Set up a meeting with the person in a private setting and allow the pastor to confront that person with at least one witness present. Scripture is clear: The church must practice biblical church discipline toward professing Christians who persist in known sin. In our culture the closest equivalence would be civil or criminal offenses, not petty local church squabbles. 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." The manner, too, was in itself remarkable. For the first time in my life I dont feel like there is something wrong with me. rev2023.3.3.43278. Make sure the person has been confronted by all the members of the elders before taking it to the next level. Church discipline repairs the fellowship, keeps its members in the flock, and sanctifies the church. The ESV Study Bible has this to say about Matthew 18:16: "Evidence of two or three witnesses follows the guideline in Deut. David's own heart smote him, when he had cut off Saul's skirt, and when he had numbered the people; but (which is very strange) we do not find that it smote him in the matter of Uriah, till Nathan told him, Thou art the man. And they, many times, were arguing about these things, the greatest. All rights reserved. I think that it is important that we have, and somehow can conceptionalize this. My object, of course, is to point out as clearly as possible the structure of the gospel, and to explain according to my measure why there are these strong differences between the gospels of Matthew and the rest, as compared with one another. Then follows another incident, which equally proves that the Spirit of God is not here reciting the facts in their natural succession; for it is assuredly not at this moment historically that the Lord goes into the house of Peter, sees there his wife's mother laid sick of a fever, touches her hand, and raises her up, so that she ministers unto them at once. The passage has nothing to do with a warm feeling in a church meeting from the presence of the Lord. It is about Jesuss manifest presence among the community when it engages in the hard work of maintaining peace and going the extra mile to resolve conflicts. Treating the sinner as a tax-gatherer or Gentile would be difficult for only leadership to carry out as the rest of the church (without being briefed on the circumstance) may wonder why he/she is being treated that way. . it is told you and you have heard of it, then you shall inquire 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. We often mistake grace for silence. The contrast between the debts is staggering. 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. 81. z T. Hieros. Besides the general regard God has to the prayers of the saints, he is particularly pleased with their union and communion in those prayers. And, if a man has any conscience left, there is nothing which will haunt him more. In Matthew 13:1-58 we have the well-known sketch of these new ways of God. We may take this great promise of Jesus into two spheres. And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, he is to be to you asa Gentile anda tax collector. There Jesus says, "If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. The ninety-and-nine were not enough; one sheep was out on the hillside and the shepherd could not rest until he had brought it home. One thing is certain: Matthew 18 does not apply to the systemic abuse of people by ecclesial leaders. Mt 18:21-22 correspond to Lk 17:4; the parable and the final warning are peculiar to Matthew. I believe that was Podcast 18. In other words there is no reckonable limit to forgiveness. He could and did form His instruments according to His own sovereign will. Rather Matthew 18 presents the extenuating lengths we must go to in order to bring peace and restitution. This as yet draws out wonder, at least from the witnessing multitudes, that God had given such power unto men. Here is a very revealing question, followed by a very revealing answer. Some issues do not require Matthew 18. Forgiveness is a matter of heart. Men little weigh what their words will sound and prove in the day of judgment. The first impression is that the man must be abandoned as hopeless and irreclaimable, but that is precisely what Jesus cannot have meant. That is a must. (i) First and foremost, there is the quality which is the keynote of the whole passage, the child's humility. What can be simpler than that John put the question through his disciples, because he (not they only) had a question in the mind? They can manipulate a group of individuals and thus control and shape a communitys experiential reality: a reality that too often accrues to the material, social, or psychological benefit of the church leadership. That name gives to what they do an authority on earth, and an acceptableness in heaven. Although reconciliation is the ultimate goal of Matthew 18, if there is no repentance for sin, believers "must gather evidence in the proper order in case they later need proof of what transpired."665 The final disposition would be removal from the fellowship of the church (vv. We may go further. 