ACC ~ Matthew 18 v18 - 20

OVERVIEW:

The authorization of the church to discipline its members comes from Christ and promises to be binding in heaven (AUGUSTINE). People who do not want to be loosed from the bond of sin but draw sin to themselves so as to become alienated from the saints are alienated also from the church in heaven (THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA). When people have been duly bound and condemned, they remain bound insofar as none of those in heaven rescinds the judgment of the one by whom they were bound (ORIGEN). It is not the one who has called for accountability that is to blame but the one who is unwilling to be admonished (CHRYSOSTOM). How important a place the unanimity and harmony of Christians hold with God! We can know this from the fact that the Lord has clearly said that when two or three pray in unanimity, the Father grants everything (CHROMATIUS). The reason we do not achieve our desires and prayers is our own fault, when we do not agree together either in our thoughts or in our way of life (ORIGEN). Individual members have their own duty of personal prayer, but they will not be able to fulfill that duty if they come to common worship, to the beauty of that perfect body, still wrapped up in themselves (PETER CHRYSOLOGUS).

18:18 | Bound on Earth and in Heaven

THE CONFIRMING JUDGMENT OF HEAVEN

ORIGEN: After stating that the one judged is viewed as a heathen and tax collector, something else is added which is well put: “Truly, I say to you”—clearly to those judging someone to be as a heathen and tax collector—“whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven.” For he who has three times admonished him and not been heard has justly bound him, and that man is then to be thought judged as a heathen and tax collector. Therefore when a man like this has been bound and condemned by someone, he remains bound insofar as none of those in heaven rescinds the judgment of the man by whom he was bound. So too the man who has once been warned and does things worthy of being won back is released through the warning of the one who wins him back. He is no longer bound by the bonds of his sins for which he was warned and bound; he will be judged by those in heaven as set free. COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 13.31. [1]

[1] GCS 40:268-69; ANF 9:493.

WHATEVER YOU BIND ON EARTH

AUGUSTINE: This then is what we have heard the Lord advising, and with such great particularity that he himself adds, “Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” So the very moment you begin to hold your brother as an outsider to the covenant community, “you bind him on earth.” But see to it that you bind him justly. For unjust bonds will by justice soon be burst apart. … When you have admonished him and have been “reconciled to your brother,” you have thereby “loosed him on earth.” And when “you shall have loosed him on earth, he shall be loosed in heaven” also. So this is a weighty matter. You do this not for yourself but for him. For the harm he has done is not primarily to you but to himself. SERMON 82.7. [1]

[1] PL 38:509; NPNF 1 6:359 (Sermon 32).

WHATEVER YOU LOOSE ON EARTH

THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: Well introduced were the words “whatever you loose,” since he shows that if they loose those who repent, their action has power, since the church in heaven and on earth is one. Anyone who does not want to be loosed from the bond of his sin but draws it to himself by the alienation of the saints is alienated also from the church in heaven and accordingly is also bound by it. Hence, if one is earnest about being loosed and receives the loosing of the saints when they “ratify their love for him,” [1] as Paul teaches, he will belong in the heavenly church and be loosed from the bondage of the judgment. FRAGMENT 96. [2]

[1] Cf. 2 Cor 2:8.

[2] MKGK 130-31.

THE CALL TO ACCOUNTABILITY

CHRYSOSTOM: He did not say to the leader of the church, “bind him” but “if you bind him,” leaving the whole entire decision to the one aggrieved. Only after a due process do the bonds remain unbreakable, and so he will suffer the worst fate. It is not the one who has called for accountability that is to blame but the one who had not been willing to be persuaded. Do you see how Christ has bound him with a twofold constraint, both by the chastisement here and by the punishment hereafter? He threatens the one punishment to prevent the other from happening. Thus, by fearing both rejection from the church and the threat of being bound in heaven, he may become better behaved. And knowing these things, if not at the beginning, at any rate through so many judgments he will put off his anger. For this reason, Jesus set up a first and a second and a third judging. He does not immediately cut him down, so that if he does not obey the first, he may still yield to the second. But if he rejects that too, he may still respect the third. But if he takes no account of this third danger, let him be terrified of future punishment, of God’s sentence and vengeance. THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 60.2. [1]

[1] PG 58:585; NPNF 1 10:373-74.

