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“As Moses lifted up the serpent [the serpent made of bronze described in Numbers 21:8–9] in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that whosoever believes in Him will have eternal life, for God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten [uniquely born] Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
“…for by grace you are saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, lest any man should boast.”
Above is the content of John 3:14–16 and the content of Ephesians 2:8–9, respectively. Itʼs worthwhile to refrain from receiving the mark referenced in Revelation 13:11–18 and to instead receive eternal life for free by believing that Jesus is the Savior. Before doing any Bible studying and before praying to God the Father, it is useful for a person who has believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior to try to think of any sins that one might have committed since one last confessed oneʼs known post-salvation sins to God the Father, and if one has indeed committed any, to then silently confess those sins to God the Father—confessing only one time for each sin—in accordance with what is mentioned in 1 John 1:9:
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
This webpage could be periodically updated. If there is a mass disappearance of people professing to be Christians, and if the original author of this webpage is amongst those people disappearing en masse, then it is possible that this webpage will no longer be updated. Also, if there is a mass disappearance of people professing to be Christians, it is worthwhile to consider the possibility that those people have exited from the earth on the occasion known as the Rapture instead of assuming that that mass disappearance involves extraterrestrials abducting those people or involves the annihilation of those people or involves anything else other than the Rapture.
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archive.is/John314-16.com/Matthew_18-15_and_the_Other_Verses_of_Matthew_18-15–22-Print_Version.html
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Also, it is possible that it is worthwhile to print this content in case of time periods involving lack of Internet connectivity.
When studying the Word of God, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of Hebrews 4:12:
“Indeed, the Word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit and of the joints and the marrow and is a critic of thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Note: The heart refers to the mind.
It is also beneficial to keep in mind the content of 2 Timothy 3:16–17 when studying the Word of God:
“All Scripture is God breathed and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God might be mature, having been thoroughly furnished unto all good work.”
It is the responsibility of a pastor-teacher to endeavor to correctly understand the Word of God and then to accurately teach the Word of God, as per the content of 2 Timothy 2:15:
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the Word of Truth.”
A pastor-teacher is a communicator rather than a crutch on which to be leaned. In that regard, a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ should refrain from putting oneʼs trust in and thereby serving as a devoted follower of and thus worshiping a pastor-teacher. Likewise, a believer should refrain from putting oneʼs trust in and thereby serving as a devoted follower of and thus worshiping anyone other than the Trinity [God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit], as per Joshua 24:15, the content of which references Joshua speaking to the Israelites:
If it is disagreeable/bad/evil/wrong/wretchedness/displeasing in your sight to serve/worship Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One, choose for yourselves today whom you serve/worship: whether the gods ['elohiym / false gods] which your fathers have served/worshiped which were beyond the river or the gods ['elohiym / false gods] of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house, we serve/worship Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One.
Note: Joshua, the leader of the Israelites after Joshua had been serving as the assistant of Moses while Moses was the leader of the Israelites, set the example for the Israelites. Joshua chose to put his trust in and thereby serve as a devoted follower of and thus worship God the Father rather than Joshua choosing to put his trust in and thereby serve as a devoted follower of and thus worship the lesser of multiple evils amongst multiple choices of 'elohiym [el-oh-HEEM]. The word 'elohiym with a lowercase e can refer to false gods, to angels, or to human rulers or judges. The word 'Elohiym with a capital E refers to the Trinity. The word 'elohiym can also be used to refer to might as in mightiness. In that regard, the use of the word 'elohiym in reference to false gods, to angels, or to human rulers or judges involves the connotation of mightiness in comparison to an average human. When a person puts oneʼs trust in and thereby serves as a devoted follower of and thus worships an angel or human, that angel or human is that personʼs false god. Regarding the foregoing, the content of Joshua 24:15 involves Joshua calling attention to the choices that the Israelites had, and that content involves Joshua permitting the Israelites to make their choices while Joshua led by example with his choice.