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. The leper approaches the Lord with homage, but with a most inadequate belief in His love and readiness to meet his need. Today, the assembly/Parlaiment in Israel is known as the Knesset. If that is the case, and it is to be rigidly and legalistically applied, Paul apparently failed Matthew 18 because he received a second-hand report from those of Chloes house (1 Cor. If this be a sound judgment, the comparison of the first chapter of Mark affords decisive evidence that the Holy Ghost in Matthew has taken the leper out of the mere time and circumstances of actual occurrence, and has reserved his case for a wholly different service. To eat with unwashed hands defileth not a man. And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. Certainly, God-fearing Gentiles, such as Cornelius (Acts 10), do exist in the New Testament days, but they are not the norm. The Jews ground corn by crushing it between two circular stones. 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. 18 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. Jesus revealed almost nothing about the church in the Gospels, as the absence of references to it in these books indicates. their salvation. When a man of that congregation is accused of having an incestuous relationship with his stepmother, Paul commands he be removed from their midst (1 Corinthians 5:1-2). Next, He lays bare the capricious unbelief of man, only consistent in thwarting every thing and one that God employs for his good; then, His own entire rejection where He had most laboured. To the Jew it was the symbol of utter destruction. All rights reserved. It would have saved me years of heartache. Regardless of how many times offenders do them wrong, believers must still forgive them (Matthew 18:21-22). Jesus blessedly answered their thoughts, had there only been a conscience to hear the word of power and grace, which brings out His glory the more. 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 Gehenna ( G1067) was the valley of Hinnom, a valley below the mountain of Jerusalem. Your book on praise and worship woke me up to the new covenant reality. That is specially so if he goes out from a protected home where no evil influence was ever allowed to play upon him. ________________________________________________. Jesus was there to call, not righteous men, but sinners. Thus the point that meets us in the conclusion of the chapter is, that while every character, every measure of giving up for His name's sake, will meet with the most worthy recompence and result, man can as little judge of this as he can accomplish salvation. Ought you not to have had pity on your fellow-servant, as I had pity on you?' 15If your brother or sister[a] sins,[b] go and point out their fault,(A) just between the two of you. If they are to be confident that their actions carry Gods authority, they will not act in haste or out of personal prejudice. All turns on that which was suitable to such a God, the giver of His own Son. As for the Gentile, the Lord's proffer to go and heal his servant brought out the singular strength of his faith. I think your seminar on understanding the prophetic persona should be mandato. essayed to destroy the testimony with their utmost and blasphemous contempt. While contextually the steps outlined in verses 1520 refer to private disputes, similarities exist in cases of congregational discipline. In most situations the scope of public announcement would be a local church congregation, the particular collection of disciples of which the wayward brother is a part. It is worth more than having a whole body.As we were talking to you last Sunday about the trapping of muskrats, how that if you catch them by their paws, they turn around and gnaw their leg off and leave the paw in the trap. (1.) Let none suppose that, in giving my own convictions, I have the presumptuous thought of putting these forward as if they were the sole motives in God's mind. Had there been a single thing good in Israel, their choicest guides would have stood that test. The Church, which is His body and bride, has a far more intimate place, even though true of the same persons. In meeting or worship, we must have an eye to Christ; must come together by virtue of his warrant and appointment, in token of our relation to him, professing faith in him, and in communion with all that in every place call upon him. Father give to me the spirit of forgiveness. With them they had no religious contact or communion. "My daughter is even now dead, but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live." Am I missing something, or did not the Church start soon after the death and resurrection of our LORD Jesus Christ? It is important Christians take the necessary steps to promote reconciliation and peace rather than strife and tension. The universal Church is in view in Matthew 16:18. Jesus says that, if two upon earth agree upon any matter for which they are praying, they will receive it from God. And if he neglects to hear them, then take him before the church: but if he neglects to hear the church, then let him be as a heathen, a publican [a sinner, a rank sinner]. that man or that woman who has done this evil deed, to your gates, . All will not be the wise that understand, nor those who instruct the mass in righteousness. In todays context, in our own various models of ekklesia, Matthew 18 models for us Christs personal humility and call to love one another, its not about bringing the muscleits about dialing down the energy. Believe Him and trust Him and He will work in you. In Matthew 18:15-17, Jesus is giving instructions in how to correct a local church member who has fallen into a sin. I feel like the past few years I am having to deprogram myself and relearn a lot. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard . God I am angry with what they've done. Start FREE. The church should be able to influence its own members positively when they go astray. I do not pretend to say this was the only purpose served; far be it from me to think of restraining the Spirit of God within the narrow bounds of our vision. This chapter 18 conversation took place in private, in a house (see commentary on Matthew 18:1-5). The Saviour, while He puts forth His hand, touching him as man, and yet as none but Jehovah might dare to do, dispels the hopeless disease at once. This is equivalent to the Shechinah, or special presence of God in the tabernacle and temple of old, Exodus 40:34; 2 Chronicles 5:14. Do not stay till he comes to thee, but go to him, as the physician visits the patient, and the shepherd goes after the lost sheep." [1] For a fuller treatment of this topic see: The Rescue of Matthew 18 available at Amazon.com in softcover and Kindle format. J. WESLEY. Especially is this situation true in the case of a new convert. 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? Josephus calls hell an everlasting prison. 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. He is perfectly content to be utterly dependent on those who love him and care for him. I wish I would have seen all of that when I was younger. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. Take another person with you or another two people with you, and face him with the issue again. The scribe had no heart for the hidden glory. There certainly is a protocol that Jesus outlines in Matthew 18:15-17 about correcting brethren in sin, but when should it be applied? The debt which a fellow-servant owed him was a trifling thing; it was 100 denarii ( G1220) ; a denarius ( G1220) was worth about 4 pence in value; and therefore the total debt was less than 5 British pounds. The truth of this is apparent, if we compare the gospel of Mark. Sounds like the Mafia here, but I am all for it. ", 2. Always the refuse was burning there, and a pall of smoke and a glint of smouldering fire surrounded it. Thus Matthew, called at the very receipt of custom, follows Jesus, and makes a feast for Him. Matthew 1:18-19. This is surely the simplest of all the parables of Jesus, for it is the simple story of a lost sheep and a seeking shepherd. Assemblies of Christians for holy purposes are hereby appointed, directed, and encouraged. And I will receive God's help, if I am willing. The context, as well as the New Testament parallels to this exhortation, shows that Jesus had exclusion in mind (cf. Photo Credit: iStock/Getty Images Plus/fizkes. 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. (iv) Finally it stresses the supreme importance of the child. There am I, not only I will be there, but I am there; as if he came first, is ready before them, they shall find him there; he repeated this promise at parting (Matthew 28:20; Matthew 28:20), Lo, I am with you always. The fact that you cannot see Him is of no import at all. The woman at last meets the heart and mind of Jesus in the sense of all her utter nothingness before God; and then grace, which had wrought all up to this, though pent-up, can flow like a river; and the Lord can admire her faith, albeit from Himself, God's free gift. This sets forth not at all the way in which the Christian stands related to Christ; for even though we had known Him after the flesh, henceforth know we Him no more. (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 "went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people." My wife has been freed. What He was introducing could not mix with Judaism. Outwardly it was a condition of comparative cleanness. The question of the disciples was: "Who will be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?" the apostle directs there (Matthew 18:5; Matthew 18:5), Is there not a wise man among you? 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.". But if he neglect to hear the church: the advice they should give unto him, the reproof they should think proper for him, or the censure they should pass upon him. When he began to make a reckoning one debtor was brought to him who owed him 2,400,000 British pounds. Matthew says that, if even that does not succeed, then the man who has wronged us is to be regarded as a Gentile and a tax-collector. They said to His disciples, "Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?" "And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth." (iv) The love of God is a rejoicing love. 