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Partner with StudyLight.org as God uses us to make a difference for those displaced by Russia's war on Ukraine. At this point in time, Andrew has, in general . Hence, here it is a question not merely of cleansing, but of forgiveness, and forgiveness, too, as that which precedes power, manifested before men. Jesus reply shows that the severe action was not intended to be an alternative to forgiveness. The fact of two without the personal details would not powerfully tell upon mere Gentiles perhaps, though to a Jew it might be for some ends necessary. And besides, this is given, not as a rule to the church, but as advice to the offended person, how to behave towards the offender: after he has come under the cognizance, reproof, and censure of the church, he is to look upon him as the Jews did one that disregarded both private reproof by a man's self, and that which was in the presence of one or two more, (twxp rbx) , "a worthless friend", or neighbour; as a Gentile, with whom the Jews had neither religious nor civil conversation; and a "publican", or as Munster's Hebrew Gospel reads it, (hrbe leb) "a notorious sinner", as a publican was accounted: hence such are often joined together, and with whom the Jews might not eat, nor keep any friendly and familiar acquaintance: and so such that have been privately admonished and publicly rebuked, without success, their company is to be shunned, and intimate friendship with them to be avoided. Perhaps they thought He was referring to a Jewish assembly, a synagogue. They that are shut out from the congregation of the righteous now shall not stand in it in the great day, Psalms 1:5. The Hebrew word for synagogue is hakneset meaning congregation, while the Aramaic word is knista. And that means everyone needs to leave the bludgeon at home.. The evil spirits asked leave to pass into the herd of swine, which thus typify the final condition of the defiled, apostate mass of Israel; their presumptuous and impenitent unbelief reduces them to that deep degradation not merely the unclean, but the unclean filled with the power of Satan, and carried down to swift destruction. Thank you. Matthew gives no such details, but call and mission are together here. Thank you and God bless you, Matthew 18: Misunderstanding and Misuse in Conflict Resolution. Gehenna ( G1067) was the valley of Hinnom, a valley below the mountain of Jerusalem. Romans 16:17; 2 Thessalonians 3:14). He said. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And the last verse actually seems to give the Church the power to retain and to forgive sins. First of these comes the treasure hidden in the field, for which the man sells all he had, securing the field for the sake of the treasure. Where note, 1. Note, Church discipline is for church members. God I am bitter. I merely indicate by the way how the thorough increasing rejection of the Lord Jesus in His lower glory has but the effect of bringing out the revelation of His higher. 1. 16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established . What can a lawyer do if the client wants him to be acquitted of everything despite serious evidence? Suppose they were paid in sixpences. In the opening chapters of Amos there is a series of condemnations on the various nations for three transgressions and for four ( Amos 1:3; Amos 1:6; Amos 1:9; Amos 1:11; Amos 1:13; Amos 2:1; Amos 2:4; Amos 2:6). New International Version (NIV). The Jews ground corn by crushing it between two circular stones. Rabbi Jose ben Jehuda said, "If a man commits an offence once, they forgive him; if he commits an offence a second time, they forgive him; if he commits an offence a third time, they forgive him; the fourth time they do not forgive." What do Jesus words in Matthew 16:18 mean with respect to his Church never being defeated by the powers of hell? This furnishes occasion to the Pharisees to vent their unbelief: to them nothing is so offensive as grace, either in doctrine or in practice. Even if the disciplining process is not successful, additional opportunities should still be sought to bring the erring member back to Christ. Thus, in the chapter before us, we have a very comprehensive sketch of the Lord's manifestation from that time, and in type going on to the end of the age. Now it is a great honour which Christ here puts upon the church, that he will condescend not only to take cognizance of their sentences, but to confirm them; and in the following verses we have two things laid down as ground of this. One passage, "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church" (16:18), has become the basis of Roman Catholic belief in the divine institution of the papacy. So often we accept a man who is penitent with a moral lecture and a clear indication that he must regard himself as contemptible, and the practical statement that we have no further use for him and do not propose to trust him ever again. Those that were priests in the house of God would not they at least receive their own Messiah? Thus Matthew, called at the very receipt of custom, follows Jesus, and makes a feast for Him. They could follow their track for miles; and they would brave the cliffs and the precipice to bring them back. We shall find something of these mysteries later on in this gospel; but here it is simply a Jewish testimony of Jehovah-Messiah in His unwearied love, through His twelve heralds, and in spite of rising unbelief, maintaining to the end what His grace had in view for Israel. Only if these steps fail is the matter opened to public scrutiny. Of its purity, that it might have an expulsive faculty, a power to cleanse and clear itself, like a fountain of living waters, which is necessary as long as the net of the gospel brings up both good fish and bad. Stephanos Ministries is NOT a 501-c-3 corporation Click here to understand why. Jesus had uttered similar words in Matthew 16:19 when discussing the divine authority He had given to Peter and the other 11 apostles of the Jerusalem Church. But if this be so, there is here absolute certainty that our Lord, on the very Sabbath in which He cast out the unclean spirit from the man in the synagogue of Capernaum, immediately after quitting the synagogue, entered the house of Peter, and that there and then He healed Peter's wife's mother of the fever. Zion may say of the Lord who laboured in vain, whom the nation abhorred, "The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me." He doth not say, "If you shall agree to sentence and decree a thing, it shall be done" (as if ministers were judges and lords); but, "If you agree to ask it of God, from him you shall obtain it." If he hears you, you have gained your brother. If he doesn't pay attention even to the church, let him be like a Gentile and a tax collector to you. Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing, that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven ( Matthew 18:17-19 ). Telling the elders, the deacons, or the preacher, or anyone else, of the evil detected in another is wrong (until after the first admonition); and even after the first admonition, the greatest number to be acquainted with it is two others (see Matthew 18:16). The disciples most inadequately perceive His glory; but the Lord acts according to His own mind. It is true that in this particular instance Mark no more surrounds the leper with notes of time and place than do Matthew and Luke. After this our Lord sees great multitudes following Him, and gives commandment to go to the other side. The objective of all discipline is ultimately restoration, not exclusion. Leading up to this point (Matthew 18:1-14), Christ has expressed His identification with little children and what it will take to inherit eternal life. Here was a debt which was greater than a king's ransom. [1.] If all this avail not, then. And Jesus called a little child unto him, and he sat the child in the middle of them, and he said, Verily I say unto you, Except you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not even enter the kingdom of heaven. Christ, having cautioned his disciples not to give offence, comes next to direct them what they must do in case of offences given them; which may be understood either of personal injuries, and then these directions are intended for the preserving of the peace of the church; or of public scandals, and then they are intended for the preserving of the purity and beauty of the church. It says simply, "And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean." It was a grave step this, and in view of His rejection now. How difficult this must have been for Mary, her parents and Joseph. In what sense did Jesus, our Lord, take their infirmities, and bear their sicknesses? Does "the church" in Matthew 18:17 refer to the whole assembly? See 2 Chronicles 5:13; Acts 4:31. It spares him the embarrassment of having his sin made public. And so with the other conversation: "Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father;" it was after the glory of Christ had been witnessed on the holy mount, when man's selfishness of heart showed itself in contrast to the grace of God. Does this scribe offer to follow Jesus? I feel like Ive been spinning my wheels for years and now like a babe relearning everything fresh and new. Though a testimony to them, still it was in the result a recognition of what Moses commanded. Hence, the Lord Jesus is here disclosing throughout, that the doom of Israel was pronounced and impending. And if it so happens that he finds it, verily I say unto you, he rejoices more for the one sheep, than for the ninety-nine which never went astray. Lessons in forgiveness (Matthew 18:15-35). What feelings at such a time! Sufficient is the punishment which has attained its end, and the offender must then be forgiven and comforted, 2 Corinthians 2:6. Jesus anticipates the congregations that His own apostles will establish after Pentecost. They may also take their concern to a pastor or other superior, shirking their responsibility to deal with it directly. In the evening multitudes are brought, taking advantage of the power that had so shown itself, publicly in the synagogue, and privately in the house of Peter; and the Lord accomplished the words ofIsaiah 53:4; Isaiah 53:4: "Himself," it is said, "took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses," an oracle we might do well to consider in the limit of its application here. and a sinking ship are serious difficulties to a man. Grace forms the hearts of those that understand it, according to the great manifestation of what God is, and what man is, too, given us in the person of Christ. "Then," said the Lord, "are the children free. Next is the one pearl of great price, the unity and beauty of that which was so dear to the merchantman. At last they got him to tell why. The pastor should approach it from the perspective of wanting to get the persons side of the story. "I will build my church." The church belongs to Jesus. The first question a leader should ask is, have you brought your concerns directly to the person?. . As you correctly note, the Church has a local and universal aspect. If they listen to you, you have won them over. These are all legal terms. a. note, Christians should see their need of help in doing good, and pray in the aid one of another; as in other things, so in giving reproofs, that the duty may be done, and may be done well. Christian kindness and Christian forgiveness do not mean that a man who is in error is to be allowed to do as he likes. In particular, to those requests that are put up to God about binding and loosing; to which this promise seems more especially to refer. Realize that; bring before Him your needs. Is it not most sweet to see, that He who proves His divine glory at once associates us with Himself? Most the commentaries I've read agree that "the church" refers to the local church as compared to a universal church. They are people who in fellowship seek the will of God, who in fellowship listen and worship together. Read the Scripture: Matthew 18:20 Three of the vital areas of our lives are the church, the home and the nation. 18 we read: 15: If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If the erring disciple does not respond to the churchs encouragement to return to the Shepherd, Jesus said the disciples should treat such a person as a Gentile and a tax gatherer. That is God's commandment! Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands." Jesus is just as much present in the little congregation as in the great mass meeting. Copyright 2023 | ScriptureCatholic.com | All rights reserved. How often the heart shows itself, not merely by what we ask, but by the uncalled-for feelings we display against other people and their faults! 