The gift of pastor-teacher is for the purpose of each pastor-teacher functioning as a messenger who communicates the Word of God rather than functioning as a priest between the Trinity and mankind. In that regard, the time period that can be referred to as the Church Age started fifty days after the Lord Jesus Christ was resurrected, and all Church Age believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are priests. The Lord Jesus Christ is the High Priest of Church Age believers, and believers should be willing to acknowledge/confess/profess to people the believersʼ faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, as per Hebrews 4:14–15:
Therefore, since we have a great High Priest Who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast the acknowledgment/confession/profession. Indeed, we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One Who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
Also, the Lord Jesus Christ is the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek [mel-KIZ-uh-dek], who was the ruler of Salem when Abraham was still named Abram. Melchizedek was both a king and a priest, as per Genesis 14:18, which references Melchizedek greeting Abram:
Then Melchizedek king of Salem has brought out bread and wine, and he is a priest of 'El [AYL] 'Elyown [el-YOHN] / God [focusing on God the Fatherʼs power] Most High.
The Lord Jesus Christ is also both a king and a priest because the Lord is the Priest according to the order of Melchizedek, as per Hebrews 7:14–17:
Indeed, it is evident that our Lord has arisen from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests. Also, it is still much more evident: that according to the similarity of Melchizedek, Another of a different type of priest arises, Who has become such not on the basis of a law of fleshly command / physical requirement but according to the power of an indestructible life. Indeed, it is attested: “YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER, ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.”
Note: The Lord Jesus Christ is from the tribe of Judah. Also, the Lord Jesus Christ is qualified to be a priest because He was resurrected and therefore has an indestructible body. The above content in all capital letters is a reference to Psalm 110:4.
Because a king is royalty, a king who is a priest is a royal priest. In that regard, Church Age believers are royalty because they are members of the Lord Jesus Christʼs family. Therefore, all Church Age believers are royal priests, as per 1 Peter 2:9–10:
However, you are A CHOSEN PEOPLE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR ACQUISITION/PRESERVATION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him Who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are GODʼS PEOPLE. You had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.
Note: Before the Church Age, Gentiles were not Godʼs people. In the Church Age, both Jewish and Gentile believers are Godʼs people. The content of 1 Peter 2:10 references Hosea 2:23. In that regard, Peter uses references involving Israel in the Old Testament to refer to Church Age believers.
Itʼs the message rather than the messenger that should be the focus of the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Put succinctly: itʼs the message rather than the messenger. In that regard, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of Revelation 22:8–9, which was written by the apostle John, who, in addition to writing The Revelation to John, wrote The Gospel According to John, The First Epistle of John, The Second Epistle of John, and The Third Epistle of John:
I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things, and when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things, but he says* to me, “Do not do that. I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”
*Note: The word says is in the Greek historical present tense. By means of the Greek historical present tense, past action or future action can be described from the perspective of someone seeing the action as it occurs.
Regarding messages, believers should use the Word of God to examine what is being communicated. That is what the Bereans who are mentioned in Acts 17:10–12 did:
The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, who, when they arrived, went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, who received the word with all eagerness / readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Therefore, many of them believed, and not a few prominent Greek women and men.
Note: The phrase not a few means “quite a few.”
Today, the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to meet believers in the Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds on the occasion of the Rapture is one day closer than it was yesterday. The Rapture involves both deceased and living believers in the Lord Jesus Christ meeting the Lord in the clouds in the atmosphere of the earth, receiving glorified immortal resurrection bodies similar to the Lord Jesus Christʼs glorified resurrection body, and going to Heaven with those resurrection bodies. Before the Rapture occurs, deceased believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in Heaven without glorified bodies. While it is possible that the Rapture will occur on the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah [yahm tuh-ROO-uh or yohm tuh-ROO-uh]—which is what some people call Rosh Hashanah and which some people celebrate for two days—the next occurrence of which will possibly be during August, September, or October of 2026, it is worthwhile for believers in the Lord Jesus Christ to get into the habit of being prepared every day for the return of the Lord, just in case the Rapture will occur on a day other than the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah. Furthermore, it is worthwhile to be in the habit of being prepared for the Rapture so that if it does occur on the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah, one can be prepared for that day because of already being in the habit of being prepared. Examples of being prepared for the Rapture include applying the content of 1 John 1:9 whenever one sins, being unselfish, and whenever circumstances are such that an opportunity arises, sharing the gospel—the good news that believing that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior Who was judged on the cross for the sins of humanity is the means by which a person is able to have eternal life. Regarding sharing the gospel, one could also have a written or printed message containing the gospel with that written or printed message located somewhere where it could be easily noticed so that if a person or people were to read or hear that written or printed message either before or after the Rapture occurs, that person or people would thereby read or hear the gospel by means of that written or printed message.
