Author: Charlie Garrett

Friday, 3 April 2026

For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:20

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“For where they are, two or three having been gathered into the name of My Father, there I am in the midst of them.” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus told the disciples that if two of them harmonized about any deed, that if they should ask, it would come to pass for them from His Father. He next continues, saying, “For where they are, two or three having been gathered into the name of My Father.”

The words here refer to any assembly of people. It does not appear that there is anything exclusively pointing to the disciples. However, it does not logically follow that the previous verse gives a grant as stated there to all such gatherings.

In other words, Jesus’ words of the previous verse clearly refer to the disciples. The reasons for that were stated. As such, the idea that a claim by two or three gathering at any time in church would necessitate that the Father to agree to whatever they ask cannot be supported. What Jesus is saying in this verse is a general statement about anytime such a group meets. It is an obvious truth.

The reason it is obvious is what is said in Hebrews 13:5 –

“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’”

The words are directed in the singular, “…no not you [sg.] I should leave, neither no you [sg.] I should forsake.” (CG)

The weight of that is seen in Jesus’ next words, “there I am in the midst of them.” If Jesus states there is no point at which He should leave or forsake an individual, then He is always with him. If two or three are gathered, then it is certain He is among them, acknowledging that they have gathered in His Father’s name.

Again, however, it does not logically follow that everything Jesus says to His disciples applies to all people in the church at all times. The follow-up general statement is given to the disciples to ensure they know that the first statement is true.

For example, in Ezekiel, it says that Gog will be destroyed along with all of his armies. It then says that God will give them to the birds and beasts to be devoured. This doesn’t mean that every person slain in the armies will be eaten by birds and beasts. It is a general statement given to confirm the fact that the armies will be destroyed.

We can be certain that the Lord is always with us. We can also be certain that when we gather in the Father’s name, Jesus will be with us. But we should not claim that because we have met in this manner, the Father is going to agree to everything we determine. It assumes too much.

Life application: It is important to consider the context of what is being said in Scripture. Once the context is understood, we should go further and question if what is said in the surrounding verses is a specific or general statement. Does what is said logically follow if a general statement is made? The answer will normally be no. The general is given to confirm the specific, but not necessarily in all circumstances or in all ways.

The example of Gog above is just one of many such examples that show one does not logically follow after another. As this is so, let us lean toward the more conservative idea concerning such things. To go further may, and usually will, assume too much.

And as an additional confirmation of such things, just look realistically at the world around you. Has your experience shown that every time two or three are gathered in Jesus’ name, God has done for them what they determined? Of course not! If not, then why not? Are the words of Jesus in error? Of course not! Then the disconnect is in our thinking and understanding of the passage, not in what Jesus is telling a certain group of people.

Lord God, give us the wisdom to consider Your word in its intended context. May we not run ahead with various thoughts from Your word without thinking them through and properly considering what is said and why it is said. Give us this wisdom, O God. Amen.

Thursday, 2 April 2026

Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. Matthew 18:19

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Again, I say to you, that if two of you, they may harmonize upon the earth about any deed, that if they should ask, it will become to them from My Father, the ‘in heavens’.” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus instructed the disciples about binding on earth what is bound in heaven and loosing on earth what is loosed in heaven. Following along with that same authority, of which the context demands it is referring to these disciples, it says, “Again, I say to you, that if two of you, they may harmonize upon the earth.”

Here is a new word, sumphóneó, to be harmonious. One can see the obvious etymological ancestor of our modern word symphony. The word is derived from sýn, together with, and phōnḗ, sound or voice (think of the telephōnḗ). HELPS Word Studies says, “to be in harmony, agreeing, because in one concord.”

When a symphony plays, each voice of the instruments is playing in accord with the whole to form a tapestry of music. Jesus continues, saying that if these disciples harmonize upon the earth “about any deed.”

A second new word is seen, pragma, a deed. By extension, it refers to a material object, a business, a matter, a thing, or work in general. This word is the great-grandfather of our modern word pragmatic. From there, it became the Greek word pragmatikos (relating to a fact). That was then adopted into English.

Jesus is looking for harmony among these disciples to form a united consensus. Once that is obtained, He says, “that if they should ask, it will become to them.”

This is the main key to obtaining what is needed for the furtherance of the church in its infancy. There cannot be individual voices pulling from one side and other voices pulling from another in an attempt to obtain personal victory. That type of dealing is left up to business leaders, politicians, etc. But the early church would only properly function when they were united.

And that could only happen when the will of the Lord, a will whose general principles and main goal were already known to them, would be pursued. Should they have been united in this manner, they would receive their request, as Jesus says, “from My Father, the ‘in heavens’.”

Jesus is restating and reconfirming the thought of the previous verse. There is an ability to obtain what is asked because it has already been ordained to be so in heaven.

Life application: The words of Jesus in this verse are quite often taken to inappropriate and unintended extremes. The words are used to claim things that will not come about because the intended recipients of what Jesus says were these disciples, not the church at large, after the word was completed.

