What does it mean that where two or three are gathered, Christ is in their midst?

Explanation:

When Jesus says that where two or three gather in his name, he is in their midst, we can understand what he means by looking at the context. We notice that Matthew 18:20 comes at the end of Jesus’ teaching on church discipline. He explains in Matthew 18:15 that if a brother offends a brother, the offended ought to discuss the situation with the offender to resolve things. If this does not work, the offender ought to bring witnesses (Matthew 18:16), and if things are still not resolved, the offended ought to involve the church (Matthew 18:17). Jesus explains that whatever the church decides will be the case (Matthew 18:18). He then notes that the process ought to be done in prayer (Matthew 18:19). Jesus then assures his listeners not to worry, for where two or three gather to discuss disciplinary matters, Jesus is in their presence.³ This is of much comfort for the church, in its agonizing task of applying church discipline to someone who refuses to repent. The Lord is with those who work to win back a lost sheep and to guard the purity of the church.

Counterargument:

While it is important to interpret a passage in light of the context, we must still understand a text based on its natural interpretation. Jesus speaks of two or three gathering εἰς τὸ ἐμὸν ὄνομα, which means for the sake of my name. Jesus’ teaching is a broad teaching that applies to all those who gather for the sake of Jesus' name. Of course, since Jesus’ teaching is broad, it is true that when two or three gather for church discipline, Jesus is in their midst. But this is because the teaching implies that Jesus is there wherever people gather for his sake. One might say that Jesus uses the opportunity when teaching about church discipline to indicate that he is divinely present wherever people gather in his name.

Response to counterargument:

It is unclear how this counterargument undermines the argument being made.

Explanation:

That Jesus says he is in the midst of two or three who gather in his name further shows that he is speaking about judicial matters in the church, where two individuals have come together to agree on a way forward (Matthew 18:19).⁴ For these two individuals are in essence judges, who on the basis of the church’s judgment (Matthew 18:18) have been seeking agreement on a claim between them. Scripture says that whenever there is a matter for arbitration, God is present as judge (e.g., Matthew 1:23). Now Jesus identifies himself with God (as elsewhere in Matthew; for example, Matthew 1:23; Matthew 2:6; Matthew 3:3), by taking God’s place: he explains that he will take the place of judge when brothers arbitrate some matter.⁵ A text like this also anticipates and is further illuminated by Matthew 28:18–20, where Jesus says to his disciples, the foundation of the New Testament church, Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

Counterargument:

It is not clear that Matthew 18:19–20 has much to do with brothers agreeing on a matter for arbitration. Rather, it seems that a brother has offended a brother, the church has become involved, and whatever the church binds or looses will be bound or loosed (Matthew 18:15–18). In other words, Jesus gives us a succinct process for church discipline from Matthew 18:15–18, which means that the disputed matter is no longer in view when we reach Matthew 18:19–20. Instead, with the instruction on church discipline in place, Jesus offers general encouragement in the fact that when two agree on what to ask of God it will be done (Matthew 18:19). And finally, when two or more gather for the sake of Christ, Christ himself is with them (Matthew 18:20). Thus, it seems that Jesus offers general encouragement, motivated by his instruction on church discipline.

Response to counterargument:

The language that Jesus uses quite readily points in the direction of a judicial setting. For example, in Matthew 18:19 Jesus says, If two of you agree on earth about anything… and the latter part could be rendered about any judicial matter/case, since the word being used (πράγμα) often has this sense (see 1 Corinthians 6:1). Also, the term for are gathered carries the sense of being brought together, as in judges being convened in order to render a decision.

Possible weaknesses:

It is hard to see what the weakness of this view might be.

Explanation:

After explaining that when two agree on anything they ask, it will be done by the Father, Jesus explains that where two or three gather in his name, he is in their midst. We can understand the force of his statement by recognizing a traditional Jewish belief, that when the law is read, God is present is in the people’s midst.^6,7 Jesus is affirming the notion of God’s presence in the midst of his people by associating himself with the divine presence. And he is saying that for Christians, coming together in his name replaces coming together to study the law.⁸

Counterargument:

This argument does not sufficiently explain how the traditional Jewish belief is in view here. There is neither mention of nor allusion to the law.

Explanation:

What does it mean for two or three to be gathered in my name? Here it helps to note that the Greek construction (εἰς τὸ ἐμὸν ὄνομα) corresponds to the Jewish expression לְשֵׁם that can be rendered, for the sake of, with reference to [the name].^9,10 Thus, Jesus is saying that where two or three are gathered, for his sake, or with reference to him, he is in their midst. So while prayer might happen at the gathering, prayer is not a necessary condition for Jesus to be in their midst. Rather, he makes a much broader statement, that whenever two or three are gathered for his sake, he is in their midst.

