Matthew 18:20 2 or 3 = God is Present
What verse(s) in the Bible when you hear them read or you think about give you a warm fuzzy feeling?
A verse without a context is a pretext which means you have no text.
“In My Name”
the origin of this legend remains a mystery to me, it appears that the phrase “in My name” was probably connected to the idea of prayer. This seems all the more likely when verse 19 is considered because it explicitly references prayer. The phrase “in My name” is used several times in the New Testament in the context of prayer,
Instead of being a reference to prayer, the phrase means “under/in the authority of.”
When John’s Gospel uses it in the context of prayer, he is saying you should recognize that you are praying under the authority of someone else. In Matthew 18:5, it refers to welcoming a child under the authority of Jesus. In Matthew 24:5, these people are coming and pretending to be functioning under the authority of Jesus, claiming they themselves are the Messiah. A similar phrase is used in Matthew 28:19, saying disciples should be baptized “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Again this refers to authority, not prayer.
The Context for Matthew 18:20
A Closer look at Matthew 18:18-20
The idea of binding and loosing, or as the NLT translates it, “forbid” and “permit,” is reminiscent of Matthew 16:19 where these words are also used. These words relate to the authority given to the church. The idea is to communicate the seriousness of church discipline because church discipline relates to the concepts of forgiveness of sins and one’s eternal destiny.
Commentator David Turner expresses the seriousness this way: “Successively rejecting the overtures of a brother, two or three witnesses, and the church is tantamount to rejecting Jesus and the Father.”
The “two” mentioned in verse 19 probably refers back to the representatives of the church that have confronted the sinning person (cf. Matt 18:16). Jesus is explaining that the decision made by the church will be confirmed by God in heaven.
Verse 19 also mentions “any matter that you pray for” (HCSB). Nearly every other translation says “anything,” but the HCSB brilliantly states “any matter.” The typical Greek word used to say “anything” is not used in this verse (tis). For example, Matthew 21:3 contains the common word: “If anyone says anything to you” (emphasis added). But in Matthew 18:19, the words are a little different. The Greek word translated “matter” (HCSB) or “-thing” (most English versions) is a fairly uncommon word in the New Testament, occurring only eleven times (tis occurs a few hundred times).
The word in Matthew 18:19 can carry a legal connotation. The setting in Matthew is sin and confrontation. Jesus mentions bringing two or three witnesses, which brings to mind a legal or courtroom setting, especially for Jews in the first century. Deuteronomy says that a legal dispute requires multiple witnesses (see Deut 17:6; 19:15). This is the evidence for Matthew 18:20 being in a legal or courtroom context.
Disciplining people is a difficult process, turning them over to Satan for the destruction of their flesh (cf. 1 Cor 5:5), hoping they will be restored to the faith and that their souls will be saved on the day of judgment. Jesus provides comfort: his presence.
The Idea of God’s Presence
Matthew begins his Gospel in 1:23, saying, “See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name Him Immanuel, which is translated ‘God is with us’” (emphasis added). In Matthew 28:20, Jesus says, “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (emphasis added). Matthew bookends the entire Gospel with the concept of God’s presence.
So what is the proper way to view Matthew 18:20
In this process of church discipline, Jesus says to the people who are involved in it, “I am here; I am with you; I will be guiding this process.” Verse 19 has a reference to prayer because Jesus is saying people can have a right heart in this process or a wrong heart. Those involved need to have a prayerful, submissive, broken heart.
The seriousness of church discipline should be remembered. If it is done harshly or vindictively, the consequences can be horrific. But when it is done lovingly, gently, and patiently, it can be beautiful, even when repentance doesn’t occur. It’s a serious issue, and steps should be taken slowly and cautiously.
Jesus does mention praying over a matter of church discipline, but the main idea is that the church has the authority to enact discipline, and Jesus will be present as the guidelines he sets forth are followed.
While discipline can be a scary process to begin, those involved in the process, as they prayerfully proceed, should be comforted in knowing that Jesus is sovereign and is involved in the process. He has not left us alone; he has not left his church unattended.
David Turner concludes:
The flippant way in which Matthew 18:19 is often cited to assure small meetings of Christians that God is with them is disturbing because it twists a solemn passage into a cliché. No doubt God is present with any legitimate meeting of his people, whatever its size, and there is no need to mishandle Scripture to prove it. Taking this solemn passage out of context cheapens it and profanes the sacred duty of the church to maintain the harmony of its interpersonal relationships.