As seen in the previous commentary, an example was given concerning binding and loosening from Acts 15. In the same chapter, the decision that led to the letter sent to the believers at Antioch says –

“Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who was also named Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren.” Acts 15:22

This is the type of agreement Jesus was referring to. It was a necessary grant to the early church because there was no New Testament to guide the church in its decision-making process. Therefore, they came together, united in an agreement, and then disseminated that decision to where it was needed to go.

A similar type of agreement came about in Acts 6 over a matter. Today, the church’s instruction manual is Scripture. If a church body agrees on something that is contrary to the word, how could God grant that? For this to come about, every single church would have to be in perfect agreement over every point of doctrine given in Scripture.

And yet, there isn’t a single point of doctrine that every church agrees on! The words of Jesus in Matthew 18:19 are not, and indeed they cannot be speaking of people today. Using this verse as a way of supposedly settling a matter is inappropriate. The word is given to do that. It is our job to learn the word, apply the word in its proper context, and be obedient to its precepts.

Lord God, help us to remember that You have bound what we are to do and You have loosed what we are not to do. As such, our agreement in spiritual matters must be based upon the word of God, not upon a misunderstanding of what Jesus has taught. Help us to remember the context of what He instructs us. Amen.

Wednesday, 1 April 2026

“Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Matthew 18:18

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Amen! I say to you, as much if you should bind upon the earth, it will be ‘having been bindings’ in the heaven. And as much, if you should loosen upon the earth, it will be having been loosenings in the heaven.” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus gave instructions on someone who would not listen to the out-called gathering. If he continued to stubbornly listen, he was to be treated like the ethnicity and the taxmen. Now, he provides an authority similar to that stated to Peter in Acts 16:19, beginning with, “Amen! I say to you.”

The “you” is plural. In Matthew 16:19, it was singular, referring to Peter. Therefore, the authority is not limited to Peter. This authority is, “as much if you should bind upon the earth, it will be ‘having been bindings’ in the heaven.”

The plural “bindings” refers to the plural number of people. Each such decision is a part of those things having been bound in the heaven.

Access to heaven is through faith in Jesus. That is something ahead for the disciples at this time. Hence, the future tense, “it will be.” These disciples are being told that they will have authority to bind, meaning prohibit, that which is prohibited in the heavens. That is seen with the use of the perfect participle “having been.” Likewise, Jesus says, “And as much, if you should loosen upon the earth, it will be having been loosenings in the heaven.”

To loosen means to undo and thus to allow. These disciples were given the authority to make decisions concerning what was to be done or not done in the church, confirming that which was bound in heaven. This is how the church was established. Decisions were made, authority was set, and matters were discussed, such as in Acts 15 at the Council in Jerusalem.

These matters were granted to men, inspired by the Spirit, to establish the workings of the church and also to pen the words of Scripture that would then become the final authority for church conduct. These words are logically connected to the previous section that dealt with a sinning brother, because that was a matter that they would decide.

If they decided such a person was to be returned to fellowship, that is what was bound in heaven. If they determined he should be expelled, that was bound in heaven. With the word of God complete, we now have Scripture to determine what is bound in heaven. We simply need to follow what has been provided.

Life application: It is not uncommon in some churches to hear people claim they are “binding” this or that, or that they are “loosening” this or that, as if they personally have authority to direct heaven to do certain things.

Rather, God in heaven determines what is acceptable and what is not in spiritual matters. He has given us His wisdom for church-age guidance in the pages of Scripture. That is what is bound and what is loosed.

A problem with churches arises when they don’t use the Bible to make such determinations. How can you allow or prohibit something in accord with God’s will if you don’t know what His will is? The answer is that you cannot.

A process was set in motion for Christ’s church to be established. Moses received God’s will, penned it, and passed it on to the people. That is what was bound or loosened for the people. God took a bit of a different direction with the church. He gave the leaders authority to get things going, to make decisions in accord with the Spirit’s directions, and eventually, they penned the New Testament.

That is seen, for example, in these words from James –

“For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: ²⁹ that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well.” Acts 15:28, 29

The decision was bound in heaven (good to the Holy Spirit), and it was then passed on to the people as a binding precept. Now that the word is completed, we are to go to the epistles to further clarify what was initially set forth.

Lord God, how good it is to have Your word to direct us. We don’t need to worry if we are living in accord with Your will or not if we are aware of what Your will is! And so, we will continue in Your word, learning its precepts and living in accord with what it says. Amen.

Tuesday, 31 March 2026

And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. Matthew 18:17

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And if he should ignore them, you say to the out-calling. And if also the out-calling he ignores, he is to you as the ethnicity and the taxmen.” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus cited the precept from Deuteronomy concerning establishing a matter by two or three witnesses. He next says, “And if he should ignore them.”

A new word is seen, parakouó, to mishear. By implication, it then means to disobey. In this case, he simply ignores what has been presented, failing to hear their reason. The matter was brought up privately between the offended and the offender. That didn’t work, so the one offended brought witnesses to assist in adjudicating the matter. That attempt has failed. Therefore, the next step is noted by Jesus, “you say to the out-calling.”

