Neat or Sloppy?

If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. Matthew 18.

A neat thing has been done with these verses. These verses have been used to differentiate between the individual, a plurality of individuals and the church. Ostensibly to illustrate that the church has a different work than the individual and individuals. Like I said… its really neat but there is a problem… its not true.

First of all the purposes of these verses is not to define the work of the church and differentiate it from the work of the individual.

Secondly, the church wasn’t in existence and the word “church” in this text probably means the jewish congregation or the Synagogue. Jesus was still just trying to make them better Jews and prepare them for the coming of the Kingdom.

Thirdly if this was to be the formula for discipling an individual in sin… there is no example of it in the New Testament.

It is true that the word translated in this text is “ekklesia” which is the same word used when describing the church in the New Testament after the church was established.

However dear reader please note this… sometimes the Lord’s Church is described as a Synagogue…

“My brethren, hold not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come into your synagogue a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, and there come in also a poor man in vile clothing” James 2:2

Please don’t force Matthew 18 to teach the distinction of the work of the individual, the work of individuals and the work of the church. It may be neat but it’s really sloppy hermeneutics.