18:19 | Done for Them by the Heavenly Father

EARTH AND HEAVEN IN HARMONY

ORIGEN: Concord occurs in two kinds: first, in agreement of thought, when two minds think the same ideas (as the apostle called it) and have the same thoughts. Second, in agreement of will, in living similar lives. But since “If two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by Jesus’ Father in heaven,” if something is asked of the Father in heaven and is not granted, it is clear that the two here on earth are not in harmony. The reason why we do not achieve our desires and prayers is our own fault: we do not agree either in our thoughts or in our way of life. Besides, if we are the body of Christ and “God arranged the members in the body, each one of them … so that the members may have the care for one another, and if one member suffers all suffer together; if one member is honored all rejoice together,” [1] then we must practice the harmony that comes from God’s music, so that when we are gathered in Christ’s name, Christ may be in our midst, who is God’s word and wisdom and power. COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 14.1. [2]

[1] 1 Cor 12:18, 25-26.

[2] GCS 40:276-77; ANF 9:495.

IF TWO OR THREE PRAY TOGETHER

CHROMATIUS: How important a place the unanimity and harmony of brothers hold with God! We can know from this very fact that the Lord has clearly said that when two or three pray in unanimity, the Father grants everything from heaven. For with God nothing is more pleasing than brotherly peace, nothing better than unanimity and harmony, according to what is written: “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity. [1] And again: “There is great peace among those who love your name, [2] and there is no stumbling block for them.” [3] And in another place: “The God who makes us live in harmony in the house.” [4] So Isaiah also testified: “Lord,” he said, “our God, give us peace. For you have given us everything.” [5] That this harmony of brothers is pleasing to God, the Holy Spirit declared through Solomon, saying, “There are three things which are pleasing to God and men: harmony of brothers, love of one’s neighbors and the union of man and woman.” [6] So quite rightly the Lord in this passage testifies that when two or three come together on earth, whatever they ask for, all is granted by the Father. TRACTATE ON MATTHEW 59.1. [7]

[1] Ps 133:1 (132:1 LXX).

[2] According to Codex Alexandrinus.

[3] Cf. Ps 119:165 (118:165 LXX).

[4] Cf. Ps 68:6 (67:7 LXX).

[5] Is 26:12.

[6] Sir 25:1.

[7] CCL 9a:492.

18:20 | Where Two or Three Gather in My Name

TWO OR THREE

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: Christ gives to those who are allotted the duty of teaching the power to loose and to bind. So when those who have once fallen do not convert to the pursuit of virtue, they must fear the voices of the saints, even if they are not many who make the petition to bind or loose. For Christ has assured us of this, saying that there will be strength in the prayers of many, but that even if only two in number harmoniously and deliberately define their requests, they will come to their goal. “For I will be with you,” he says, “and will support you if only two are gathered, because of me.” For it is not the number of those gathered but the strength of their piety and their love of God that is effective. FRAGMENT 215. [1]

[1] MKGK 224.

THE BEAUTY OF THE WHOLENESS OF THE BODY

PETER CHRYSOLOGUS: There are those who presume that the congregation of the church can be disregarded. They assert that private prayers should be preferred to those of an honorable assembly. But if Jesus denies nothing to so small a group as two or three, will he refuse those who ask for it in the assemblies and congregation of the church? This is what the prophet believed and what he exults over having obtained when he states, “I will confess to you, O Lord, with my whole heart, in the council and congregation of the righteous.” [1] A man “confesses with his whole heart” when in the council of the saints he hears that everything which he has asked will be granted him.

Some, however, endeavor to excuse under an appearance of faith the idleness that prompts their contempt for assemblies. They omit participation in the fervor of the assembled congregation and pretend that they have devoted to prayer the time they have expended upon their household cares. While they give themselves up to their own desires, they scorn and despise the divine service. These are the people who destroy the body of Christ. They scatter its members. They do not permit the full form of its Christ-like appearance to develop to its abundant beauty—that form which the prophet saw and then sang about: “You are beautiful in form above the sons of men.” [2]

Individual members do indeed have their own duty of personal prayer, but they will not be able to fulfill it if they come to the beauty of that perfect body wrapped up in themselves. There is this difference between the glorious fullness of the congregation and the vanity of separation that springs out of ignorance or negligence: in salvation and honor the beauty of the whole body is found in the unity of the members. But from the separation of the viscera there is a foul, fatal and fearful aroma. SERMON 132.4-5. [3]

[1] Ps 111:1 (110:1 LXX).

[2] Cf. Is 52:14.

[3] CCL 24b:811-12; FC 17:217-18.