Counterargument:

It is unclear how this argument supports the interpretation currently under discussion. Nothing substantially changes if one understands the Greek construction to mean for the sake of Jesus.

Explanation:

Jesus says that when two or three gather in his name, he is in their midst. By this he means that when members of his church gather, he is with them spiritually.¹¹ We can deduce that Jesus highlights his spiritual presence by noticing that there is a recurring theme in Matthew of Jesus, as God incarnate, being with his people. First in Matthew 1:23, Matthew quotes Isaiah who said that the son born to the virgin will be called Immanuel, which, as Matthew adds, means God with us.¹² Now Jesus says that when two or three gather in his name he is in their midst. Jesus’ statement anticipates Matthew 28:20, the last verse of Matthew’s gospel, where Jesus promised to always be with his followers to the end of the age.¹³ Thus, Matthew 18:20 assures us that Jesus is God, and when the church gathers in his name, he is in their midst.

Counterargument:

The problem with this argument is that we have to look at the immediate context to understand why Jesus says that when two or three are gathered in his name, he is in their midst. When we look at the context, we notice that Matthew 18:15–20 is about church discipline. When a brother sins against a brother the church may need to get involved, and whatever decision the church reaches is binding. Of course, Jesus gives the church assurance that when they deal with a matter of discipline, he is in their midst. Thus Matthew 18:20 is not about Jesus being present at any gather, but Jesus being present with two or three gather to discuss church discipline.¹⁴

Possible weaknesses:

This interpretation does not put enough weight on the broader context. Jesus’ statement is in the midst of a specific teaching, in this case, church discipline. That should guide how one interprets this statement in Matthew 18:20.

Explanation:

Jesus says that where two or three gather in his name, he is present. In order to understand what he means, we have to notice that Matthew 18:20 is connected to Matthew 18:18, and understand the former in light of the latter.¹⁵ So what does Jesus say in Matthew 18:18? There we learn that whatever the disciples bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever they lose on earth will be loosed in heaven.¹⁶ In other words, the disciples have the authority to determine doctrinal matters.¹⁷ Since Matthew 18:18 is directed at the disciples binding doctrinal matters, and Matthew 18:20 is to be understood in light of Matthew 18:18, we ought to conclude that Matthew 18:20 has to do with the disciples binding doctrinal matters. Likely when Jesus says that where two or more are gathered in his name, he is in their midst, he means that doctrinal authority is not tied to a meeting with all of the disciples.¹⁸ Rather, as long as two or three disciples are gathered to discuss doctrinal matters, Jesus’ Spirit and Wisdom is in their midst.¹⁹

Counterargument:

The problem with this view is that Jesus does not say in Matthew 18:18 that if the disciples bind or loose it will be bound or loosed. Rather, Jesus makes the comment about binding and loosening just after he explains the church’s role in the process of discipline. The church is to correct the offender, and if the offender does not listen, the church is to treat him as a tax collector (Matthew 18:17). Jesus follows this up by saying that whatever you loose will be loosed and whatever you bind will be bound. It seems clear that Matthew 18:18 is a follow-up to the church’s role in discipline, with the point being that the church has the authority to decide in such matters. Jesus then offers comfort in the fact that when two or more agree on a matter for prayer it will be done. Finally, Jesus offers his broadest teaching, which is that, in fact, wherever two or more gather for the sake of his name, he is in their midst. Jesus seems to have far broader concerns than the disciples deciding over doctrinal matters. Although, of course, when two or three disciples come together for the sake of Christ, whether to work out a doctrinal matter or otherwise, Jesus is there.

Explanation:

Jesus promises that when two or more disciples get together to discuss doctrinal matters, Jesus is in their midst. We can see that this is the case based on the success of the early church. For we learn from the book of Acts that the early church grew quickly and retained doctrinal purity.²⁰ Thus, Jesus’ teaching came to fruition in the early church.

Counterargument:

While it is true that God protected the early church as it developed, this does not mean that Matthew 18:20 has to do with the success of the early church. Rather, Matthew 18:20 may just be a general teaching which states that when two or more gather in Jesus’ name, he is there. Of course, it may be that the disciples took this advice when they decided on doctrinal matters, in which case Jesus was there with them. Still, Jesus does not say that two disciples deciding on doctrinal matters is a necessary condition for his presence. Rather, he says that two gathering in his name is a sufficient condition for his presence.

Possible weaknesses:

This interpretation seems to read later history back into the text. The argument is that, since the early church was successful at deciding doctrinal matters, Matthew 18:20 is about working out and deciding doctrinal matters. The problem is that Jesus says nothing in Matthew 18:20 about working out doctrinal matters.