Important
Context: “In that hour…” this happens chronologically right after the events of Chapter 17. The start of chapter 18 is about “who is the greatest” and “who is the least”, focusing on the idea of remaining humble (like a child) and recognizing that God will go to great lengths to save us
If a Brother Sins Against You (v. 15-20)
This parable of sorts offers the way to address when a brother “sins against you”:
- In both cases, tell him. Then:
- If they listen, carry on (forgive)
- If they don’t listen,
- Bring one or two others
- Deut 19:15-21
A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offence that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or three witnesses shall a charge be established.
…The judges shall inquire …and… if the witness is a false witness and he has accused brother falsely, then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother … eye for eye and tooth for tooth
- Deut 19:15-21
- If they still don’t listen, bring the to the church/congregation
- If they still don’t listen “let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax colector”
- Bring one or two others
For me, this begs a few questions:
Important
What does it mean for a brother to sin against you?First, to understand what it means for YOU to sin against a brother, 1 Cor 8:10-12 is addressing the question of “is it ok to eat meat sacrificed to idols?” Pauls answer is essentially a “yes” but he levels that with the warning that not all men will be ok with that. He goes so far as to say that if you eat in the sight of someone who is “weak in conscience” that “this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died.” This goes much further than the idea I originally had: that sinning against a brother is saying something mean, lying, cheating, stealing, etc. Paul is indicating that causing another to stumble - less, causing one to sin - is sin for you. This gives new light to James 4:17, “If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.”Now in the context of someone sinning against YOU, we should extend mercy (Matt 7:2: “For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.”) and go out of our way not to be offended (Ps 119:165: “Great peace have those who Love your law; nothing can make them stumble.” ESV / “Great peace have they which Love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” KJV). We should strive to forgive without so much as a thought but we should also aim to correct where we can (Gal 6:1: “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.”)
Important
What does it mean to treat someone as a gentile/tax collector?In this day, tax collectors were not only taking what the government required but adding to the tax to line their own pockets. Beyond this, a Jewish tax collector was known to be someone that sold out their own brothers. Israel was to be God’s kingdom, one without a king. The Romans were, though fairly liberal, conquerors - oppressors. For a brother to work for “the man” was seen as a sign of betrayal and lack of faith in God’s promise of restoration. Furthermore, gentiles were seen as dogs (not cute but fithly and common). We even see this in Acts 10 (Peter talking, “You yourself know it is unlawfulfor a Jew to associate with or visit a person of another nation but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean”)
Loosing and Binding
This comes right on the heels of the discussion of a [Christian] brother that absolutely will not accept responsibility for wrongdoing. Someone that has been told and knows what is wrong and continues to do it.
Jesus says whatever you bind on earth will be bounce in heaven. To a Jew, this terminology is understood to refer specifically to the dietary, Sabbath, and other regulations, including civil law as well as spiritual matters. These words mean what they sound like: bind = forbid, loose = permit, and the tense indicates that the binding and loosing goes on forever.
Important
What does this mean? Is Jesus saying that we have authority to set the laws of heaven and earth if only two people would agree to it?Kind of, yes. It’s fairly clear that this is in the presence of God (“by (same Greek as ‘before’) my Father” or “two or three are gathered in my name”) and also in the context that the ruling is fair and just. Something that is in line with scripture. The implications here are nuts but it’s remenicent of Abram or Moses petitioning God and God listening (Gen 18:22-33 , Ex 32:13-14). In both examples, men are requesting that God show forgiveness toward grave sins and God responds with forgiveness.To me this is the point of the chapter: we are to be cautious what we let slide and what we cling to as important. God is willing to give us ear and join our side if it displays His righteousness. One such example in the New Testament is Acts 15, where the rules are “loosened” to allow for new believers to enter into brotherhood easier. The intent was never to let everything slide but rather to ease the path forward. This is the aim we should have.
How often must we forgive?
We just heard some of this on Sunday but Jesus responds to “how often will my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Seven?” by saying “Seventy times seven.” Then he gives a parable:
- A wealthy man that fogives a debt equivalent to, if payed the average AL income, $5.2 billion
- 1 talent = 75 lbs = 6k denari, 300 danari = ~1 years wages, 1 talent = ~20 years wages; 5,246,200,000 debt
- Immediately after, the servent left and found another servant owing about 8 months’ worth of wages (in AL wages, about $15,738.59) and demanded full payment
- When the servant could not pay, the man threw him in jail until the debt could be payed
- Seeing this, the master threw the evil servant into prison (same judgement) until he, too, could pay back what was owed
He concludes by saying that this is exactly how God will handle our lack of forgiveness: with lack of forgiveness. Truly, when we live freely, we are given, freely, more life
Important
What’s something you need to forgive?Some of the stuff Krista has said and done