Wednesday,19^th week in ordinary time – 12^th August 2026 – Matthew 18:15-20

We have reached the fourth major teaching section in Matthew’s Gospel. Matthew 18 is the community manual directed at Peter and the rest of the followers, focusing on how believers relate to one another. The chapter begins with a question from the disciples about who holds the highest rank in heaven’s kingdom. To understand this passage correctly, we must look at it strictly through the lens of that original question instead of imposing modern ideas or current viewpoints.

This question asked by the disciples is a bit of an oddity. You won’t be asking this question when twice before this; in rapid succession (Matthew 16:21-23 and 17:22-23) Jesus has declared his passion, death and resurrection.  The disciples weren’t just asking a random, casual question. They were stressed out! Why? Because Peter just got the promotion.

Just two chapters earlier, Jesus looked right at Peter and said, “You are the rock, and on this rock, I’m building my church!” Suddenly, Peter’s got the keys. He’s got the title. And the rest of the crew? They’re looking at each other going, “Wait a minute… if he’s the rock, what are we? Pebble number one and pebble number two?” They weren’t just curious about heaven; they were insecure about their status. They wanted to know where they stood on the charts of power!

Jesus places a child in their presence as an answer to their question. They were driven by the desire to be given status and Jesus clearly demands that they change their mindset. Using a double negative he insists they will never enter the kingdom of heaven if they are driven by such earthly titles and honours.

The community discourse was thus meant to be a guidepost to the leaders of the Church. It was their duty to ensure that their very behaviour would shine ‘like a light’ for the rest of the community and not scandalize the little ones. These little ones were not to be despised but to be protected and defended from the forces of evil within and without.

With this larger framework, we now look at the text of today. This text (15-20) has often been seen as some sort of a handbook for resolving matters rather than what it was meant to be; concern for others. In its context, this text is sandwiched between the parable of the lost sheep and the mandate to forgive seventy times seven. The purpose of the process is not to win the argument, but to win back your brother.

If you are surrounded by the message of love, it is improbable that the core of your learning turns out to be rotten. This text is cushioned with love. If the shepherd left the ninety-nine sheep in search of the one lost, would he bring him back only to put him on trial? Grace doesn’t hunt you down to lock you up; it rescues you to bring you home.

As I said earlier, the point of this text in dealing with a sinful brother is not to haul him over the coals but to restore a wounded relationship. Matthew is asking his community to settle matters of dispute by tapping into the resources of the community and not to seek recourse in some external judicial kangaroo court. However, the disputes taken to the community are not meant to be trivial matters but those grave in nature and that gravity was highlighted by the word ‘sinful’.

A community of believers is not insulated from disagreements. The words of Jesus seem to indicate a hypothetical situation highlighted by the word IF, which is repeated five times in the text. But this hypothetical situation is more than just a hypothesis for we know that sparks fly when people live in a community. The Lord, mindful of such possible conflicts, wanted them to be addressed, for conflicts that are not addressed only fester.

Some of us have turned Matthew 18 into a weapon. We look at this text like it’s a four-step execution plan, and we can’t wait to get to step four so we can finally cut somebody off! We hide behind the letter of the law because it gives us a religious excuse to do what our flesh wants to do anyway. But let me tell you, if your goal is the expulsion, you have completely missed the expectation! The heart of God is not excommunication; it is restoration. The whole point of the process isn’t to push people out, it’s to pull them back in!

The sensitivity in this text oozes over. The member in question is ‘sinful’, there is a grievous wound caused due to the action of the person. Individual sins of a member hurt the community at large. There is no sin, no matter how personal, that does not injure the community. The Confiteor or the I confess is said as a public admittance of our individual sins and while it does not sacramentally absolve us of our sins it is an appropriate way to prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries, admitting our sins which wound the body of Christ.

Hence the sin of a sinful brother needs to be dealt with and done so sensitively. The temptation would be to gloss over the sin, after all addressing such a matter is embarrassing for all. All the same, it must be ‘pointed out’ and be done privately or ‘alone’ to avoid embarrassing the person thus allowing the member to begin with a clean slate.

But then again, the perception of sinfulness may have not permeated into the consciousness of the errant member and in that case may warrant the intervention of a few more members.  Perhaps their eyes haven’t opened to the blind spot. In that case Jesus suggests you bring in a few more people.

What you need to understand is that bringing a few more people to settle the matter is not a matter of calling backup to bully them! Jesus is clear, these ‘few more people’ are partners in restoration, not a prosecution team out to destroy them.

Yet If that sinful brother or sister still closes their ears, that’s when you bring it to the Church. And if they reject the Church, you treat them like an outsider, because they are choosing to walk outside the covenant. The goal is always a rescue mission to win them back, not a religious courtroom with a pack of church lawyers out for blood!

Matthew is the only Gospel that uses the word, Church. (Ecclesia, meaning a calling out or an assembly) In this text, you will find the word used thrice. It is to this Church, that is granted the gift of ‘binding and loosening,’ a gift that was given to St Peter in Chapter 16:19. This is incredible power and with great power comes great responsibility.

The text must therefore always be seen as a responsibility that is thrust on the shoulders of the Church to make every effort to heal the wounds of division. Jesus will back this text with his response to Peter’s question; you MUST forgive seventy times seven.