Mat 18:15-22 | PNT | STEP | If thy brother . Brother in the church. Compare . Sin against thee . Personally. Injure you or do you wrong. Shew him his fault . Go to him privately and have a kind, brotherly talk over the matter, and try to show him his fault. Gained thy brother . For thyself, by restoring good feeling; for God, by leading him to a sense of sin and repentance.

Matthew 18:15-22

If thy brother. Brother in the church. Compare Mr 9:38 Lu 9:49.

Sin against thee. Personally. Injure you or do you wrong.

Shew him his fault. Go to him privately and have a kind, brotherly talk over the matter, and try to show him his fault.

Gained thy brother. For thyself, by restoring good feeling; for God, by leading him to a sense of sin and repentance. Take with thee one or two more. If the private interview is of no avail, take other brethren as witnesses and intercessors. These witnesses, hearing the matter talked over, can report the facts. Tell [it] unto the church. If neither effort is of avail, then report it to the church for action. This is the second instance in the New Testament use of the word "church". The first is in Mt 16:18.

If he neglect to hear the church. The admonition and entreaty of the church through its elders. The church has power to admonish and to exclude.

Let him be to thee as an heathen man and a publican. Have no religious fellowship with him, more than you would have with a heathen, or a publican. The publicans were usually apostate Jews. The orthodox Jews had no social intercourse with heathen or publicans. Whatsoever ye shall bind. What was said to Peter (Mt 16:19) is addressed to all the apostles. It is spoken to all a second time (Joh 20:23). All had the keys as well as Peter. The apostles were, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, to establish the rules of the church discipline, as well as to announce the conditions of salvation by the gospel. These rules and conditions, found in Acts and the Epistles, bind and loose men. As they were to speak and write as moved by the Holy Spirit, what they announced would be ratified in heaven. If two of you shall agree. Two shall constitute a Christian fellowship. The united prayers of this fellowship for any legitimate object shall be heard. The assurance of this is found in the fact that Christ will be present wherever two or three are gathered in his name. Their united prayers will ascend, made mighty by the intercession of the Son of God. By his presence it becomes his prayer. In my name. As followers of Christ. Then came Peter to him. The Lord had just spoken of the duty of seeking reconciliation with those who trespassed against us (Mt 18:15-17), and there seems to have been some doubt in the mind of Peter how far this principle should be carried.

Till seven times? It is stated that the Jewish Rabbis held that forgiveness must be extended to one who confessed his fault, but this was limited to three repetitions of the offense. Peter had an idea that the Savior's rule would insist on still greater forbearance. Until seventy times seven. That is, there should be no limit at which it shall be refused if it is asked in the spirit of sincere penitence. By reference to Lu 17:4, one can see the condition of forgiveness. It is that the offender professes "repentance". We are to forgive men their trespasses on the same condition that God forgives us ours, and he does not forgive the impenitent. Our mercy must be just as unlimited as that of God.