Matthew 18:16-20
Mat 18:16 (KJB)
But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the
mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
If you go to your brother and he refuses to listen and is being obstinate, then
there is still a matter of privacy but this time to bring one or two more
witnesses making it a total of two or three. This way the other one or two are
able to hear the situation and to see if there is some type of solution to the
problem being offered. If there is some type of agreement offered, then at least
the party who brought the witnesses would have them know that he is trying and
that an agreement was offered. It would not be some type of hearsay but the
offer would be made to stand if it was a good offer of agreement. The witnesses
would confirm that the person is trying to make amends with his brother.
Mat 18:17 (KJB)
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 a heathen man and a publican.
Then Jesus states that if the two or three witnesses cannot convince the
obstinate brother, then he is to tell the matter to the whole church because if
it is not brought out into the open, no matter what it is, it can begin a rift
in the church. It may start out small but has the ability to mushroom and cause
major problems. If when the church hears the matter and also brings out
suggestions and the man still remains stiffnecked, then he is to be removed from
that congregation for a time, until he repents. He is to be treated as a heathen
or publican, that is, one who is unsaved. He is not to be looked upon at that
time as a brother in the Lord but as one who does not know the Lord. Church
discipline is necessary because we all get out of line and have the ability to
drift. Church discipline is not to create an object of gossip or scorn, but it
is designed to bring a Christian back into the fold of obedience. (2 Th 3:6
KJV) Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye
withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after
the tradition which he received of us. Disorderly people tend to create a
following which can adversely affect the lives of any Christian who comes in
contact with them.
Mat 18:18 (KJB)
Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in
heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Just as we saw back in Matthew 16:19, the actions of discipline in the church
are backed up by Heaven when done according to the way it is stated in the
Bible. Now as to the case of “thou shalt bind” and “thou shalt loose.” Both of
these actions are backed up by Heaven. Now the response from Heaven is such,
“shall be bound” and “shall be loosed.” Now both of these are one word in the
Greek and are in the perfect tense. The perfect tense is the tense of the
completion of an action. It indicates a continuation and present state of a
completed past action. They may also be understood as “having been loosed” and
“having been bound.” They both show a past action that the loosing and binding
has already taken place and is not a future action but a continuous action which
is already sealed. It seems that what is in view is that if that brother who was
causing the problem refuses to repent of those actions, then he is acting just
like an unbeliever. This may also be a case of the person actually being an
unbeliever and is to be removed from the congregation to avoid causing trouble
among the flock and that is why he is to be treated as a publican or heathen,
because both of these people are unsaved and have no spiritual understanding.
They are the tares among the wheat and must be winnowed away.
Mat 18:19 (KJB)
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.
Jesus is telling them that there must also be agreement of at least two
brethren. Now this agreement is not for the purpose of trying to cajole God into
giving us what we want but goes much beyond that. I remember years ago a
charismatic tried to get me to believe that prayer will be answered if two are
in agreement about something. It goes beyond two people agreeing about
something. Suppose someone is praying for $10,000 and I agree in prayer in hopes
they get it so I could get a piece of that ten grand. Is that true agreement?
The answer is no. First of all the agreement must be according to the
Scriptures. If the agreement fulfills all the tenets of scripture for that
particular situation, then that is part of the agreement. Secondly, there must
be agreement with the will of God. If whatever is being agreed upon is according
to the will of God, then God will answer in that direction. Thirdly, there must
be spiritual agreement between the two. When both parties separate for a season
of prayer over something, and they come back with the same answers, then there
is agreement given them by the Holy Spirit and then you have true agreement.
Mat 18:20 (KJB)
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst
of them.
In the times of Jesus’ earthly ministry, it was required that ten men were
needed to make up a congregation according to Jewish law. It is called a Minyan
and the belief is that prayer is better in larger groups. However, Jesus is
telling them two things, that no minimum number is needed for Him to be in their
presence and this teaches us an attribute of deity. Jesus is stating His
Omnipresence which means He is everywhere at the same time. If there are three
gathered in New Zealand and three gathered in Brazil, then Jesus will be in
their midst. This also brings to light one other aspect and that Jesus will be
strategically involved in any type of church discipline and that is why it is
not to be taken lightly.