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. If they listen to you, you have won them over. It betrays the Spirit of Christ, even while professing and attempting fidelity to the text. When we think of punishment, we can only say, "Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?" "The community is authorized to determine If this also fails, the entire community of believers should appeal to the offender. (ii) Second, there is the quality of responsibility ( Matthew 18:5-7). Mark gives them in the end of his second and the beginning of his third chapters. Conflict resolution is never easy. It does not seem exactly as a pictorial view of what the Lord was doing, or going to do, but rather the repeated pledge, that they were not to suppose that the evil He had judged in the elders of Jerusalem, or the grace freely going out to the Gentiles, in any way led Him. If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. But it is just possible that this passage is not to be taken so much personally as in connection with the Church. Every time discipline is administered it must be for the purpose of restoration. 4) THE SPIRITUAL COMPOSITION OF THE CHURCH (MATTHEW 16:18) a) The Lord Jesus builds the church out of living stones. "Then," said the Lord, "are the children free. [1.] It is a picture of what was about to take place when the Lord Jesus, quitting Israel and the earth, ascends on high, and all assumes another form not the reign upon earth, but intercession in heaven. The pasture land is on the hill country which runs like a backbone down the middle of the land. None the less does the Lord uphold it, purged of what accretions had come in to obscure its original and proper character. Your book on healing has touched me in such a deep way. Receiving a little child in Jesus' name refers to complete acceptance of a child-like believer because of his innocent and unrestrained trust in the Lord. New International Version (NIV). The presence of Christ in the assemblies of Christians, Matthew 18:20; Matthew 18:20. So thoroughly is it in view of Israel that our Lord does not say one word here about the Church, or the intervening condition of Christendom. And when the devil was come out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel." Hence it is that He has grouped together circumstances which make this plain, without raising the question of when they occurred; in fact, they range over a large space, and, otherwise viewed, are in total disorder. And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?" Then, after the parable of the mustard seed (ver. To the child a state of dependence is perfectly natural. So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very grieved, and they came and told their lord all that he did. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands." As we have often seen, it is Matthew's consistent custom to gather together the teaching of Jesus under certain great heads; he arranges it systematically. The Terrible Responsibility ( Matthew 18:5-7; Matthew 18:10 Continued). "According to your faith be it done unto you.". The ten thousand talent debt would take to carry it an army of about 8,600 carriers, each carrying a sack of sixpences 60 lbs. In the time of Jesus the flocks were often communal flocks; they belonged, not to an individual, but to a village. ], PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS ( Matthew 18:1-35 ). Note, Those should think it high time to repent and reform, who see their misconduct become a general offence and scandal. Having said that, I believe the Church in your question simply refers to a group members in your local fellowship. The Parables of Christ Their Uniqueness and Interpretation, Marriage Rx Medicine for the Common Marriage, Jesus Through Eastern Eyes Archived Video Is Available, Understanding the Prophetic Mind, Temperament, and Calling Seminar, Life in the New Covenant Video Series Episode One, The Lords Prayer #4 The Life and Love of Father, The Lords Prayer Part 3 Thankfulness, The Lords Prayer Part 1 Introduction, The Lords Prayer Part 2 Jesus Our Rabbi, Vision Casting in Christian Leadership. 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. Someone tells of an old man who was dying; he was obviously sorely troubled. You say," Lord, problems." Your blog on the cleansing of the Temple was EPIC in my life! Thus the great tree and the leavened mass are in fact the two sides of Christendom. Matthew's church regards Gentiles and tax collectors as a mission field. 