---
title: "Bullinger"
description: "At =  In. Greek.  en. App-104 .  time = hour.  Who = Who, then.  greatest = greater. Put by Figure of speech  Heterosis (of Degree) for greatest. See App"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/bullingers-companion-bible-notes/matthew/18"
---

**At** =
**In.** Greek. *en.* App-104 .
**time** = hour.
**Who** = Who, then.
**greatest** = greater. Put by Figure of speech *Heterosis* (of Degree) for greatest. See App-6 .
**the kingdom of heaven.** See App-114 .
**heaven** = the heavens (plural) See note on [Matthew 6:9](../../../kjv/matthew/6/9) , [Matthew 6:10](../../../kjv/matthew/6/10) .

**little child.** Greek. *paidion.* App-108 .
**him** = it.

**Verily.** See note on [Matthew 5:18](../../../kjv/matthew/5/18) .
**Except** = Unless. Literally "If ye be not". Assuming the possibility.
**be converted** = be turned: i.e. to God, in repentance.
**not** = by no means. Greek. *ou me.*

**as this.** Not as this little child humbles himself, for no one but the Lord humbles *Himself.* Compare [Philippians 1:2](../../../kjv/philippians/1/2) , [Philippians 1:7](../../../kjv/philippians/1/7) , [Philippians 1:8](../../../kjv/philippians/1/8) .

**offend** = cause to offend, as in *w.* 8, 9, and [Matthew 16:27](../../../kjv/matthew/16/27) ,
**little ones.** Not the same as in [Matthew 18:2](../../../kjv/matthew/18/2) .
**believe in.** See App-150 .
**a millstone** = an ass-millstone. *Onikos.* Occurs only here and [Luke 17:2](../../../kjv/luke/17/2) ; but frequently in the *Papyri* (see Deissmann, *New Light,* &c, p. 76). Here denoting a great millstone requiring an ass to turn it.
**about.** Greek. *epi* = upon. App-104 . But all the texts read " *peri* " = around. App-104 .
**drowned.** See note on [Matthew 14:30](../../../kjv/matthew/14/30) .
**the depth** = the deep sea (i.e. the sea as to its depth).
**the sea** = the sea (as to its surface). So in [Revelation 18:17](../../../kjv/revelation/18/17) .

**world.** Greek. *kosmos.* App-129 .
**because of.** Greek. *apo.*
**but** = yet, or only.
**by** = by means of. Greek. *dia.*

**if thy hand, &c.** Assuming the condition. See App-118 .
**offend** = keepeth on causing thee to offend.
**better** = good. Figure of speech *Heterosis* (of Degree). App-6 .
**life** = the life: i.e. resurrection life, or life eternal. Greek. *zoe.* App-170 . See note on [Matthew 9:18](../../../kjv/matthew/9/18) and [Leviticus 18:5](../../../kjv/leviticus/18/5) . Compare [Matthew 7:14](../../../kjv/matthew/7/14) .
**hell fire** = Gehenna of fire. See note on [Matthew 5:22](../../../kjv/matthew/5/22) . Occurs elsewhere only in [Mark 9:47](../../../kjv/mark/9/47) . App-131 .

**not** Greek. *me* App-105 .
**their angels.** Their servants ([Hebrews 1:14](../../../kjv/hebrews/1/14) ), The tradition of so-called "guardian" angels has no foundation in this.
**that which was lost.** Compare [Matthew 15:24](../../../kjv/matthew/15/24) .[Matthew 15:12](../../../kjv/matthew/15/12); [Matthew 15:12](../../../kjv/matthew/15/12)
**How** = What. This parable was repeated later, in another connection. See [Luke 15:4](../../../kjv/luke/15/4) , &c.
**if a man, &c.** The condition is not the same as in [Matthew 18:8](../../../kjv/matthew/18/8) , but is purely hypothetical = if there should be to any man.
**doth he not, &c. ?** Or, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountain and seek, &c.

**verily.** See note on [Matthew 5:18](../../../kjv/matthew/5/18) .
**of** = over. Greek. *epi.* App-104 .
**that sheep** = it.

**will** = desire. Greek. *thelema,* from *thelo.* App-102 .
**your.** L Tr. WH and Rm read "My".

**trespass.** Greek. *hamartano.* App-128 .
**against.** Greek. *eis* .
**tell him his fault** = reprove him.

**with.** Greek. *meta.*
**in** = upon. Greek. *epi.* App-104 .
**two or three.** Reference to Pentateuch ([Deuteronomy 19:15](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/19/15) ). Compare [John 8:17](../../../kjv/john/8/17) . See App-117 .
**word.** Greek. *rhema* = statement. See note on [Mark 9:32](../../../kjv/mark/9/32) .