Regarding information about the Rapture, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 and 1 Corinthians 15:51–52:
1 Thessalonians 4:13–18
Now we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope, for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again—and we do indeed believe that Jesus died and rose again—so also God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. Indeed, this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive who remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep, for the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout of command, with a voice of an archangel and with a trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive who remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words.
1 Corinthians 15:51–52
Behold, I tell you a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for a trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.
After the Rapture will be the seven-year Tribulation. The believers who will be alive on the earth when the Rapture occurs will escape the Tribulation. 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 covers that topic. In that regard, in the book 1 Thessalonians, the content of 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 is immediately followed by the content of 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11.
1 Thessalonians 5:1–11
Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you, for you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord is coming just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. However, you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief, for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; therefore, let us not sleep as others, but let us be alert and sober. Indeed, those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. However, since we are of day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and benevolence/goodwill, and as a helmet, the hope / absolute confidence of deliverance, for God has not destined us for wrath but for obtaining deliverance through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. Therefore, comfort one another and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
Note: In this context, the day of the Lord is the time period that consists of the Rapture, the seven years of the Tribulation, and the Second Advent. In that regard, deliverance from the Tribulation is the deliverance in this context. Also, unspecified is who will be saying “Peace and safety!” In this context, sleeping refers to a lack of alertness. The alertness in this context involves being ready for the Rapture. In order to be ready for the Rapture, a believer needs to be filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and to pay attention for historical trends such as people saying “Peace and safety!” and for historical trends that match the pattern of the world being on the brink of tremendous calamities like those that will occur during the Tribulation. Regarding being filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit, once a believer commits a sin after salvation, that believer is no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and is out of fellowship with the Trinity. After that believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, fellowship with the Trinity and the filling with the power of the Holy Spirit are restored. The procedure for confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Fellowship with God the Father and God the Son is mentioned in 1 John 1. Being out of fellowship with God the Holy Spirit is referenced in Ephesians 4:30. In that regard, when a believer sins, that believer grieves the Holy Spirit. Losing the filling of the power of God the Holy Spirit is referenced in 1 Thessalonians 5:19. In that regard, when a believer sins, the power of God the Holy Spirit is quenched in that believer. After a believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is then filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit again and in fellowship with the Trinity again.
The verse of the day for May 10th is Matthew 18:15. The title of the book Matthew is also known as “The Gospel According to Matthew.” The book Matthew was written by the apostle Matthew.
For geographical context, below is a link to a map of Israel during the time of the Lord Jesus Christʼs First Advent (also known as the Incarnation). The First Advent was during a time when the region where Jerusalem was located was an occupied province of the Roman Empire. The name of that Roman province was Judea [joo-DEE-uh or joo-DAY-uh]. The word Judea can also be spelled Judaea or Judæa. The character æ is a ligature [LIG-uh-chuhr or LIG-uh-choor] of a and e. Before the Romans conquered the region known as Judea, the name of the country of the Jewish people was Judah. The inhabitants of Judah can be referred to as Judahites [JOO-duh-ights]. The inhabitants of Judea can be referred to as Judeans [joo-DEE-uhnz or joo-DAY-uhnz]. On that map, Judea is located in grid coordinates B6, C6, B7, and C7. For reference, Jerusalem is located at grid coordinate C6.
https://Classic.NET.Bible.org/images/maps/nt1.jpg
If the above link is inaccessible, the below link can be tried instead.
https://NETBible.org/media/images/maps/nt1.jpg
Because it is useful to study verses that share the same context, below is content related to Matthew 18:15–22. The words of the Lord Jesus Christ are in red.
Note: The context of Matthew 18:15 involves a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ having done something wrong to another believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew 18:15
“If your brother sins [late manuscripts add against you], go and show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.
Note: In this verse, the word brother refers to a fellow believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Also, regardless of whether Matthew wrote the phrase against you in The Gospel According to Matthew, the phrase between you and him alone reveals that the context of this verse involves a wrongdoing that a believer has done to another believer. In that regard, this verse involves something other than indicating that a believer should be a nosy busybody metaphorically sticking his or her nose into the business of other believers. If believers were supposed to be informing their fellow believers when their fellow believers sin, then believers would need to be spending much of their time going around showing their fellow believers that their fellow believers have sinned. Furthermore, when a believerʼs sinning would become noticed by other believers, then much of that believerʼs time would need to be spent receiving communication from all the believers aware of that believerʼs sinning.
