I am sure that he was stretching in his own mind his knowledge of his own ability to forgive. There was no other Church around at the time these words were penned. It betrays the Spirit of Christ, even while professing and attempting fidelity to the text. 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). On the evening of the day when He delivered the seven parables given in Matthew 13:1-58. It is critical that we keep this in mind when someone tries to implement Matthew 18. Your email address will not be published. Matthew 18:17 In-Context 15 "If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. 16But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.[c](B) 17If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church;(C) and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.(D). Is such a reading plausible here? 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. The Biblical proof that this was correct was taken from Amos. The directions given to the church of Corinth concerning the incestuous person, agree with the rules here; he must be taken away from among them (1 Corinthians 5:2), must be delivered to Satan; for if he be cast out of Christ's kingdom, he is looked upon as belonging to Satan's kingdom; they must not keep company with him, Matthew 18:11; Matthew 18:13. Those that were priests in the house of God would not they at least receive their own Messiah? Seven times? Take another person with you or another two people with you, and face him with the issue again. How New is the New Covenant? If that is to be taken literally, and without any qualification, it is manifestly untrue. What do Jesus words in Matthew 16:18 mean with respect to his Church never being defeated by the powers of hell? Also I avoided mentioning elders, because I didn't want to import an ecclesiology that might be anachronistic to the passage anyway. Most the commentaries I've read agree that "the church" refers to the local church as compared to a universal church. Moreover, only the Catholic Church can demonstrate a continuity and consistency in doctrine and morals which would be necessary if we are to make any sense out of Jesus words in Matt 18:17-18. that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three Some people think Matthew 18 is an early church version of a "Manual of Disciple.". It is not for us surely to think this impossible. The universal Church is in view in Matthew 16:18. And I am certain that He is certain that if you take the four hundred and ninety, that you'll lose count before you'll ever get there. He who gave the law maintained its authority, and used it as an occasion for testifying His own power and presence. What I'm wondering, though, is whether "the church" necessarily refers to the whole gathered assembly, or whether the phrase can be properly read as a metonym, similar to a phrase like "waiting for an answer from the White House" where "the White House" obviously doesn't refer to the building, but to the president and his staff. This, of course, is not the moment to unfold it. Then, in Mark 3:1-35, there are notes of time more or less strong. J. WESLEY. There are no recriminations; there is no receiving back with a grudge and a sense of superior contempt; it is all joy. All Reading Plans / Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous) / Isaiah 7:10-16 (The sign of Immanuel); Psalm 80:1-7 17-19 (Show the light of your countenance); Romans 1:1-7 (Paul's greeting to the church at Rome); Matthew 1:18-25 (Our God near at hand) ( English Standard Version) December 18, 2022. "Take with thee one or two more; 1. . 137.]. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. God's sternest judgment is reserved for those who put a stumbing-block in the way of others. It was the creature doing his best, yet proving that he loved the creature more than the Creator. Many words are not now required for that which is happily familiar to most here. Jesus said, "Look, if you don't forgive them from your heart, your Father won't forgive you your debt. They sometimes gossip to their friends about the person or sin, causing further derision and disunity. It is easier to label and scapegoat someone as the cause of problems than to forgive them perpetually. The mention of "the church," or "the congregation" as it is in the Greek, shows that this rule was propounded by Christ for observance on the part of his followers in all ages. If there be no liberty and opportunity for large and numerous assemblies, yet then it is the will of God that two or three should gather together, to show their good-will to the great congregation. I am to have the spirit of forgiveness.And then Jesus went on to illustrate it. What is more, it speaks of tax-collectors and Gentiles as irreclaimable outsiders. He also gives Peter the keys of the kingdom, as we see afterwards. Additionally, when we go to someone because we feel convicted of our sin, the person who was offended may try to sweep it under the rug and say something like, Oh, that's okay.. That is a must. Here is a very revealing question, followed by a very revealing answer. This made it to be plainly and only a difficulty for God to solve. Often our prayers for our success would necessarily involve someone else's failure. All rights reserved. Private admonitions must