Matthew 18:18

Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Verily {G281} I say {G3004} unto you {G5213}, Whatsoever {G3745}{G1437} ye shall bind {G1210} on {G1909} earth {G1093} shall be {G2071} bound {G1210} in {G1722} heaven {G3772}: and {G2532} whatsoever {G3745}{G1437} ye shall loose {G3089} on {G1909} earth {G1093} shall be {G2071} loosed {G3089} in {G1722} heaven {G3772}.

Yes! I tell you people that whatever you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.

Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

Verily I say unto you, What things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Matthew 18:18 (KJV) is a profound verse that speaks to the authority and responsibility entrusted to the community of believers, often understood as the church. Christ declares, "Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

Context

This powerful statement is part of a larger discourse by Jesus to His disciples concerning life within the community of faith, specifically addressing topics like humility, the value of each believer, and how to handle sin within the church. The immediate preceding verses (Matthew 18:15-17) detail the process of church discipline, from private confrontation to involving the wider church. Following this verse, Jesus speaks about the power of agreement in prayer (Matthew 18:19) and His presence among believers (Matthew 18:20), reinforcing that this authority is exercised within a Spirit-led, communal context.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Ecclesiastical Authority: This verse grants significant spiritual authority to the collective body of believers, the church. It's not an individual's arbitrary power, but a corporate responsibility to uphold God's truth and standards.
  • Divine Ratification: The phrases "shall be bound in heaven" and "shall be loosed in heaven" indicate that the decisions made by the church on earth, when aligned with God's will and guided by the Holy Spirit, are ratified and confirmed by God Himself. Heaven endorses earth's righteous judgments.
  • Spiritual Responsibility: The authority to "bind and loose" carries immense weight. It pertains to matters of doctrine, moral conduct, and church discipline, emphasizing the serious nature of the church's role in guiding believers and maintaining purity.
  • Continuity with Peter's Authority: While this authority was initially given to Peter as an individual (Matthew 16:19, where he received "the keys of the kingdom"), here in Matthew 18:18, it is extended to the disciples (plural "ye"), implying it is a corporate authority for the entire church.

Linguistic Insights

The terms "bind" (Greek: deo) and "loose" (Greek: lyo) were common rabbinic expressions in Jesus' day. In Jewish legal and theological discourse, "binding" referred to forbidding something, declaring it unlawful, or imposing an obligation. "Loosing" meant permitting something, declaring it lawful, or releasing from an obligation. The passive voice in "shall be bound" and "shall be loosed" is crucial; it suggests that the church's decisions on earth are a reflection or declaration of what God has already determined in heaven, rather than initiating a new divine decree.

Practical Application

For believers today, Matthew 18:18 underscores the importance of the local church and its leadership in discerning God's will for its members and community. It calls for prayerful wisdom in addressing matters of faith, conduct, and reconciliation. It reminds us that when the church acts in accordance with biblical truth and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, its decisions carry divine weight. This verse encourages believers to trust in the spiritual authority God has vested in His church for guidance, correction, and growth.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Matthew 16:19

    And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

  • 2 Corinthians 2:10

    To whom ye forgive any thing, I [forgive] also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave [it], for your sakes [forgave I it] in the person of Christ;

  • John 20:23

    Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; [and] whose soever [sins] ye retain, they are retained.

  • 1 Corinthians 5:4

    In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,

  • 1 Corinthians 5:5

    To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

  • Revelation 3:7

    And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

  • Revelation 3:8

    I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

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