In this verse, the Koine [KOI-nay] Greek verb translated as “sins” is ἁμαρτήσῃ [pronounced ha-mahr-TAY-say and transliterated as hamartēsē]. That verb is an inflected form of the root word ἁμαρτάνω [pronounced ha-mahr-TAH-noh and transliterated as hamartanō]. The inflected form hamartēsē is a form other than a participle. If the inflected form of hamartanō used in this verse were a participle, then instead of the phrase If your brother sins being in the translation of this verse, the phrase If your brother is sinning or the phrase If your brother who sins would need to be in the translation of this verse. In that regard, rather than the content of this verse focusing on a believer requesting another believer to stop wrongdoing that is ongoing or the content of this verse indicating that only some believers sin, the content of this verse focuses on reconciliation between believers. Regarding the foregoing, the content of this verse covers the matter of reconciliation regardless of whether the wrongdoing is ongoing or whether the wrongdoing has already ended.
Also, this verse indicates that an attempt to have reconciliation between two believers should initially involve only those two believers. In addition, absent from this verse is anything indicating that the showing should be done with intense emotions. Furthermore, this verse reveals that the believer who did something wrong to the other believer might choose to refrain from reconciling when the believer who experienced the wrongdoing calls that wrongdoing to the attention of the other believer. Unspecified in this verse are the details involved in the listening done by the believer who did something wrong to another believer. In that regard, a believer who refrains from both apologizing and taking appropriate action to right the wrong is a believer who refrains from sincerely listening. In such a situation, rather than the believer who was wronged gaining a fellow believer in the sense of being reconciled with that believer, the believer who was wronged is instead stuck dealing with a person who might be a narcissist.
Matthew 18:16
“However, if he does not listen, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY WORD MAY BE ESTABLISHED.
Note: The part of this verse in all uppercase letters references Deuteronomy 19:15. In the context of this verse, what is witnessed is that which is communicated by the believer attempting reconciliation and by the believer who did something wrong to that other believer. Those witnesses need to be believers also, as revealed by the word more in this verse. The reason that other believers should be witnesses to what is communicated is because if a believer is causing strife amongst the believers who are part of a group of believers who learn the Word of God together, then the strife-spreading believer could cause a disruption or disruptions that interfere with the communication of the Word of God to the believers in that group. In that regard, when believers function as witnesses to what is communicated by the believer attempting reconciliation and by the believer who did something wrong to that other believer, the believers functioning as witnesses can become aware of whether a believer is causing a disruption or disruptions that interfere with the communication of the Word of God to the believers in that group. Also, absent from this verse is anything indicating that the words that are communicated about the wrongdoing should be done with intense emotions.
Matthew 18:17
“If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly / ekklēsia [ek-klay-SEE-ah] / church, and if he refuses to listen even to the assembly / ekklēsias [ek-klay-SEE-ahs] / church, let him be to you as the heathen/pagan and the tax collector.
Note: In this verse are the Koine Greek noun ἐκκλησίᾳ [pronounced ek-klay-SEE-ah and transliterated as ekklēsia] and the Koine Greek noun ἐκκλησίας [pronounced ek-klay-SEE-ahs and transliterated as ekklēsias]. Those nouns are inflected forms of the root word ἐκκλησία [pronounced ek-klay-SEE-ah and transliterated as ekklēsia]. The word ekklēsia refers to an assembly. In the context of this verse, ekklēsia refers to an assembly of believers. In that regard, the word church with a lowercase c is used because the context of this verse involves an assembly of believers rather than all believers collectively. References to all believers collectively involve the word Church with a capital C.
The phrase If he refuses to listen to them in this verse reveals that the believers witnessing the communication about the situation would themselves also communicate to the believer who wronged the other believer. From the context, it is logical to conclude that that communication would involve indicating that it would be beneficial for the believer who did the wrongdoing to take action in order for the two believers to be reconciled. Absent from this verse is anything indicating that those believers witnessing the communication about the situation doing their communication about the matter with intense emotions. Also, absent from this verse is anything about anyone punishing anyone. The reason for that is because this is a matter of preventing any disruption of the communication of the Word of God rather than of punishing someone.