always go before public censures; if gentler methods will do the work, those that are more rough and severe must not be used, Titus 3:10. Suppose something does go wrong, what are we to do to put it right? It was really after the transfiguration recorded in chapter 17 of our gospel. Surely not by inaccuracy; surely not by indifference to order, but contrariwise by divine wisdom that arranged the facts with a view to a purpose worthy of itself: God's arrangement of all things more particularly in this part of Matthew to give us an adequate manifestation of the Messiah; and, as we have seen, first, what He was to the appeal of the Jew; next, what He was and would be to Gentile faith, in still richer form and fulness. So long as a man considers his own self as the most important thing in the world, his back is turned to the Kingdom; if he wants ever to reach the Kingdom, he must turn round and face in the opposite direction. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. He that humbles himself shall be exalted"( Luke 14:11 ). Because this model of putting people up in front of the church is only used in extreme circumstances, your congregation may find it unhealthy or offensive to put someone up in front of the church for a smaller sin, such as gossiping or lying. The proper step is to tell the elders of the church directly to let them handle the situation since they are the authority over the pastor. 690-94.] Jesus has been describing a process for confronting another believer who is guilty of sin. I love that. This parable teaches us many things about that love. God does not permit Scripture to be thus used without losing its force, its beauty, and the grand object for which it was written. [3.] If they are to be confident that their actions carry Gods authority, they will not act in haste or out of personal prejudice. I have been working through your book on worship. Thank you and God bless you, Matthew 18: Misunderstanding and Misuse in Conflict Resolution. Again, that's a thought that gives us a -- we react mentally to that, as uh, horrible, but yet how wise as far as the muskrat is concerned. 2. The first of these lessons is, "Many first shall be last, and last first." It was after our Lord had called the twelve, and ordained them not after He had sent them forth, but after He had appointed them apostles that the Lord comes down to a plateau upon the mountain, instead of remaining upon the more elevated parts where He had been before. Matthew 19:1-30 brings in another lesson of great weight. (ii) Why should that be so? They have treated the Bible either with levity, or as too awful a book to be apprehended really; not with the reverence of faith, which waits on Him, and fails not in due time to understand His word. But the Lord could not send her away without a blessing, and without a blessing reaching to His own glory. What Does Matthew 18 Say about Conflict Resolution Within the Church? My experience of them is that they, too, have a heart to be touched; and there are many of them, like Matthew and Zacchaeus, who have become my best friends. Jesus took a child and said that unless they turned and became as this little child, they would not get into the Kingdom at all. The Power Of The Presence ( Matthew 18:19-20), 18:19-20 "Again, I tell you, that if two of you agree upon earth upon any matter for which you are praying, you will receive it from my Father who is in Heaven. Ecclessia doesn't have a sense of just the people of one denomination who meet at that local church building you see in your suburb of the city. A mere Jew would have been defiled. The sheep might be foolish but the shepherd would still risk his life to save it. Jesus' words are carefully chosen to show the fate that awaits a man who teaches another to sin. Jesus did not confuse them with much revelation about the form that their corporate identity would take following His ascension. More trouble has been caused by the writing of letters than by almost anything else. Matthew 18:17-18. How Is Harry Potter a Literary Christ Figure? How important is the fact that the Corinthian Assembly was Formed From A Synagogue? You probably discussed with a couple of brothers and your Dad only. Jesus may well be saying that the most important people are not the thrusters and those who have climbed to the top of the tree by pushing everyone else out of the way, but the quiet, humble, simple people, who have the heart of a child. The individual care of the Christian is in fact the motive and the dynamic of evangelism. There were two; but the Spirit of God chose out, in Mark and Luke, the more remarkable of the two, and traces for us his history, a history of no small interest and importance, as we may feel when we come to Mark; but it was of equal moment for the gospel of Matthew that the two demoniacs should be mentioned here, although one of them was in himself, as I gather, a far more strikingly desperate case than the other. And I encourage every one of you to have a prayer partner. I'm going to look into it. Oh, for grace so to bow and bless God, even when our little travail seems in vain! Men may be fools but God loves even the foolish man who has no one to blame but himself for his sin and his sorrow. Doubtless, it was contingent upon the utter ruin of Israel through their unbelief; but the fall of the lesser thing opened the way for the gift of a better glory in answer to Peter's faith in the glory of His person. 