For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (Matthew 18:20)This is probably the most misused verse to do with Jesus presence in the whole bible. Lets look at it in context first, so we know what it means:
“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 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. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (Matthew 18:15-20)
Restoration Begins In Private
Beginning at v15, we see that the thrust of the paragraph is about one person wronging another, and how to deal with that. The first idea here is to go alone to the person and not to spread what that person has done to everyone you talk to, in some sort of attempt to feel better about your position. This way you can sort out the issue together and often things can be quickly resolved if there was an oversight or a genuine misunderstanding.
You will notice the numbering system in v16 for step 2 if the person doesn’t listen to you by yourself (one or two people along with you: 2 or 3 witnesses). This is not just some arbitrary set of wingmen who are likely to agree with you, but people who can look at things objectively and so actually be useful in the mediation process.
“On the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses the one who is to die shall be put to death; a person shall not be put to death on the evidence of one witness.” (Deuteronomy 17:6) The Law of Moses had already outlined in excruciating detail how to deal with this kind of thing, and Jesus refers to this not to tell people something new, but to refer them to their own (and Gods) Law.
What we see here is the same system of accountability that we use today in a court of law, and that most businesses and organisation deem appropriate course of action when someone is being accused of something. Its literally a fair trial.
So back to the text: Jesus hypothetical situation sees someone charged with an unknown offence. Jesus advises that if you can’t deal with it on your own, you should allow others to take a listen to both sides in an unbiased way.
It May Get Worse Before It Gets Better
The third step is pretty dramatic really. If one party or the other doesn't listen to unbiased reason, we are told to bring it to the church (particularly to leaders/pastors/elders). Just think about how serious a thing has to be for church to stop proceedings and collectively deal with the matter together. There are all sorts of reasons for this. One of the reasons is submitting to the authority of the elders, men who have volunteered in the eyes of God to look after the spiritual well-being of the church, men who will be accountable on day for how well or badly they led Gods family (Hebrews 13:17, James 3:1). The other part of this is public accountability. It stops church leaders from making decisions behind closed doors that the church does not agree with, and allows the whole church to see the logical progression of thought and the outcome right there and then. This actually goes against most traditions taught in churches (who like to keep things on the down-low) and also applies just as much to elders:
“Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear. In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality.” (1 Timothy 5:19-21)
Notice the repetition of the reason: so that there is no favouritism (partiality). The elders do have authority from God, but they are not exempt from discipline, under the same steps. They are not above reproach.
Also notice the result. If a party is unrepentant, dissociation is necessary… it’s not a nice thing but it’s what Jesus commands. There is good reason for this though, and that’s why the verse we started with is so vital: the case has been brought through a process that God approves of. Two or three people seeking the will of God (gathered in His name). This of course doesn’t mean that the process carries with it the authority of God, because of course we are all human, but it carries with it the idea that it a God-ordained promise.
It should also be noted from v15 that the real point of church discipline is not to cut out dead wood, separate the good form the bad, but to spiritually restore someone who has fallen (Galatians 6:1). Even if the person is so out of line and unrepentant that there has to be the dramatic and painful step of separation, the point is still the saving and restoring of this person to God (1 Corinthians 5:5). We must trust God with this, and that his family will be strengthened in Christ because of this process.
Not A Magic Formula
This verse in Matthew 18 in its correct context is talking about the correct form of church discipline and not somehow summoning the presence of Jesus. Lets look for a moment at what that would mean if the verse did mean such a thing. When we say that Christ is in our midst when two are three are gathered, particularly to pray, we imply that He is not present when we pray alone. That is an unthinkable thing to say out loud, but some take it to such lengths. I came across one group that felt that prayer was more effective if at least 2 or 3 prayed about it together, like we were somehow able to collectively twist Gods arm. Christ is in your presence now because he is omnipresent and is in the immediate presence of all creation at all times.
Praying something like “Lord you promised that when two or three are gathered in your name, you would be in our midst. So Lord we are here and so because of this we call upon you to hear and answer our prayers”… should really say something like “God, you promised that if we danced the dance and chanted the chant that you would turn up in the magic circle… we’ve tick all our boxes so you better show up and do what we ask”. That right there is the height of idolatry. We do not follow some polytheistic set of incantations to somehow keep the presence of God with us. God is bigger than that.