Absent from this verse is anything indicating that the believer who had wronged the other believer needs to be present when the members of the group of believers who learn the Word of God together are notified about the wrongdoerʼs refusal to reconcile with the believer who was wronged. In this verse, the Koine Greek verb translated as “tell” is εἰπὲ [pronounced ay-PEH and transliterated as eipe]. That verb is an inflected form of the root word λέγω [pronounced LEH-goh and transliterated as legō]. The verb eipe in this verse is a singular form of the verb legō; therefore, one person is supposed to tell the members of the group of believers who learn the Word of God together. That person is the believer who was wronged.
Unspecified in this verse is whether the pronoun it refers to the wrongdoing that the wronged believer had originally tried to bring to the attention of the believer who had done the wrongdoing or whether the pronoun it refers to the whole situation of that wrongdoing plus the refusals to reconcile. While that is unspecified in this verse, it is logical that the whole situation be told because what is needed to be established is whether the believer who did the wrongdoing is a person who will be causing a disruption or disruptions that interfere with the communication of the Word of God to the believers in that group. Also, absent from this verse is anything indicating that the telling about the wrongdoing should be done with intense emotions.
Regarding members of the group of believers who learn the Word of God together being told about the situation, absent from this verse is anything involving only a portion of that group; therefore, the information should be communicated to all the members of that group. Also, the phrase if he refuses to listen even to the assembly / ekklēsias [ek-klay-SEE-ahs] / church in this verse reveals that the members of the group of believers who learn the Word of God together would themselves also communicate to the believer who wronged the other believer. In addition, absent from this verse is anything indicating that that communicating should be done with intense emotions.
If the believer who did something wrong to the other believer still refuses to take appropriate action in order to reconcile with the wronged believer, then the other believers should separate from the believer who had wronged the other believer. The purpose of such separation is to prevent any disruption of the communication of the Word of God to the members of the group of believers who learn the Word of God together. Regarding the believer who did the wrongdoing and who refuses to take appropriate action in order to bring about reconciliation, the Lord Jesus Christ likened that type of a believer to an unbeliever and also to a tax collector. Regarding Matthew writing about the Lord likening such a believer to an unbeliever, Matthew used the Koine Greek adjective ἐθνικὸς [pronounced eh-thnee-KAHS and transliterated as ethnikos]. That adjective is an inflected form of the root word ἐθνικός [pronounced eh-thnee-KAHS and transliterated as ethnikos]. In the context of this verse, the Koine Greek adjective ethnikos can be translated as “heathen” or “pagan.” Regarding Matthew writing about the Lord likening such a believer to a tax collector, Matthew used the Koine Greek noun τελώνης [pronounced teh-LOH-nayss and transliterated as telōnēs]. That verb is an inflected form of the root word τελώνης [pronounced teh-LOH-nayss and transliterated as telōnēs]. The tax collectors collected taxes for the Roman government. Tax collectors were held in low regard by some people in Judea at the time described in this passage.
The comparison to unbelievers and to tax collectors in this verse calls attention to the necessity of separating from the believer who did the wrongdoing and who refuses to take appropriate action in order to bring about reconciliation. The participation of such a believer in a group of believers who learn the Word of God together would result in a disruption or disruptions that interfere with the communication of the Word of God to the believers in that group. In that regard, rather than indicating that believers should avoid all contact with unbelievers and tax collectors, this verse simply involves a comparison that calls attention to the need to avoid the disruptiveness of a believer who refuses to take appropriate action in order to bring about reconciliation after that believerʼs doing of something wrong to another believer is called to the attention of the believer who did what was wrong. Such a believer is a narcissist. It is beneficial to avoid narcissists when it is possible to avoid them.
The people who lived at the time that Matthew wrote this passage would have been aware that an unbeliever could be disruptive with regard to the communication of the Word of God to a group of believers. Also, the people who lived at the time would have been aware that it would be worthwhile to avoid unnecessary interaction with a tax collector of that time period. Of course, one should refrain from taking the comparison too far. In that regard, if a tax collector were to become a believer interested in studying and obeying the Word of God, that believer could of course participate as a member of a group of believers who learn the Word of God together.
Matthew 18:18
“Truly I say to you, whatever you may bind on the earth will be having been bound in Heaven, and whatever you may loose on the earth will be having been loosed in Heaven.
Note: Unspecified in this verse is to whom the plural pronoun you refers. Regarding the content of this verse, the Lord said something similar in the context of presenting the gospel to unbelievers. The content of Matthew 16:19 covers that. In Matthew 18, there is an absence of a context involving the presentation of the gospel to unbelievers. Instead, the context of the content in verses 15–17 involves a believer doing something wrong to another believer. In that regard, content of verse 18 is related to the context of the content in verses 15–17.
