Accountability in the Church
First, a disciple must admonish his or her fellow privately before taking any other steps (18:15).
Second, although disciples seek reconciliation, they must gather evidence in the proper order in case they later need proof of what transpired (18:16).
Third, if all else fails, the messianic community must publicly dissociate itself from a habitually sinning professed disciple (18:17).
18:15 go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If a matter can be settled without getting others involved, that will keep rumors and misunderstandings from multiplying and will keep the conflict from spreading (cf. Prov. 25:9). gained. The ultimate objective is restoration of the offending brother or sister to the path of discipleship.
18:15 between you and him alone Approaching the offender in private would avoid bringing shame on that person. It also would minimize the opportunity for misunderstanding and gossip.
Given standard ancient usage for “brother,” the sinning “brother” here is a member of one’s religious community, the church (Manson 1979: 210).19 Disciples must pursue the straying sheep (18:10–14), but certain very exceptional circumstances demand expulsion of wolves in sheep’s clothing who may not wish to leave (18:15–20; cf. 7:15–23). In this context of forgiveness to the fullest possible extent (18:21–27), however, even in the case of expulsion the ultimate goal remains restoration (cf. 18:19–20; 1 Cor 5:5; 2 Cor 2:5–11; 1 Tim 1:20; cf. also, e.g., Pfitzner 1982).
The unpardonable sin of this context is being a continuing stumbling block to others (18:6–7, 15),20 unwilling to accept them (18:28–33; cf. 18:1–14)—a sin that results in damnation (18:34–35). Presumably it is an unrepentant and continuing sin against the community or members of the community.
“Go” means taking the initiative; the person in the clear is not to wait for the sinner to come to him.
The aim is not to score points over him but to win him over (GK 3045; cf. 1Co 9:19–22; 1Pe 3:1), for all discipline, even this private kind, must begin with redemptive purposes (cf. Lk 17:3–4; 2Th 3:14–15; Jas 5:19–20). Jesus assumes that the individual who personally confronts a brother will do so with true humility (vv. 3–4; cf. Gal 6:1): if it is hard to accept a rebuke, even a private one, it is harder still to administer one in loving humility.
The word restore in Galatians 6:1 is a Greek medical word that means “to set a broken bone.” Think of the patience and tenderness that requires!
So he is to take with him47 a small number of others (one or two does not specify the number, but clearly a small group is meant; the matter is to be kept as quiet as possible).
If private confrontation does not work, the next step (backed by regulation regarding civil cases in Dt 19:15) is to take two or three witnesses. Jesus perceives a link joining his messianic community with ancient Israel. The function of the witnesses is likely to provide witnesses to the confrontation if the case were to go before the whole church.
When sin is not dealt with honestly, it always spreads. What was once a matter between two people has now grown to involve four or five people. No wonder Jesus and Paul both compared sin to leaven (yeast), because leaven spreads.
18:16 This procedure comes from Deut 19:15. Taking “one or two” people with you adds up to “two or three.” witnesses. Not eyewitnesses of the sin, but those who can testify as to how the attempt at reconciliation goes.
Gentile and tax collector describes those who are deliberately rebellious against God.
“Church” can mean the whole body of Christians, but it can also refer to a local group, and that is surely what is meant here. Yet this is still by way of appeal, for Jesus goes on to what is to be done if he does not heed the church. The implication is that the church will try to bring him to his senses.
Ultimately, if the sinner remains recalcitrant, the entire church community must in some sense be made aware of the offense so that the rebellious individual has nowhere to hide.
18:17 pagan … tax collector. Jesus regularly treats them with remarkable compassion. But he does not treat them as disciples until they repent. The removal of fellowship depicted here does not mean having no further contact with a person; rather it means not allowing them to retain positions reserved for Christians until they repent.
Fourth, God authorizes the messianic judicial assembly that follows these procedures to act on the authority of heaven (18:18).
To the church as a whole there is committed the responsibility of declaring what conduct is forbidden to the believer and what is permitted.
It is important that the local assembly be at its best spiritually before it seeks to discipline a member. When a church disciplines a member, it is actually examining itself and disciplining itself. This is why our Lord added these words about authority, prayer, and fellowship. We cannot discipline others if we ourselves are not disciplined. Whatever we loose (permit) in the assembly must first have been permitted by God (see the comments on Matt. 16:19).
Jesus affirms that he will be divinely present among his disciples as they seek unity in rendering decisions, which is rightly understood also as an affirmation of omnipresence and therefore of deity.
Fifth, the witnesses are to pray, not to act vindictively (18:19–20).
Finally, Jesus himself is the presence of God (18:20).
19. Next Matthew has a little section on prayer (which is not paralleled in the other Gospels). Again links this on as a fresh start;53 it is not a continuation of the teaching he has just been giving.
Here Jesus reiterates that actions of Christian discipline, following God’s guidelines, have his endorsement.
18:20 where two or three gather. While Christ is present in even the smallest gathering of his people, his point in this context is that heaven is in accord (v. 19) with believers who follow his instructions regarding church discipline. two or three. Corresponds to the two or three witnesses of v. 16.