38:10), but normally a gate is the entry to a city, temple, or prison (Luke 7:12; Acts 3:10; 12:10). And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Copyright 2019 by Zondervan. This includes forbidding all forms of social or human contact with the shunned one and their family. Neither is disagreeing with your pastor. Note: There is not a shred of indication in this passage that Matthew 18 is a biblically mandatory protocol for doctrinal disputes. 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. "Suffer me first," he says, "to go and bury my father." Individual Revelation Needed for a Testimony of Jesus Christ As recorded in Matthew 16:17-18, Jesus Christ commended Peter, recognizing that his testimony came not from the testimony of others or from physical evidences, but from revelation from Heavenly Father. It was this that the servant was forgiven. See Leviticus 19:17. We are dependent, therefore, for determining this case, on the fact that Mark does habitually adhere to the chain of events. Nevertheless, the Lord did not withhold the infinite boon, though He knew too well their thoughts; He spoke the word of forgiveness, though He read their evil heart that counted it blasphemy. "My daughter is even now dead, but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live." 28:18-20), but "gates" here has a different sense. . There is a Rabbinic tale of Rabbi Jochanan ben Zaccai who wept bitterly at the prospect of death. He tells them that they should not have gone over (or finished) the cities of Israel till the Son of man be come. If they listen to you, you have won them over. The man that was not called promises to go anywhere, in his own strength; but the man that was called feels the difficulty, and pleads a natural duty before following Jesus. "The foxes," says He, "have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head." The one or two, in conjunction with the offended person that shall hear the ease, and admonish and reprove; if he takes no notice of what they say to him, but remains stiff and impenitent, tell it unto the church: which some understand, of the , or "multitude", before whom it was lawful to reprove, after such private methods had been taken: others, the political magistrates, or sanhedrim; who took cognizance of cases between one person and other, either by themselves, or messengers; and gave admonitions and reproofs, as to parents, when they did not provide for their families x, and to wives that were perverse, and provoked their husbands y, c. others, of the presbyters and governors of the Christian church others, of the church itself, and so the Ethiopic version renders it, "the house of Christians"; to which it is objected, that as yet a Christian church was not formed: but what were the twelve apostles of the Lamb? A double action follows. In the time of Jesus the flocks were often communal flocks; they belonged, not to an individual, but to a village. The meaning of this is, cease to have religious contact with him, or to acknowledge him as a Christian brother. 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 ). And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receives me ( Matthew 18:5 ). So now we have, in the healing of Peter's mother-in-law, another fact containing a principle of great value, that His grace towards the Gentile does not in the least degree blunt His heart to the claims of relationship after the flesh. Jerusalem's proud, traditional hypocrisy is exposed, and grace fully blesses the tried Gentile. Matthew 1:18-19. We need to understand that in the spiritual realm and with the Lord, the time element is treated differently or maybe is non-sequitur. Matthew 18:15-17 contains the words of Christ to his church, instructing us on how to deal with internal conflict with a brother or sister who sins against us and doesn't know it. Misguided church leaders often use Matthew 18 as a speech/thought-control template. A man often hates those whom he has injured most of all; and it may well be that nothing we can say can win him back. 18 we read: 15: If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. A Gentile (indeed, any mind not under any kind of legal prejudice or difficulty) would be far more moved by a detailed account of what was more, conspicuous. The point of the passage, however, is for the restoration of the sinner to be reconciled to the body of Christ. (v) It is now we come to the difficult part. It spares him from the possibility of judgment from the wider community. There will be differences at the close. When members are not in harmony with one another, either because of doctrinal differences or personal disputes, there is less motivation for the sinner to return. To my mind, the depth of such grace only enhances the beauty of Jesus, and is the very last possible ground that justifies man in thinking lightly of the Saviour. Chapter 8, which opens the portion that comes before us tonight, is a striking illustration as well as proof of the method which God has been pleased to employ in giving us the apostle Matthew's account of our Lord Jesus. And if he refuse to hear them, tell it unto the church: and if