The content of verses 15–17 is such that there is an absence of anything indicating that the believers dealing with the believer who has wronged a fellow believer have themselves made any error in their decision-making related to the matter of the believer who has wronged the fellow believer. Certainly, believers dealing with accusations about other believers need to be impartial and very careful in their decision-making related to such a matter. In that regard, the Lord was speaking about a situation in which the believers making decisions know whether or not there was a wrongdoing to a fellow believer and whether or not there was a sincere attempt at reconciliation by the wrongdoer. Because the content of verses 15–17 involves the Lord speaking about a situation in which the believers making decisions know whether or not there was a wrongdoing to a fellow believer and whether or not there was a sincere attempt at reconciliation by the wrongdoer, the content of verse 18 also involves the believers making decisions knowing whether or not there was a wrongdoing to a fellow believer and whether or not there was a sincere attempt at reconciliation by the wrongdoer. Therefore, the content of verse 18 involves believers making correct decisions based on a correct understanding of a situation. In that regard, the content of verse 18 indicates that God the Father approves of the decisions made by believers who make correct decisions based on a correct understanding of a situation when dealing with the type of situation described in verses 15–17. Rather than the focus being on whether or not the decision makers are making correct decisions in such a situation, the focus is on the fact that believers who are members of a group of believers who learn the Word of God together have the right to make such decisions. God the Father gives them that right in order to prevent any disruption of the communication of the Word of God to the members of the group of believers who learn the Word of God together.
Regarding the usage of the word Heaven in this verse, the context of this verse is such that that usage refers to the Third Heaven (also known as Third Heavens or simply as Heaven), which is where the throne room of God the Father is located. The term second heavens (also known as second heaven) refers to outer space. The term first heavens (also known as first heaven) refers to the atmosphere of the earth.
Matthew 18:19
“Again, I say to you, that if two of you agree on the earth about anything / any matter that they may ask, it will be done for them by My Father Who is in the heavens,
Note: In this verse, the plural word heavens is used, whereas in the previous verse the singular word Heaven is used. The usage of the plural might be an indicator that Heaven is a large place. Regardless of the reason why verse 19 contains the plural word heavens while verse 18 contains the singular word Heaven, the content of this verse indicates that if as few as two of the decision makers who are making correct decisions about the type of situation described in verses 15–17 pray to God the Father about the matter, He will answer their prayer. Also, it is worth noting that the Lord Jesus Christ indicated that the praying should be directed to God the Father.
Matthew 18:20
for where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”
Note: In this verse, the phrase I am there in their midst is a way of saying that the Lord Jesus Christ approves of the believers making correct decisions about the type of situation described in verses 15–17 when those believers are gathered together for the purpose of making such a decision or decisions.
Matthew 18:21
Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him?—up to seven times?”
Matthew 18:22
Jesus says* to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”
*Note: The word says is in the Greek historical present tense. By means of the Greek historical present tense, past action can be described from the perspective of someone seeing the action as it occurs. In this verse, the phrase seventy times seven is an idiom meaning an unlimited number of times. If a believer sincerely apologizes to another believer and takes appropriate action to right the wrong done to that other believer, the believer on the receiving end of the apology should always forgive the believer doing the apologizing. Forgiving involves refraining from having anger, bitterness, resentment, and similar mental attitudes.
The context for verses 21 and 22 is found in verse 15. The forgiving referenced in verse 22 contrasts with the separation referenced in verse 17; therefore, the believer being forgiven is a believer other than one who refuses to take appropriate action in order to bring about reconciliation. A believer who has done something wrong to another believer and who has refrained from both apologizing and taking appropriate action to right the wrong is a believer who refuses to be reconciled with the other believer; therefore, it is logical to conclude that the scenario described in verse 22 involves a believer who has apologized and has taken appropriate action to right the wrong done to the other believer.
Of course, a wronged believer should refrain from having anger, bitterness, resentment, and similar mental attitudes toward someone who refrains from apologizing and taking appropriate action to right the wrong done to the wronged believer. Refraining from having such mental attitudes is a manifestation of grace. A believer who functions according to grace has a grace-oriented attitude instead of a self-centered attitude.
Sincerely,
John