This is the second time the out-calling is mentioned. It is a called-out group of people in any given context. Today, we call it the church. But the church didn’t exist as an entity until after the Pentecost recorded in Acts 2. Thus, saying “church” at this point is a bit of a misnomer. As for it being brought to the out-calling, Jesus next says, “And if also the out-calling he ignores.”

The word parakouó is used again. It will only be seen one more time, in Mark 5:36. This stubborn guy has now thrice ignored reason. Because of this, there is no more remedy available. And so Jesus says, “he is to you as the ethnicity and the taxmen.”

In this case, the ethnicity means a non-covenant person. Jesus, at the time, was speaking to the people of Israel. At the time, they were the covenant people. Therefore, it was anyone outside of their realm. The taxmen, even if in Israel, were outcasts from the people. They worked for the Romans and thus harmed the state of their own people. As such, this guy is now like an ethnicity, being out of the covenant graces. He is also like the taxmen, being at enmity with the cause.

Life application: In the epistles, Paul handles matters concerning such people in various ways –

“But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.” 1 Corinthians 5:11

“And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. ¹⁵ Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.” 2 Thessalonians 3:14, 15

“This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, ¹⁹ having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck, ²⁰ of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.” 1 Timothy 1:18-20

One can see that Paul had a variety of disciplinary methods for various infractions against the church. The circumstances dictated what he would do. What he says in 1 Corinthians and 2 Thessalonians is prescriptive and is to be adhered to.

Paying attention to what is going on in the word is important. Issues arise that must be addressed from time to time. Churches do not need books of order, books of discipline, etc., to make judgments within the congregation or for laying charges against elders and deacons.

These things are laid out in Scripture. Such books begin to take the place of Scripture in the minds of people. When this happens, and it inevitably does, the word loses its importance in the church. Later, when the morals of the church degrade, as is common, such books are amended to accommodate whatever perversion is now considered acceptable.

But the word of God cannot be amended. It stands as the rule and guide of the faith. Be sure to go to it, not some other source, to determine matters of church policy.

Lord God, help us to remember Your word for all occasions where we need spiritual guidance and direction. May we never forsake this precious gift You have blessed us with for conducting our life’s walk. Amen.

Monday, 30 March 2026

But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ Matthew 18:16

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And if not he should hear, you take with you yet one or two, that ‘upon mouth – two witnesses, or three, it should stand, every word.’” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus said, “And if he should sin against you, your brother, you withdraw, and you confute him – between you and him alone. If he should hear you, you gained your brother.” Next, He will cite words from Deuteronomy 19:15, beginning with, “And if not he should hear.”

Jesus has been speaking of the “little ones,” meaning those who accepted the message by simple faith, like a little child. If a matter arises between two of them, there should first be a private attempt to reconcile. If that does not resolve the issue, because the person will not hear, “you take with you yet one or two.”

This means that the matter is worth elevating. Someone might do something to another that was upsetting, but does that mean every matter needs to be handled this way? Rather, some disputes are better left unaddressed. But this is a matter where someone has been really wronged by another. Bringing one or two more to stand as witnesses thus fulfills a necessary requirement of validation. The reason for this is explicitly stated by Jesus, saying, “that ‘upon mouth – two witnesses, or three, it should stand, every word.’”

As noted, this was a precept of the Law of Moses, and Jesus is currently speaking to people under the law. However, it is a precept of wisdom that extends beyond the law. This is certain because Paul repeats the sentiment in his epistles –

“This will be the third time I am coming to you. ‘By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.’” 2 Corinthians 13:1

Paul was careful to ensure that a precept which is logical and appropriate not be overlooked simply because the law was fulfilled in Christ.

Life application: With a precept from the law being addressed by Paul, it would be easy for someone to conclude that we are somehow bound to the other precepts of the law as well. Without understanding what God has done in Christ, this is what many have concluded over the years.

But such a position ignores the entire weight and significance of what Christ came to do. Just because there are precepts in the law that make sense and should be applied to our continued walk, it in no way logically follows that we are somehow bound to the Law of Moses, in part or in whole.

The same is true with verses in Acts where Paul apparently observed Jewish rites, customs, and practices. Law-observing heretics will point at those examples and say, “See, Paul never stopped observing the law, and neither should we.”

Again, such a thought ignores what is clearly stated elsewhere, such as –

“For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; ²⁰ and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; ²¹ to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; ²² to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. ²³ Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.” 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

Paul was an apostle. It was his job to get converts. Paul was also a Jew. If it meant observing a now-fulfilled law in order to open the eyes of his fellow Jews to their need for Christ, that is what he did. Elsewhere, such as in Galatians 2, he argues against Peter for this same thing when in the presence of the Gentiles.

The Gentiles were never under the law. In Peter’s failure to uphold the integrity and truth of the gospel, he turned from grace back to the law. And he did it not for saving Jews, but to save face with the Jews. It was an unacceptable action because it harmed the Gentile believers, confusing them and bringing them into a bondage they never faced before.

Be careful to think things through. Don’t get swayed by the failed arguments of law observers. Stand fast on the grace of God in Christ.

Lord God, may we be faithful people who faithfully follow You. There is no need to find our righteousness in the law. Rather, we find it in You. You are the Lord, our righteousness. May we remember this and cling to it all our days. Amen.