against God's will, who would have all men to be saved ( 1 Timothy 2:4 ). "When the dignity of the little ones was asserted, it was πατρο ì ς μου , 'my Father;' now that a motive directly acting on the conscience of the Christian is urged, it is πατρο Ì ς ὑμῶν , your Father " (Alford). St. Paul teaches that Christ died for the weak brethren ( Romans 14:15 ; 1 Corinthians 8:11 ). With this text ( Matthew 18:14 ) before him, it is inconceivable that any one can hold the doctrine of the eternal reprobation of certain souls. The whole passage is opposed to the theory of irrespective predestination and irresistible grace.