Water and Mountains (Part 3)
symbolism in Matthew 18-20
Review
This is the third post in this blog series about mountain and water symbols in Matthew 14-20. If you haven’t read the previous blogs, here are the links.
In the last blog, I proposed that Matthew was inspired to use mountain and water references like directions on how to follow Christ. We eat the bread of heaven on a mountaintop experience; we are tested to see if we really ate Christ. We are healed by Christ through an encounter with him; we are tested to see if that healing reached our hearts. We experience God’s glory on a mountain; we are tested to see if that glory is the same kind as Christ’s, which is to wear a crown of thorns.
Intro Children
In Matthew chapters 18-20, the mountain references taper off until Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The water references are also fewer. However, I believe Matthew continues the theme of dying and new birth through a new set of symbols. Matthew now uses little ones, family terms, and types of separations.
I find it fascinating that Matthew uses children after several chapters of passing through the waters of testing. Doesn’t that sound like the process of being born? Babies are born when a mother’s water breaks. Baptism precedes our being spiritually born again! Jesus and his disciples have passed through the waters multiple times in chapters 14-17. Now Matthew brings in children and family references.
Children, little ones, sheep, and servants in these chapters seem to symbolize those who have been born again. Matthew juxtaposes the little ones with the Pharisees, Sadducees, rich, powerful, and Gentile rulers.
Family terms, such as brother, spouse, and mother, seem to be used quite a bit in these passages as well. Family terms seem to refer to the relationships within the family of Christ. Those who follow Christ are like a new family.
Lastly, terms of separation, cutting off, dividing, and divorce are also prevalent in these chapters. These terms seem to refer to what Christ-followers are called to do: we say no to some things in order to pursue that which is most important.
In summary, chapters 14-17 depict the cycles of taking in Christ and then being tested; Chapters 18-20 explain how this new family of Christ chooses to cut off some things and pursue other things.
This beautifully parallels the way God uniquely created men's and women’s bodies. God designed men’s bodies to be generally better at standing up to what physically harms us, and God made women’s bodies best at forming and growing new life inside their bodies. The two together are like what Christians are called to do. Men and women alike are called to cut off what harms our Christ-life, and men and women alike are called to nurture the Christ-life within us.
Chapter Summaries
Here is a summary of Matthew chapters 18-20 and some possible meanings.
Ch 18:1-6 Children & Sea: Jesus uses children to answer the disciples’ question, “Who then will be the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven?” Jesus says we are to become like children and we are to welcome those who are like children. Jesus expresses judgment on those who trip up God’s children. It’d be better if they were cast into the sea with a millstone around their neck.
Possible meaning: the previous chapters of mountain-top experiences and watery-testing times may have two results: we either become childlike and welcome other children, or we become someone who trips up children. Those who are not with Christ are against him.
Note: Ch 20:20-28, parallels this section. James and John’s mom asks if her sons can be the greatest in Jesus’ kingdom. Jesus answers similarly. Whoever is greatest among you must be like a servant/child.
Ch 18:7-9 A Separation: Jesus says woe to the world through which temptations come and to those who bring about the temptation. He explains how it’s better to be physically maimed than to allow parts of our body to lead us into sin.
Possible Meaning: Cutting out “temptations to sin” and “the one by whom the temptation comes” is a kind of death we perform as members of God’s kingdom (Matt. 18:7). As followers of Christ, we are called to cut out certain things.
Interesting note: This echoes the binding and loosing language Jesus told Peter earlier in Matt 16:19. We are called to cast some things away from us and we are called to bind some things to ourselves. This isn’t a special job for a Pope or the clergymen, but something all are called to do who wish to follow Christ.
Ch 18:10-14 Children/sheep: Jesus tells his disciples not to despise his little ones. He uses the parable of the Lost Sheep for this. The Lost Sheep story is sandwiched between two parallel sections about how to deal with that which does us harm.
Possible Meaning: Saying “no” to what’s unhealthy means earnestly pursuing something else. Perhaps this lost sheep is both God’s pursuit of us and our pursuit of that which is most important, that is, giving up all else to go after other little ones. Again, this isn’t a special job for special Christians but a calling for all Christians.
Ch 18:15-35 Brother & Separation: Jesus gives directions about how to respond to a brother who sins against us. Jesus uses the same verbage he used with Peter about binding and losing things in heaven and on earth. Jesus also talks about cutting off a brother similarly to how he described cutting off body parts.
