rwp - Matthew:18:15-20

rwp@Matthew:18:15 @{If thy brother sin against thee} (\ean hamartsi adelphos sou\). Literally, commit a sin (ingressive aorist subjunctive of \hamartan\). Aleph B Sahidic do not have "against thee" (\eis se\). {Shew him his fault} (\elegxon\). Such private reproof is hard to do, but it is the way of Christ. {Thou hast gained} (\ekerdsas\). Aorist active indicative of \kerdain\ in conclusion of a third-class condition, a sort of timeless aorist, a blessed achievement already made.

rwp@Matthew:18:16 @{Take with thee} (\paralabe meta sou\). Take alone (\para\) with (\meta\) thee.

rwp@Matthew:18:17 @{Refuse to hear} (\parakousi\). Like strkjv@Isaiah:65:12|. Many papyri examples for ignoring, disregarding, hearing without heeding, hearing aside (\para-\), hearing amiss, overhearing (Mark:5:36|). {The church} (\ti ekklsii\). The local body, not the general as in strkjv@Matthew:16:18| which see for discussion. The problem here is whether Jesus has in mind an actual body of believers already in existence or is speaking prophetically of the local churches that would be organized later (as in Acts). There are some who think that the Twelve Apostles constituted a local \ekklsia\, a sort of moving church of preachers. That could only be true in essence as they were a band of ministers and not located in any one place. Bruce holds that they were "the nucleus" of a local church at any rate.

rwp@Matthew:18:18 @{Shall be bound in heaven} (\estai dedemena en ourani\). Future passive periphrastic perfect indicative as in "shall be loosed" (\estai lelumena\). In strkjv@16:19| this same unusual form occurs. The binding and the loosing is there addressed to Peter, but it is here repeated for the church or for the disciples as the case may be.

rwp@Matthew:18:19 @{Shall agree} (\sumphnssin\). Our word "symphony" is this very root. It is no longer looked at as a concord of voices, a chorus in harmony, though that would be very appropriate in a church meeting rather than the rasping discord sometimes heard even between two brethren or sisters. {Of my Father} (\para tou patros mou\). From the side of, "by my Father."

rwp@Matthew:18:20 @{There am I} (\ekei eimi\). This blessed promise implies that those gathered together are really disciples with the spirit of Christ as well as "in his name" (\eis to emon onoma\). One of the Oxyrhynchus _Sayings of Our Lord_ is: "Wherever there are (two) they are not without God, and wherever there is one alone I say I am with him." Also this: "Raise the stone and there thou shalt find me, cleave the wood and there am I." See strkjv@Malachi:3:16|.