he refuse to hear the church also, let him be unto thee as the Gentile and the publican. Everything depends on how he is taught and trained. Now what Jesus is pointing out basically is that forgiveness is not a matter of mathematics, it's a matter of spirit, that you should have the spirit of forgiveness. Let this be compared with, and explained by, Leviticus 19:17, Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart; that is, "If thou hast conceived a displeasure at thy brother for any injury he hath done thee, do not suffer thy resentments to ripen into a secret malice (like a wound, which is most dangerous when it bleed inwardly), but give vent to them in a mild and grave admonition, let them so spend themselves, and they will expire the sooner; do not go and rail against him behind his back, but thou shalt in any ways reprove him. There certainly is a protocol that Jesus outlines in Matthew 18:15-17 about correcting brethren in sin, but when should it be applied? It is on that profession of faith of Peter that the Messianic Church rests. Tinpot dictators learn this in Tyranny 101 class! Men are apt to have so little patience with the foolish ones. And if he refuses to listen to the Church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax-collector. (Compare Mark 3:13-19, andMark 6:7-11; Mark 6:7-11; Luke 6:1-49; Luke 9:1-62) The mission of the apostles did not take place till afterwards. He is here. The Father and the Son have their appropriate part, even as we know from elsewhere the Spirit sent down from heaven in due time was to have His. Note, People are loth to see their faults, and have need to be told of them. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! Indeed he grew, for that baby became William the Conqueror of England. In the end of this chapter (15) is another miracle of Christ's feeding a vast multitude. It betrays the Spirit of Christ, even while professing and attempting fidelity to the text. In Matthew 18:17, Jesus' instructions on the brother who sins reach a climax: If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. Regardless of how many times offenders do them wrong, believers must still forgive them (Matthew 18:21-22). For God no man is unimportant and no one is lost in the crowd; for the Christian every man is important and is a child of God, who, if lost, must be found. Yet is He the Son of man who hath power on earth to forgive sins; and He uses His authority. The pattern is the Son of man saving the lost. The term "heathen" (that is, Gentile) refers to one who is steeped in paganism. This is both a startling grant of authority and a warning to the disciples. The Christian is ready surgically to excise from life everything which would keep him from rendering a perfect obedience to God. Jesus says, "That is perfectly true; this world is full of temptations; that is inevitable in a world into which sin has entered; but that does not lessen the responsibility of the man who is the cause of a stumbling-block being placed in the way of a younger person or of a beginner in the faith.". If there is a mortal sin in many Matthew 18 disciplinary environments, it is alleged gossip and not following all the steps of Matthew 18 to address a problem in a local church. Peter expected to be warmly commended; but Jesus's answer was that the Christian must forgive seventy times seven. Then the Lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and he freed him, and he forgave him the debt. Away back in the eleventh century Duke Robert of Burgundy was one of the great warrior and knightly figures. (ii) Second, there is the quality of responsibility ( Matthew 18:5-7). The English translators have thus given the sense well; for the expression really conveys this slight, though the word "fellow" is printed in italics. This was the very blessing that aroused, above all, the hatred of the scribes. (ii) There is the child's dependence. that man or that woman who has done this evil deed, to your gates, But that discipline is always to be given in humble love and not in self-righteous condemnation. "Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof" He had only to say in a word, and his servant should be healed. "Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David!" The implication is one of incredulity. If He offers to go to his house, it was to bring out the faith that He had created in the heart of the centurion. He could and did form His instruments according to His own sovereign will. "Now that is heavy. Assemblies of Christians for holy purposes are hereby appointed, directed, and encouraged. Some think Matthew 18 is a mandatory protocol that must be followed to adjudicate all local church conflicts. Then says the unclean spirit, "I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept and garnished. While that is of course, one aim of these verses, it is important . But I see no sufficient reason to refuse the impression that John found it hard to reconcile his continued imprisonment with a present Messiah; nor do I discern a sound judgment of the case, or a profound knowledge of the heart, in those who thus raise doubts as to John's sincerity, any more than they appear to me to exalt the character of this honoured man of God, by supposing him to play a part which really belonged to