Possible meaning: Do everything possible to stay united with other believers, but take action against sin. Be serious about sin. Cut it out. Again, this is not a special task for some Christians, but something all are called to do who follow Christ. When we all prune, we all grow. When we all cut out that which doesn’t produce fruit, we sacrifice everything to pursue the lost.
Ch 18:21-35 Brother: In response to the disciples’ question about how many times they should forgive their brother, Jesus tells them the parable of the unmerciful servant. Jesus summarizes the parable with more family talk: “So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
Possible Meaning: This parallels the shepherd’s pursuit of the lost sheep. To say “no” to sin and the world means to love and forgive other lost sheep as Christ forgave us. This is how we grow the body of Christ.
Ch 19:1-12 Healing, Water, and separation: Jesus goes away from Galilee beyond the Jordan. He heals people and is tested by Pharisees about divorce. God allowed the Israelites to divorce because of their hardness of hearts, but God designed marriage to be a contract for life.
Possible Meaning: Matthew put this part about divorce right after Jesus talks about cutting off body parts, confronting a sinning brother, and what to bind and loose on earth. Thus divorce here seems to relate to what to say “no” to and what to say “yes” to in the body of Christ. Shall we divide the body of Christ for any old reason? No, but God allows divisions in the body of Christ because of our hardness of hearts. Just like married people are to stay bound together, so ought Christ’s children to stay bound together. This is a hard teaching, and without God, it’s impossible.
Ch 19:13-26 Children vs Rich Young Man: Again Jesus welcomes children. Right after that a Rich Young Ruler questions Jesus. The Rich Young ruler isn’t willing to give up all he has to follow Christ. He goes away sad.
Possible Meaning: Those who are powerful, wealthy, and seemingly righteous have a hard time giving up all they have to become like children in Christ’s kingdom. Their earthly wealth hinders their willingness to sacrifice all for the sake of others.
Ch 19:27-30 to 20:1-16 Family & Separation: The disciples tell Jesus how they’ve left everything to follow Jesus, and Jesus responds with the promise of ruling and reigning. He also mentions rewards for those who’ve left family, houses, and lands, but those who are first shall be last in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus uses the parable of the day laborers to illustrate this point, showing how those who were hired last receive equal wages as those who were hired first. He ends the parable by saying again, the first will be last and the last first.
Possible Meaning: How much or how long we work in Christ’s kingdom doesn’t give us special privileges in Christ’s kingdom. All receive the same rights and privileges. All are called to do God’s work. To God, all are his little children and beloved sheep.
Ch 20:17-28 Mountain, Family, Lowly ones, & Gentile Rulers: On the way up to Jerusalem, Jesus predicts his death. Then right after that James and John’s mom asks that her sons be given high positions in the kingdom of Heaven. This was a way she might secure her future, that is, through using her sons. Jesus reminds James and John that to follow Christ means to suffer like Christ. Then he tells his disciples that those outside God’s family (Gentile Rulers) exercise authority over each other and lord it over one another, but in Christ’s kingdom those who are great are like the servants and slaves.
Possible meaning: We are neither to use one another to get power nor lord our power over others in Christ’s kingdom. We are to be like the lowliest to each other, like children and slaves, willing to sacrifice ALL earthly goods and rights for the sake of the lost sheep.
Ch 20:29-34 Healing: Going out of Jericho, which is a border city to the Promise Land, Jesus heals two men who are blind.
Possible meaning: to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus heals our blindness when we cut out that which causes us to sin and give up everything to become like children and servants to each other. This is how we receive our vision for Heavenly things.
Conclusion
Matthew Chapter 21 begins Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem where he will suffer and die to save us from our sins. This was the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of the weak, lowly, and lost.
Chapters 14-20 seem to outline the pathway that Jesus’ followers are to take to be like Christ. We are to sustain ourselves through Christ, be healed through Christ, and receive our revelation from Christ. What we receive from God will be tested and refined through water-like trials, which is ultimately a time of washing away anything that is not of God. Another way to describe this process is to die to self and live to Christ. In this, we are to be like newborn children and not like those who are rich, powerful, or seemingly righteous. Christ's followers give up all their earthly rights and powers for the sake of others. We become like children of God by cutting out all that trips us up, and we are to welcome other children by pursuing, forgiving, loving, and binding ourselves to others like Christ does to his bride, the Church. What we bind on earth will be bound in Heaven and what we lose on earth will be loosed in Heaven.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this examination of Matthew chapters 14-20. I was so fascinated that I went on to analyze chapters 21-25, which continues several themes. Click the link below to read the next one after next week.