TWO OR THREE TOGETHER ATHERED TOGETHER IN MY NAME: What Does It Mean?

 

We often quote Matthew 18:20—“For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them”—as encouragement that no matter how small a fellowship or Bible study may be, Jesus is present even if only two or three attend. While it is true that Jesus promised to be with His people always (Matt 28:20), the immediate context shows a more specific meaning. In biblical interpretation, context is key.

CHURCH DISCIPLINE—THE CONTEXT

In Matthew 18:15-20, Jesus was teaching about church discipline. If a private attempt to resolve a sin issue fails, the offended believer is to bring along two or three witnesses to establish the matter (v.16). Under Jewish law, two or three witnesses were required to confirm a case and authorize a verdict (Deut 19:15; 17:6-7). Jesus applied this legal principle to the church. Verses 19–20 therefore refer to these same witnesses, not to a casual small-group gathering.

LAST OPTION: EXCOMMUNICATION

If the offender still refuses to repent, Jesus said the final step is to treat that person “as a pagan or a tax collector” (v.17)—that is, to remove them from the fellowship. In the Old Testament this ultimate penalty could mean execution to “purge the evil” from the community (Deut 17:7; 19:19; 21:21). Paul used the same phrase for removing an unrepentant believer (1 Cor 5:13). Jesus adopted the principle of exclusion but without physical punishment: the unrepentant member is to be regarded as an outsider.

BINDING AND LOOSING

Jesus then declared that whatever the church “binds” or “looses” on earth will be bound or loosed in heaven (v.18). These were legal terms meaning to imprison or release, not formulas for “naming and claiming” blessings or binding evil spirits. Jesus assured His followers that when they exercise discipline, they act under God’s authority; heaven ratifies their decision. Jewish teachers used the same language to describe their authority to render judgments from Scripture.

Verse 19 continues the same thought: “If two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.” This is not a promise that prayer is more powerful with more people. The “two” are the very witnesses involved in discipline. Their petitions—whether for the removal of an unrepentant sinner or the restoration of a repentant one—carry heaven’s endorsement because they fulfill Christ’s directive.

ASSURANCE OF CHRIST’S PRESENCE

Finally, in verse 20 Jesus gives comfort: when these witnesses gather in His name to carry out this painful duty, He Himself is present. He echoes a Jewish saying of the time: “Wherever two or three gather to study God’s law, His presence is among them.” Christ promises His presence in the heavy work of church discipline.

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Church discipline, especially removing someone from fellowship, is heartbreaking. No believer who truly loves a brother or sister wants this outcome, and the early church reserved it for serious, unrepentant sin (1 Cor 5:1-13; Titus 3:10-11). Even when discipline is necessary, we are still commanded to love and forgive (see the following passage, Matt 18:21-35). Treating someone as an outsider never means withholding love; it means calling them to repentance. Discipline is a solemn responsibility—painful, yet sometimes love must be tough.

Sources and Studies:

Walton, J.H, and, Keener C., (2016). “See footnotes for Matthew 18: 15-20” 𝘕𝘐𝘝 𝘊𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘚𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘉𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦. (pp. 1647-1648). Zondervan