Matthew 18:18-19, Where two or three
Matthew 18:18-19 says: "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." (18:18-20)
The entire chapter hangs together and these three verses should be understood in light of its grand drift.
The disciples repeatedly argue about "greatness" and which of them should be the head man. They construed greatness in terms of who and how many people they could get under them and Jesus kept insisting that leadership was about how many people you could get under to serve (Matthew 18:1, Mark 9:33, Luke 9:46; 22:24-27 and compare John 13:1-17). Children were vulnerable and so were weak Christians and whoever took that into account and chose from a position of strength to become weak imitated God as he showed himself in Jesus Christ as he revealed the kingdom (reign) of God. Be sure to hear Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 and 2 Corinthians 11:28-29. "Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?"
In Matthew the kingdom (reign) of God is God coming to serve (Matthew 20:28) and by serving to redeem the weak and sinful. To live that spirit out is to make earth like heaven (Matthew 6:10).
To become one with the weak and sinful, to view them as in need of protection and deliverance and to act on that—that is greatness in the kingdom of heaven.
Everyone counts with God! Everyone, without exception. The weak and vulnerable (18:10) as well as the serious transgressor (18:15-17). All the lost sheep are counted as precious and should be sought for and when found, rejoiced over (18:12-14 and compare Luke 15, the entire chapter in light of 15:1-2). But because everyone counts with God those that are sinned against count with God and the transgressor’s sin is taken seriously (18:6-9). To proclaim or practice forgiveness of serious offences as a "let bygones be bygones and say nothing about it" matter is not God’s approach (see the later scary section, concluded by18:35).
In the case of the transgressor (serious offences are in view—to reduce the teaching to trivial concerns is to miss the point) he is to be pursued by the offended one (alone!). If that brings no repentance then witnesses are to be brought and if that doesn’t work the congregation is to be called in. We can argue about how rigid we are to follow this section (18:15-17) and that makes some sense—all isn’t clear. But to pretend to take it seriously without even an honest approach to its terms is shameful! And sin!
The pursuit of the transgressor is not to get rid of him. If this were carried out with the spirit of the reign of God it would be carried out because we think the transgressor precious. To the degree that we fall short of that, to that degree we fall short of the heart of the kingdom of God.
With all that as background we have 18:18-20. The verses deal with the restoration of sinners from sin, they deal with the finding of lost sheep, they deal with hopeful surgery if it comes to that. What the disciples do, what the church does (it isn’t only Peter—see 16:19 and leaders here) when it functions in the way outlined is to echo on earth the will of God in heaven. When they do that they have the Holy Father’s approval because they have the Holy Son in their presence, approving of what they do and expressing his own search through them.
In stark contrast to all that, there is 18:21-35. It’s an ugly picture! And is there a more solemn word of Christ in the gospels addressed to his people than 18:35?
©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.
Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.