Matthew 18:15 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Matthew 18:15

Comments

‘Moreover’ connects this instruction with what comes before, but what is the connection? He has been warning the disciples against doing anything to harm another believer. To do so is to provoke the Father’s jealous care for his own. But this naturally leads to the question: what if that other believer has harm to me? Should they then be left alone for the Father to deal with, or should I take steps to correct them? The principles which Christ lays down here are intended for all time and apply as the basis of all discipline in the church, as well as how to handle personally grievances between believers, for the Lord looks into the future when his people will or organized into local churches. When other means of recovery of the offender have failed, the matter is to be taken to the church – the local church. But the matter under consideration is a private matter between two individuals. This is the first step in dealing with any offences. Go privately to the offender to begin with, Christ says. Keep the offence known to as few people as possible. That way, the brother or sister who has offended will find it easiest to repent, to apologise. It is easier to admit you are wrong before few than before many. The self-respect of the offender is preserved, and they can repent and carry on life in the church, putting the matter behind them. But this approach is also best for the one who has been offended against. The matter is between him and the offender. To yield to the temptation to rope in others shows that he is not really seeking the best outcome. He is not seeking reconciliation but vindication or revenge. He wishes to turn others against the offender before the offender has had a proper opportunity to put things right. Instead, he must come with a readiness to forgive if the offender admits their fault, and that is what he must hope for. This admonition was be given in love, hoping for the best outcome. This does not mean that if we do not know what to do, we are forbidden to go and ask a pastor or other senior person who can give advice about what is the best course of action. We might, for instance, do so if we were not sure whether this was such a serious matter that it went beyond personal offence, and warranted immediate church discipline. But if it is a matter of serious personal offence, the advice given should be to attempt to deal with it privately. ‘If he shall hear thee’ – if he is willing to admit his fault and be corrected, then you have gained your brother. He is still your brother and you can love him as a brother and continue in the walk of faith together. Next time it might be you who fall, and you will want the same helpful treatment from him.

Application

One way we can mishandle offences is to do nothing about them, but to let them grow in our minds. They are not so small that we can simply pass over them, but nor will we let them go. We have a duty to influence one another, to admonish one another over serious matter. If we leave it too long, then when we do finally act, we do so vindictively, because we have allowed offences to grow too big.

This can happen in the marriage relationship. A Christian couple can find themselves thinking things which they are horrified of later. The resolving of disputes extends to all our relationships, but marriage shows us how we should behave. Outside marriage, an offence is committed, and it grows and we detest each other, and are therefore not prepared to do anything about it. We take ourselves much too seriously. In marriage you cannot do this; you know you must restore the relationship. There is a sanction on you from the Lord. You cannot go too far before the Saviour. If we let the dispute grow, no one can convince us it is not as enormous as we think. In church we can get others to help us get disputes growing; not in marriage. We may get hold of a sympathetic friend who is going to take our side, and rope in a third or fourth party. No, says Christ. Go and tell him his fault. Not to attack him, but to win him.

Some things are so minor that we simply overlook them. Christ is not encouraging us to hold out on each other over every little annoyance that we suffer. We must learn to forgive small matters and just move on. What he speaks of here is something serious enough to warrant excommunication, and the New Testament tells us what things fall into that category.

Offences are not the only problem. We need to exhort each other at times also. There are things we ought to be doing as a local church in a more vigorous way and we need to remind each other of this. Offences between people are only one of a number of issues in the local church that require admonition.

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Matthew 18:15 Commentary and Bible Study