St Matthew Chapter XVIII : Verses 15-20
Contents
- Matt. xviii. 15-20. Douay-Rheims text & Latin text (Vulgate).
- Notes on the text.
Matt. xviii. 15-20
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| Christ teaching His disciples. J-J Tissot. Brooklyn Museum. |
Si autem peccaverit in te frater tuus, vade, et corripe eum inter te, et ipsum solum : si te audierit, lucratus eris fratrem tuum.
16 And if he will not hear thee, take with thee one or two more: that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may stand.
Si autem te non audierit, adhibe tecum adhuc unum, vel duos, ut in ore duorum, vel trium testium stet omne verbum.
17 And if he will not hear them: tell the church. And if he will not hear the church, let him be to thee as the heathen and publican.
Quod si non audierit eos : dic ecclesiæ. Si autem ecclesiam non audierit, sit tibi sicut ethnicus et publicanus.
18 Amen I say to you, whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth, shall be loosed also in heaven.
Amen dico vobis, quæcumque alligaveritis super terram, erunt ligata et in cælo : et quæcumque solveritis super terram, erunt soluta et in cælo.
19 Again I say to you, that if two of you shall consent upon earth, concerning any thing whatsoever they shall ask, it shall be done to them by my Father who is in heaven.
Iterum dico vobis, quia si duo ex vobis consenserint super terram, de omni re quamcumque petierint, fiet illis a Patre meo, qui in caelis est.
20 For where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Ubi enim sunt duo vel tres congregati in nomine meo, ibi sum in medio eorum.
Notes
15. But. Jesus, having warned His disciples not to give others any cause of offence, now proceeds to explain how they are to act when their neighbours offend them. This chapter, from verse 6 to the end, treats of debts to God or man.
thy brother, — i.e. in Christ.
against thee. These words are not found in all copies of the Vulgate, nor in the Sinaitic or Vatican Codices, and Tischendorf omits them (8th edition). Those commentators who accept them as genuine explain them as meaning “ in thy presence, or with thy knowledge,” for evidently it is not merely offences against us personally that should lead us to strive to correct our brethren.
go. Here, as in the Sermon on the Mount, the one who has suffered the affront (or witnessed it) is to forestall the delinquent.
rebuke him. This is a positive precept which only binds under certain circumstances. If grave inconveniences are likely to result from our rebuking an offender, we are not bound to do so. The object of fraternal correction is the salvation of our brother in Christ.
thee and him alone. To avoid making the sin known, and to spare our neighbour’s reputation and feelings.
If he shall hear thee, — i.e. if he shall heed thee and repent.
shalt gain thy brother. We gain our brother as a friend, he gains forgiveness, and the Church reconciles the penitent. The word “ gain” is used in this sense by St Paul : To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak. I became all things to all men, that I might save all (1 Cor. ix. 22. See also 1 St Peter hi. 1).
16. in the mouth. A Hebraism signifying “ on the testimony.”
two or three witnesses. These words are a quotation : In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall stand (Deut. xix. 15).
17. tell the church. By this the disciples would not have understood the synagogue (as some commentators assert), since verses 19-20 could not apply to these smaller Jewish tribunals. Our Lord had prepared His disciples to grasp His meaning, since St Peter had been singled out as “the rock” on which the Church was to be founded.
In the earliest ages of Christianity it was customary to denounce a culprit to the assembly of the faithful in the city in which he dwelt. This was only resorted to when private admonition had proved ineffectual. If he was rebellious to the voice of the bishop, he was then solemnly excommunicated in presence of the whole congregation. As, later, this method offered certain practical difficulties, especially where Christians formed the minority of the population, the custom arose of privately denouncing the offender to his bishop.
as the heathen, etc. The terms are generic here, and they signify the heathen and the publicans as classes. Christians are to regard those who are cut off, as the Jews regarded all Gentiles ; and though they are to avoid the society of such, they are not to have bitter feelings against the sinner, but should strive prudently to bring him to repentance. The evildoer is cut off from the faithful that he may be put to shame, and that his brethren may be warned not to imitate his bad example.
18. whatsoever you shall hind, etc. The executive power here given to the Church is exercised by excommunication, and by the exercise of the judicial functions in the sacrament of penance.
These words were addressed to the Twelve, and conferred on them some of the authority which had already been granted to St Peter (see supra, xvi. 19), but this was to be exercised under the jurisdiction of St Peter, who alone was charged to feed both the lambs and the sheep. From the very fact that the Church is a visible society, having powers to make laws for its members, it follows that she has also the power to enforce them by certain penalties.
shall be bound .... shall he loosed. Lit. “shall have been bound . . . . shall have been loosed. (δεδεμένα . . . λελυμένα.)
19. if two of you shall consent, etc. These words were addressed to all the faithful. Our Lord used “ a beautiful word (συμφωνήσωσιν), expressive of the holy music and symphony of hearts and voices in public prayer.” The connection between this passage and the preceding may be stated thus : — If the united prayers of two of the simple faithful are infallibly heard provided those prayers are rightly offered, how much more shall the decision of the Church be confirmed in heaven by God the Father.
it shall be done. Provided always that the petitioners pray with the right disposition.
20. in my name. Better, “ into my name ” (εἰς τὸ ἐμὸν ὄνομα), —i.e., for some interest connected with the glory of God.
there am I, etc. Union with our brethren draws us closer to Christ. These words shew also the dignity of the solemn councils of the Church. The Jews taught that if only two spoke together of the Law, even when sitting at table, the Shechinah rested upon them.
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
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