**neglect** = fail. Greek. *parakouo.* Occurs only here.
**church** = assembly. In this case the synagogue, or local court, as in [Acts 19:39](../../../kjv/acts/19/39) . See App-120 .
**the church** = the assembly also.
**an heathen** = the Gentile. Greek. *ethnikos.* Occurs only here, and [Matthew 6:7](../../../kjv/matthew/6/7) .
**a publican** = the tax-gatherer.

**Whatsoever, &c.** See [Matthew 16:19](../../../kjv/matthew/16/19)
**on** = upon. Greek. *epi* .
**earth** = the earth. Greek. *ge.* App-129 .
**heaven** = the heaven. See notes on [Matthew 6:9](../../../kjv/matthew/6/9) , [Matthew 6:10](../../../kjv/matthew/6/10) .

**as touching** = concerning. Greek. *peri* . App-104 .
**thing** = matter.
**ask.** Greek. *aiteo.* App-134 .
**of** = from. Greek. *para* .

**two or three.** It was believed that "where two are assembled to study the Law, the Shechinah was with them".

**sin.** Greek. *hamartano.* App-128 .

**seventy times.** Greek. *hebdomekontakis.* Occurs only here.

**Therefore** = On account of this. Greek. *dia* ( App-104 .[Matthew 18:1](../../../kjv/matthew/18/1); [Matthew 18:1](../../../kjv/matthew/18/1) ), *touto.*
**a certain king** = a man ( App-123 .) a king (Hebraism).
**would** = wished. Greek. *thelo* . App-102 .
**take account** = to compare accounts. Greek. *sunairo.* Occurs only in Matthew (here, [Matthew 18:24](../../../kjv/matthew/18/24) , and [Matthew 25:19](../../../kjv/matthew/25/19) ). Said not to be classical Greek: but the colloquial Greek is found in the *Papyri* in Cent. II. in two letters, one from Oxyrhynchus, and the other from Dakkeh in Nubia, dated March 6, 214 A.D. See Deissmann's *Light* , &c., pp 118, 119.
**of** = with. Greek. *meta* .

**to reckon** = to compare accounts, as in [Matthew 18:23](../../../kjv/matthew/18/23) . See note above.
**one . . . -which owed** = one debtor. Found in Sophocles and Plato as well as the *Papyri,* though said to be only Biblical.
**talents.** See App-51 . Greek. *talanton.* Occurs only in Matthew.

**to be sold.** Reference to Pentateuch ([Exodus 22:3](../../../kjv/exodus/22/3) .[Leviticus 25:39](../../../kjv/leviticus/25/39) , [Leviticus 25:47](../../../kjv/leviticus/25/47) ).
**and.** Figure of speech *Polysyndeton* ( App-6 ), for emphasis.
**children.** App-108 .

**worshipped** = did homage. See App-134 and App-137 :1.
**with.** Greek. *epi.* App-104 . (Tr. reads 3).

**loosed** = released.
**debt** = loan. Greek. *daneion.* Occurs only here.

**found** = sought and found.
**owed** = was owing.
**pence.** Greek. *denaria.* See App-51 .
**laid hands on** = seized.
**took him by the throat** = began throttling him.
**that** = what.

**at.** Greek. *eis.*
**besought** = kept beseeching (imperfect). App-134 .

**cast him into prison.** The *Papyri* show that this was a widespread Graeco-Roman-Egyptian custom.

**was done** = had taken place.
**very** = exceedingly.
**told** = narrated (gave an exact account). Greek. *diasapheo.* Occ only here.

**wicked.** Greek. *poneros.* App-128 .
**desiredst** = besoughtedst. Same word as in [Matthew 18:29](../../../kjv/matthew/18/29) .

**Shouldest, &c.** = Was it not binding on thee?
**had compassion** = pitied, as in the next clause. Same word.
**even as I** = as I also.

**tormentors:** or jailors. Greek. *basanistes.* Occurs only here. Imprisonment was called in Roman law-books *cruciatus corporis.*

**heavenly.** Greek. *epouranios.* Elsewhere Greek. *ouranios.* See [Matthew 6:14](../../../kjv/matthew/6/14) , [Matthew 6:26](../../../kjv/matthew/6/26) , [Matthew 6:32](../../../kjv/matthew/6/32) ; [Matthew 15:13](../../../kjv/matthew/15/13) .[Luke 2:13](../../../kjv/luke/2/13) .[Acts 26:19](../../../kjv/acts/26/19) .
**trespasses.** See App-128 .

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