others. But I have not found the tax-gatherers and the Gentiles hopeless. Where does the Baptist take his Pentecostal brother? For less than $5/mo. There is a certain difficulty of interpretation in this passage which must be borne in mind. x Maimon Hilehot Ishot, c. 12. sect. They were the great congregation and church, in the midst of which Christ sung praise to his Father: and since the whole of this advice, and these excellent rules are given to them, and they are spoken of in the next verse, as having the power of binding and loosing, they may well be thought to be meant here; and that the design of Christ is, to I forgave you all that debt when you besought me to do so. Where his saints are, his sanctuary is, and there he will dwell; it is his rest (Psalms 132:14), it is his walk (Revelation 2:1); he is in the midst of them, to quicken and strengthen them, to refresh and comfort them, as the sun in the midst of the universe. It may seem harsh to treat unrepentant sinners in the manner described. How I wish I wouldve come across a read like this/been exhorted as much when I was a few years younger. Let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican. It was going on, then, to the bitter end, and surely not without such suffering and sorrow as holy, unselfish, obedient love alone can know. The Christian is the man who forgets self in his devotion to Jesus Christ and in his service of his fellow-men. God has given his people the responsibility to deal with such cases, and they must find out Gods will and do it. As Christians, we want to treat people as we would want to be treated. Then his lord, after he had called him, said unto him, O you wicked servant, I forgave you all that debt, because you desired me to: Should you not also have had compassion on your fellowservant, even as I had pity on you? After this, in the chapter we have the positive hindrance asserted of what man counts good. He said. From the level of communication about issues in local church communities to and from Paul and so on, I'd say it was harder to imagine back then a great deal of difference between a local church congregation and the whole body of Christ - the Church. It is again and again New Testament teaching that uselessness invites disaster. Hence, the Lord Jesus is here disclosing throughout, that the doom of Israel was pronounced and impending. God doth especially own and accept us, when we are praying for those that have offended him and us. There is one more chance for the offender to heed the voice of reason. But, from first to last, what a trial of spirit, and what triumph! Your book on apostolic ministry has been a tremendous help. Reviewing, then, these closing incidents of the chapter (ver. 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 . As time passes, the process expands to involve more Christians. Whosoever follows this threefold rule will seldom offend others, and never be offended himself. "Tell it to the church, that particular church in the communion of which the offender lives; make the matter known to those of that congregation who are by consent appointed to receive informations of that kind. "If he will not hear the church, will not stand to their award, but persists in the wrong he has done thee, and proceeds to do thee further wrong, let him be to thee as a heathen man, and a publican; take the benefit of the law against him, but let that always be the last remedy; appeal not to the courts of justice till thou hast first tried all other means to compromise the matter in variance. We just dont like the answer. It cannot mean that the Church can remit or forgive sins, and so settle a man's destiny in time or in eternity. He who had just confessed the glory of the Lord would not hear His Master speaking thus of His going to the cross (by which alone the Church, or even the kingdom, could be established), and sought to swerve Him from it. The point is, Matthew 18 is not a biblical mandate in such cases. I feel so blessed to have found you. Times without number two people have agreed to pray for the physical or the spiritual welfare of a loved one and their prayer has not, in the literal sense, been answered. Yet Jesus was accused of being the friend of tax-gatherers and sinners; and he never spoke of them as hopeless outsiders, but always with sympathy and love, and even with praise (compare Matthew 9:10 ff; Matthew 11:19; Luke 18:10 ff; and especially Matthew 21:31 ff, where it is actually said that the tax-gatherers and harlots will go into the Kingdom before the orthodox religious people of the time). That was all over for the moment through Israel's blind sin; He was going to suffer, not yet reign, at Jerusalem. I think each church leader needs to read these books, I may buy one for our leaders. As far as the idea of elders being anachronistic with the moment the Lord mentioned. What Should Christians Do When Church Leaders Gaslight Them? "Then Jesus in verse eleven says so beautifully. detestable thing has been done in Israel, then you shall bring out In Matt 18:17-18, Jesus is clearly telling us that the Church is the final authority on questions of faith or discipline. Does the Bible Mention What to Give Up for Lent? The Lord pleads the cause of the disciples. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money.