“For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”
– Mt. 18:20 NASB (1995)
Common (Mis)usage:
The typical reference to this verse is when it’s related to a promise associated with general prayer or Christian gatherings. Usually, there’s some suggestion that as long as there are “two or three” Christians gathered (i.e., in His name) then Jesus is ever present in that situation. In the interest of fairness and full disclosure, there was likely a time when I upheld similar understandings and even shared it with others because of its use in Christian music and my early days when I lacked a sound approach to biblical interpretation. So, I can certainly understand why the above seems like a solid interpretation, but that’s only when devoid of the surrounding context and the Bible’s context as a whole. We’ll see, however, that the Lord Jesus had something more precise in mind based on this verse’s surrounding text.
Basic Context & Meaning:
First, let’s review vv. 15-20 in their entirety (NASB 1995):
(15) If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.
(16) “But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED.
(17) “If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
(18) “Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.
(19) “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.
(20) “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”
Notice the context in this passage now? Particularly vv.15-17? It addresses church discipline and its related judicial proceedings—which is quite interesting because it’s one of the few declarations related to the “church” or “assembly” (Gr. εκκλησία; ekklesia) captured in the Gospels. In this passage, a three-part process is outlined for Christian (i.e., “brother”) who has sinned. Additionally, there’s a gradual way that Jesus directs the disciples to address a sinning brother who won’t properly respond to his sin. Jesus provides His disciples with a tiered approach to address such matters, and the last stage of this process results in the excommunication of the sinning brother (v.17), which sets the stage for vv.18-20.
Next, v.19 alludes to prayer (rf. “they ask”), but it’s not a general prayer in view here. Notice, it also says the phrase, “about anything” (πράγματος or pragmatos). This word often has a judicial meaning, which definitely agrees with the context of the passage and supports the idea that the “where two or three have gathered” is not speaking about general prayer.1 Lastly, v.19 seems to be a type of restatement (“again I say to you”) of v.18 and further connects the Father’s involvement in church discipline administration. The bottom line is that God is supporting the agreed upon actions of His followers (rf. v.18’s “bind” and “loose”). What they rightly determine, He will support.
Suggested Usage/Application:
Discipline is hard. Church discipline is especially hard, and removing a brother or sister from the assembly is no light matter. Yet, this removal is warranted for those who willfully and flagrantly persist in sin and refuse to repent (rf. 2 Thess. 3:14). The New Testament Christian can rest assured that Jesus is with them when making corporate judicial decisions like this one, especially when they inevitably pray about such matters.
Another application of this text is found in Jesus’s proclamation that He’s “there in their midst.” This is yet another reflection of His divine nature. Note, God the Father being present in their midst would seem more conventional based on v.19 (rf. “My Father who is in heaven”), but instead, it’s Jesus who’s present with those making decisions consistent with this overall passage, a subtle indicator of His deity and unity with the Father.
Though remarkable and encouraging, Jesus’s presence should be of little surprise to us. After all, He is Emmanuel, or “God with us,” and it should be both a comfort and a profound truth that the God-man graciously supports the church’s endeavors to administer His word soundly and faithfully. While it’s wholly biblical to believe that Jesus is present with the Christians who act according to His will (Mt. 28:20; Jn 15:7-8), Matthew 18:20 is probably not the verse you want to use and apply to general prayers and gatherings. Rather than making a blanket statement about Jesus’s corporate presence, believers would do well to use Matthew 18:20 and comfort one another as they make difficult decisions regarding church discipline and similar spiritual matters throughout the church age.
1. D. A. Carson, Matthew, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein and J. D. Douglas, vol. 8 of Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Accordance electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984), paragraph 45950.