Matthew 3:9

3:9 and don’t think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that God can raise up children for Abraham from these stones!

Matthew 17:25

17:25 He said, “Yes.” When Peter came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, 1  “What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly kings collect tolls or taxes – from their sons 2  or from foreigners?”

Matthew 18:12

18:12 What do you think? If someone 3  owns a hundred 4  sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go look for the one that went astray? 5 

1 tn Grk “spoke first to him, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated.

2 sn The phrase their sons may mean “their citizens,” but the term “sons” has been retained here in order to preserve the implicit comparison between the Father and his Son, Jesus.

3 tn Grk “a certain man.” The Greek word ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used here in a somewhat generic sense.

4 sn This individual with a hundred sheep is a shepherd of modest means, as flocks often had up to two hundred head of sheep.

5 sn Look for the one that went astray. The parable pictures God’s pursuit of the sinner. On the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, see John 10:1-18.