Conversation Points for Matthew 18:15-20

Study Format:
1. Read passage aloud. What did you notice in the reading? What words or phrase caught your attention?
2. Read passage aloud a second time. What questions would you ask the text?
3. Read passage aloud a third time. What do you hear God calling you to do or be in response to this text?

Interesting Ideas to Consider:
• Chapter 18 is the fourth of the five long speeches of Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel. Commonly thought of as the “Community Discourse,” chapter 18 forms the parallel to the Missionary Discourse in chapter 10. While the Missionary Discourse was directed at how the disciples were to live in the world, the Community Discourse was for how the disciples were to live with each other.
• These are not general rules for personal relationships, but are church rules for helping grow Christian congregational life. As an example, in the ELCA Churchwide Constitution, in the section on the disciplinary process for members, it references Matthew 18:15-17. “20.41.02. Discipline for an offense shall be administered consistent with the procedure which Christ instructed his disciples to follow (Matthew 18:15–17), proceeding through these successive steps, as necessary…”
• The Greek translated as “member” is adelphos, which in other places is translated as “brother.” V. 17’s reference to the church (ekklesia) makes “member” probably the proper translation here, but it does obscure the family nature of the church in Matthew’s understanding.
• “Against you” in not present in several of the more well regarded manuscripts. Good arguments can be made both for and against its inclusion. Without it, then the emphasis is on sin in general, and a concerned Christian’s role in intervening. With it, then the focus is on what to do in personal offense. Though sin is a communal concern, such communal concern is no reason to disregard the feelings of the accused. Thus the sensitive approach of addressing the accused privately.
• The taking of two “witnesses” in v. 16 is in line with the long-held Jewish tradition outlined in Deuteronomy 19:15: “A single witness shall not suffice to convict a person of any crime or wrongdoing in connection with any offence that may be committed. Only on the evidence of two or three witnesses shall a charge be sustained.”
• “Church” here specifically refers to the local congregation, and not the wider body of believers. This is probably a section focused directly on Matthew’s community, similar to the way our own church constitution and bylaws function.

Works Sourced:
Boring, M. Eugene. “The Gospel of Matthew.” The New Interpreter’s Bible Volume VIII. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1995.