Binding And Loosing
Essentially, Jesus is saying that a church has a God-given authority to do either if they follow the disciplinary procedures that He outlined. The aim of both should be either expelling a member through binding or restoring a member through loosing.
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Binding and Loosing (By David Peterson)
Jesus is talking about discipline in Matthew 18:18-19 when He states: “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. 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.”
Jesus uses terms that the Jewish legal authorities used to explain that to bind someone means to forbid or prohibit and to loose someone means to permit or forgive them. In the discipline process binding someone could mean excommunication and loosing is meant to restore someone. Essentially, Jesus is saying that a church has a God-given authority to do either if they follow the disciplinary procedures that He outlined. The aim of both should be either expelling a member through binding or restoring a member through loosing.
John MacArthur comments: “Christians have such authority because they have the truth of God’s authoritative Word by which to judge. The source of the church’s authority is not in itself, anymore than the source of the apostles’ authority was in themselves or even in their office, exalted as it was. Christians can authoritatively declare what is acceptable to God or forbidden by Him because they have His Word.” God’s Word, then, gives us a formidable example in which to make Godly church decisions.
Martin Luther’s exquisite hymn “A mighty Fortress is our God” summarizes God’s directions with verse 4;
That word above all earthly powers,
No thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours
Through Him who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go,
This mortal life also;
The body they may kill:
God’s truth abideth still,
His Kingdom is forever.
Luther echoes Jesus here, in that God’s Word is above us and we should follow it.
Let us pray: Great Heavenly Father, we abide in your Word and we apply it in earthly situations as needed, not to show our false power but to show your binding and loosing direction as the authority. Amen.