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. It is the death-blow to human tradition and ordinance in divine things, and in reality depends on the truth of the absolute ruin of man a truth which, as we see, the disciples were very slow to recognize. There were, therefore, usually two or three shepherds with them. We just dont like the answer. But if he neglect to hear the church, let him be - The Jews gave the name heathen or Gentile to all other nations but themselves. get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! And the servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, O Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you all. As far as the idea of elders being anachronistic with the moment the Lord mentioned. "Oh, I forgive you, but you do that again, you're going to get it. This rule was then in a special manner requisite, when the civil government was in the hands of such as were not only aliens, but enemies. . The Old Testament tells the story that Jesus completes. Matthew 18:17 applies to local churches. But, from first to last, what a trial of spirit, and what triumph! What then did he mean? Does this scribe offer to follow Jesus? The Church is the Body of Christ; if that body is to be healthy and health-giving, that which has the seeds of cancerous and poisonous infection in it must be even surgically removed. This is fully explained by the apostle (1 Corinthians 6:1-20), where he reproves those that went to law before the unjust, and not before the saints (Matthew 18:1; Matthew 18:1), and would have the saints to judge those small matters (Matthew 18:2; Matthew 18:2) that pertain to this life, Matthew 18:3; Matthew 18:3. 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. Nor is this all. The Lord is saying it's got to be more than just a forgiving of words. If he had left them with no guardian he would have come back to find still more of them gone; but he could leave them in the care of his fellow-shepherds, while he sought the wanderer. This is one of the accusations against Jesus: He eats with sinners. If God was there, what else could He, would He do? The church of Jesus in Matthew 18:17 is made up of disciples according to Matthew 16:20. Accordingly, notice that, in the manner in which the Holy Ghost introduces it, there is no statement of time whatever. In truth, this was Emmanuel, God with us. Why do so many Christians fail the "practice what you preach" standard? The church may here mean the whole assembly of believers, or it may mean those who are authorized to try such cases - the representatives of the church, or these who act for the church. Our human pictures, and our human time-scheme, fail; this is in the hands of God. If we turn toMark 1:1-45; Mark 1:1-45, the proof of what I have said will appear as to the leper. There are many lovely characteristics in a child--the power to wonder, before he has become deadeningly used to the wonder of the world; the power to forgive and to forget, even when adults and parents treat him unjustly as they so often do; the innocence, which, as Richard Glover beautifully says, brings it about that the child has only to learn, not to unlearn; only to do, not to undo. (ii) Why should that be so? Read the Scripture: Matthew 18:15-18. And the last verse actually seems to give the Church the power to retain and to forgive sins. One of the earliest interpretations of this saying of Jesus was that the two or three are father, mother, and child, and that it means that Jesus is there, the unseen guest in every home. I have to thank you for your blog and books. Alas for the world because of stumbling-blocks! one witness. Read the Scripture: Matthew 18:20 Three of the vital areas of our lives are the church, the home and the nation. Matthew 11:1-30, exceedingly critical for Israel, and of surpassing beauty, as it is, must not be passed over without some few words. 10) has a terrible account of a Galilaean revolt in which the Galilaeans took the supporters of Herod and drowned them in the depths of the Sea of Galilee. And that means everyone needs to leave the bludgeon at home.. How little they had learnt the divine lesson of grace, not ordinances! But the next verse will make it more plain; Matthew 18:18, Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, &c. By the church then must be meant those who had power to bind and loose. Does this passage apply to how Christians and churches should handle public sins, including moral trespasses and false teaching? Well you file a malpractice suit against me for quackery for saying, "We'll, just let it go and see what happens".And I said, "You're coming to me with a spiritual malady that is more deadly then cancer. After this our Lord sees great multitudes following Him, and gives commandment to go to the other side. Systemic abuse and corruption are to be exposed: shouted from the housetops by any one, at any time. If the censures of the church duly follow the institution of Christ, his judgments will follow the censures of the church, his spiritual judgments, which are the sorest of all other, such as the rejected Jews fell under (Romans 11:8), a spirit of slumber; for Christ will not suffer his own ordinances to be trampled upon, but will say amen to the righteous sentences which the church passes on obstinate offenders. So the simplest form of the church is just two or three people getting together to worship the Lord, to pray together. How should Christians handle disputes (Matthew 18:15-17)? 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? 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. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.