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.". Whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea ( Matthew 18:6 ). The Lord Jesus, even before He pronounced the sentence, for so it was, indicated what was at hand in these two instances of the Sabbath-day, though one may not now linger on them. I'm curious about the phrase "tell it to the church." So here Jesus is speaking about loosening and binding, loosening the work of God, binding the work of Satan, and then declaring that if two of us agree, so the value of prayer together, in agreement in prayer. Moreover [Jesus said] if your brother trespasses against you, go and tell him the fault between you and him alone: and if he hears you, then you've gained your brother ( Matthew 18:15 ). Not that "tell it to the church" would have meant to original audiences "send messages to every community of believers in the world", but it has to mean that the issue is now not something involving the personalities or experience level of a few people directly involved, but a decision by the church in general (probably communicated better/wider than in our Internet Age!). "Neither do men put new wine into old bottles, else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish; but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved." Jesus said, "I am in the midst of them". The Pharisees were enraged at a power they could not deny, which rebuked themselves so much the more on account of its persistent grace; but Jesus passes by all blasphemy as yet, and goes on His way nothing hinders His course of love. He is there wherever faithful hearts meet, however few they may be, for he gives all of himself to each individual person. Today, the assembly/Parlaiment in Israel is known as the Knesset. However, you do have your local chapter where there is a group of members you are vital with and have a relationship. And the servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, O Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you all. In Matt 18:17-18, Jesus is clearly telling us that the Church is the final authority on questions of faith or discipline. Thou wouldest have healed him, wouldest have preserved his friendship, but he would not, and so has forfeited it." We have here not only our Lord's ministry in the first parable, but in the second parable that which He does by His servants. In the next incident the force of the plea turns on God's goodness towards the wretchedness of man. On this the Lord takes another step, when one said to Him, "Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee." For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them ( Matthew 18:20 ). When the Rabbis taught that heathen and Gentile objects were to be utterly destroyed they said that they must be "cast into the salt sea." To be clear, are you asking whether church discipline must take place before the whole congregation of a local church vs. the elders of a church? In immediate juxtaposition to this stands the Gentile centurion, who seeks healing for his servant. If this also fails, the entire community of believers should appeal to the offender. He was warning them that they were going in completely the wrong direction, away from the Kingdom of Heaven and not towards it. Matthew 16:18 and Acts 2:47 have nothing to do with us. Answer (1 of 8): (1) Preliminary comment: Matthew 18:15-35 is often treated in isolation as the classic passage about church discipline, given to provide rules for running the church and principles for applying church discipline. Then comes the boast of Peter, though for others as well as himself. And if he shall neglect to hear them: If the offender refuses steps one and two, the church is to implement step three. When they get into trouble, we are apt to say, "It's their own fault; they brought it on themselves; don't waste any sympathy on fools." It ought to be so with every forgiven soul. Thank-you for putting into words what the Spirit has been whispering in my heart. Drowning was sometimes a Roman punishment, but never Jewish. (ii) There is the child's dependence. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the Church. To take this pure little child with his simplicity and trust in God, and deliberately seek to destroy that child's faith in God, in Jesus Christ.Jesus said, "look, it'd be better for a man if he just took a millstone", and these millstones weigh about three to four hundred pounds, "tie it around his neck, and toss him into the sea. That may well be the meaning. God used this love-inflicted wound to move him to repentance ( Proverbs 27:6 ). So it was here; and our Lord turns to eternal account, in His own goodness, the shortcoming of John the Baptist, the greatest of women-born. If the person with the concern has confronted the other, and that person denies it or the sins severity, take the next step and intervene on their behalf. This was testing matters more closely. Sounds like the Mafia here, but I am all for it. Jesus proceeded to explain what a humble disciple should do when a brother or sister disciple has wandered from the Shepherd and the sheep. Context Summary Matthew 18:15-20 describes the process Jesus gives to the disciples for dealing with sin-related conflict among a group of believers. A great tempest. Of course, the facts of the cross were necessary to give it an evident and literal fulfilment; but we have it first apparent in His life, and it is blessed to see it thus accomplished, as it were, in what passed with Himself; fully realized in His own spirit, and the results exposed before the external facts gave the fullest expression to Jewish unbelief. If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine, and go out to the hills, and will he not seek the wandering one? Nothing can be simpler. In Matthew 18:15-17, Jesus gives His formula for solving person-to-person problems. essayed to destroy the testimony with their utmost and blasphemous contempt. Therefore a child also means a beginner in the faith, one who has just begun to believe, one who is not yet mature and established in the faith, one who has just begun on the right way and who may very easily be deflected from it. It is a thousand pities that this appointment of Christ, which was designed to end differences, and remove offences, should itself be so much a matter of debate, and occasion differences and offences, through the corruption of men's hearts. By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway.