Russian Orthodox Church in Antarctica. Antarctica: Church of the Holy Trinity in Antarctica

The traditional Christian interpretation of this passage says that here we're talking about about the prayer of several believers gathered together to ask the Lord for something. However, is everything so clear? Let's look at these verses in more detail, touching on the context of what Yeshua said.

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone; If he listens to you, then you have gained your brother;

But if he does not listen, take with you one or two more, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established;

if he does not listen to them, tell the church; and if he does not listen to the church, then let him be to you as a pagan and a tax collector.

Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.

Truly I also tell you that if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven,

for where two or three are gathered in My name, there I am in the midst of them.”

(Holy Gospel of Matthew 18:15-20)

We see that the context of these verses speaks of a certain sin of one brother against another and in order to resolve this conflict, you must first try to resolve it one on one, then through 2 and 3 brothers, and if this does not help, then you should address the meeting. However, why does Yeshua speak specifically about two or three witnesses? Why not about 5's or 7's?

Absolutely Yeshua in this passage refers to the immutable commandment of the Torah, which states:

“It is not enough to have one witness against someone for any guilt and for any crime and for any sin that he commits:with the words of two witnesses, or with the words of three witnesses, the case will take place"(Deuteronomy 19:15)

We see a similar situation in the letter of Paul (Shaul):
“Accept the accusation against the presbyter in no other way thanwith two or three witnesses"(1 Timothy 5:19)

The author of the Hebrew New Testament, David Stern, translates the words “bind” and “loose” as “forbid” and “loose.” These terms were used in first century Judaism and had the meanings of "to prohibit" and "to permit", as seen in the article "Binding and Loosing" published in Encyclopedia Judaica 3:215:

BINDING and LOING (Hebrew, asar ve-hitir)... Rabbinical term meaning ""prohibition and permission"... "The Pharisees always believed that they had the power to bind and loose. During the reign of Queen Alexandra, the Pharisees, according to Josephus (Wars of the Jews 1:5:2), "began to manage all public affairs as if they had the power to expel from society and take back, as well as to bind and untie" ... Various schools were given the power to "bind and loose"; that is, to prohibit and permit (Talmud: Chagigah 36); and they could bind any day by declaring it a day of fasting (...Talmud: Ta'anit 12a...). This power and authority, which in each century was vested in the rabbis or Sanhedrin, was subject to ratification and final confirmation by heavenly justice (Sifra, Emor; Talmud: Makkot 236).

In appointing the disciples as his successors, Jesus used a formula that everyone could understand (Matthew 16:19, 18:18). With these words, He, in fact, endowed them with the power that, as He saw, belonged to the scribes and Pharisees, who “bind heavy burdens and lay them on the shoulders of people, but do not want to move them with a finger”; that is, to "loose them," since they have the power to do so (Matt. 23:2-4).

Typically, Christians see verses 19-20 as a definition of a "messianic minyan", in which, instead of the minimum gathering of ten people established by halakhah (Talmud, SanGedrin 26) for public prayers in synagogues, two or three gathered in the name of Yeshua, plus Yeshua himself, are sufficient who is there in the midst of them (v. 20). The problem here is that the context of this passage is not about prayer. Most likely, Yeshua is addressing those who have the authority to regulate the messianic social life(vv. 15-17), gives them the commission to establish the New Testament halacha, that is, to make authoritative decisions where it comes to how the messianic life should be led. In Art. 19 Yeshua teaches that when a problem is formally considered by a council of two or three heads of the Messianic community, and they make a halachic decision here on earth, they can be confident that the authority of God in heaven is behind them.

Compare with Mishnah:

“Rabbi Hananiah ben-T”radion said: “If two people sit together and the words of the Torah are spoken between them, then she”khina (God’s presence) dwells among them, as it is said: “Those who fear Adonai speak together, and Adonai paid attention and heard, and a record was made before Him of those who feared Adonai and meditated on His name" (Malachi 3:16)." (Avot 3:2)

“How do you know that if ten people are praying together, then Shekhina [God’s manifest presence] is in their midst? Because it is said: “God stands in the assembly of God” (Psalm 81:1) [and the “assembly” must have a minyan - at least ten]. How do you know what ifthree sit in court as judges, then Sh"khina is among them? Because it is said: "Among the judges he represents the court" (B"rahot 6a)

Thus, in accordance with Art. 18-20 the rest of Yeshua's disciples join Cephas (Peter) (16:19) and replace "the Kohanim Levites and the judge who will be in those days" (Deuteronomy 17:8-12), becoming the final bearers of halakhic authority.

The unity of the content of verses 15-20 is also evident from the fact that “two or three” are mentioned both in v. 16. and at 19-20. Moreover, it then becomes clear that Art. 21 continues to develop the theme begun in v. 15 (how to conduct social life in the Messianic community), which otherwise would be an inappropriate transition from one topic to another (instruction on prayer).

The following expanded interpretation of verse 19 explains its meaning: “To repeat (Greek kai: “and moreover”) [and to confirm, in other words, what I just said in verse 18], I say to you that if two of you [leaders of the Messianic community] agree on a decision on any Halakhic issue or issue of public order, then it [the Halachic decision you make] will be for them [the people who asked to consider this issue] like it came directly from my Father in Heaven ". In Art. 20 Yeshua gives greater force to this statement by promising his own presence and authority in such situations. However, to the traditional Christian understanding Art. 19-20 can be treated as a drash, speaking about prayer and strengthening the belief that the prayers of believers are “powerful and effective” (Jas. 5:16).

Based on materials from D. Stern

We usually take verse 20 out of context and assume that it is talking about church services. But here we mean something completely different. Verses 19 and 20 cannot be separated. Verse 20 says that when two people make an agreement and meet to pray about something, Jesus comes to them to see to it that their request is fulfilled. Jesus is not talking about church services here, although, of course, He is present there.

If two people agree to pray together for healing, either themselves or their loved ones, in the name of Jesus, God is obligated to answer such prayer because He ensures that His Word is fulfilled (see Jer. 1:12).

Verse 19 says “two of you are on the earth.” Not two in heaven. Just two people agree to “ask for every thing.” Isn't healing left off the list again?

There can be two married couple. My wife and I had great prayers in agreement. But still people came to me and said:

Brother Hagin, we tried and it didn't work.

You don't have to try, you have to do it. Jesus didn't say that two people would try to agree. No, He said to do it.

Sometimes we begin to think like this: “If only we could gather more people, at least a thousand, and if they all prayed for one thing, then there would probably be a result.” But this is human reasoning. God said that even two can do everything! Two - and no more! He didn't say that the whole church had to come to an agreement (try getting everyone to pray for your health!). Two is enough for the result.

Jesus said, “If two of you agree on earth about anything they can do... it will be done.” He didn't say what might happen or what would most likely happen. He said: “It will be done for them from My Father in heaven.”

Often I am asked to join in prayer for financial, physical or spiritual well-being. I take people by the hand and say:

We hold each other's hands as a sign of our spiritual unity. We agree that our request has been heard. We don’t make plans for the future, because it won’t be faith, it will be hope. We agree that our prayer has been heard and our request has already been fulfilled. We praise the Lord for this. By our faith, what we ask for has been accomplished.

After such a prayer, I ask the person:

Did we get what we asked for?

Eight times out of ten I get a response something like this:

Brother Hagin, I hope it worked out...

No, it didn't work out. I believe, and you hope. No agreement, no result” - that’s what I have to tell them in response.

If prayer is not answered, there is no need to scold God or look askance at the Bible. Friends, if prayer doesn’t work, you and I are to blame, because Jesus Christ cannot lie! We must admit that we did not succeed and correct our mistakes.

Add praise to your prayers and get results!

When I say that you don't need to pray for your healing, people look at me with confusion. Many have not received healing because they believe not in the Word of God, but in their prayer. They believe that prayer will do for them what God should do. But prayer is only valid when it is based on the promises of God's Word.

It seems that most Our prayers are requests or appeals to God with our desires and needs. This is certainly in the spirit of Scripture, but we should not forget about prayers of praise. Add praise to the Lord in each of your prayers and it will become more pleasing to God.

A Pentecostal evangelist told me how he came to understand this. Even in his youth, in the 1930s, he suffered from tuberculosis and was dying.

He did not get out of bed, the disease affected both lungs, which bled heavily. His family was forced to move to his wife's parents' farm.

One day, when his father-in-law was in the field, and his wife and mother-in-law were washing clothes on backyard, he asked God for strength to get to a small grove, which was about a quarter of a mile from the house. He decided that he would pray until God sent him healing, or until he died - one of two things.

He reached the trees and fell exhausted. He wouldn't even be able to call for help because he'd lost his voice. Nobody knew where he was.

They will find you only when the vultures flock here, Satan told him.

“Excellent,” answered the evangelist, “that’s what I came here for.” I'll rest a little and start praying for healing or I'll die right here.

He lay under the trees and thought, gaining strength for prayer. He remembered traveling around the country and always leaving prayer requests. Hundreds of people prayed for him. Maybe thousands. All his acquaintances, all the churches in which he was known, prayed. Those who had the gift of healing laid hands on him. All.

If you put all the prayers together, you get hundreds of hours. Add to this the best healers who laid hands on him. But he continued to get sick. Something was wrong.

“I decided not to pray at all,” this man told me, “I saw why my prayers did not help. I didn't need all these prayer requests at all. I gathered a whole crowd who prayed for me. But it turns out that I asked God for what He had already given me!

The Bible says I'm already healed. So, Lord, I will lie here and praise You until my healing manifests itself.

I began repeating in a whisper: “Glory to the Lord. God bless. Hallelujah! Thank You, Jesus." Ten minutes later I was able to rise a little, leaning on my elbows. My strength was returning to me. Soon I was able to raise my hands and my voice became louder. Two hours later I was standing firmly on my feet and my cries of “Praise the Lord” could be heard for miles!

So this man got the result, but only after he came into agreement with the Word of God.

- next.

“Where two or three are gathered in My name, there I am among them”... It was said in a society where a person was rarely left alone with himself. Collectivism knew to itself that it was abnormal - it is no coincidence that in the Bible all the manifestations of God take place when a person is alone, and this loneliness is recorded and emphasized. The high priest entered the Holy of Holies completely alone. And then suddenly - two or three... Collectivism is afraid of this. He is collectivist because he does not like to count “two”, “three”. Collectivism knows one numeral: “everyone.”

People are right who reject any gathering together in spiritual life. It’s not like you have to carry a log - one took the thick end, the other the thin one, and they carried it so that one couldn’t carry it. God is not a log, You don’t need to carry Him. He Himself carries and bears us. In spiritual life, gathering together does not make the task easier, but makes it incredibly difficult. True, this is exactly what God wants! It helps to solve only unsolvable problems, and you can sit alone and suck the paw of your own piety without grace.

One should not think that where Christ is, there is scorched space around. Where there are two or three Christians, there is not only Christ. And this is not so bad: the attempt to create a purely spiritual community is fraught with collectivism (as discussed in detail by Bonhoeffer, ). An icon cannot be painted on air; there must be a board and gesso.

An image of gathering wheat (Matt. 3:12). The gathering together not only of the people, but of all those who are scattered (John 11:52).

A peculiar analogue to this saying is the saying of the Gospel of Thomas: " Jesus said: Where there are three gods, there are gods. Where there are two or one, I am with him". Researchers recognize the phrase in this form as meaningless, at least the first half. However, Harold Ethridge, having studied one of the Oxyrhynchus papyri with the text of this verse in ultraviolet rays, suggested another reading: "Where there are three, there are no gods, where there is only one , there I am with him." It is possible that the first half of the phrase criticizes the doctrine of the Trinity: they say, where do they talk about three gods, there is no Christ there. Researchers are inclined to believe that here the Gospel of Thomas reveals its secondary nature in relation to the canonical gospels: the Coptic and Greek texts of Thomas are very different (the Coptic one speaks of three gods), and it can be assumed that a certain Gnostic edited Matthew. 18, 20, and in different ways different options. "Gnostic" here is contempt for a crowd, even two or three. Jesus is where the monk is - after all, “one” is the Greek word for “monk”. A thought that is very close to the heart of individualism, which proclaims: “Where there are two or three, there cannot be God.” It’s as if God is a portly man who takes up three seats on the subway at once. God gets along so well with six billion that He may not be noticed during the day. (Yes, to seek God with fire is nonsense, because God is such a fire that our human enthusiasm will only blind us, preventing us from noticing the Sun). Of course, individualism is right: Jesus doesn't like gangbangs. True, there is some subtlety: where there are two or three believers in Christ, there are no longer two or three, but precisely one. This one can be called “Adam” (or “Eve” - after all, there can be three Christian believers), can be called “Church” (for the feminine gender) or “Kagal” (for the masculine gender). It’s just that Jesus is such a standard: whatever you measure by Him, it’s all one.

Jesus appears where two or three are gathered, not because two people are stronger than one, but because two or three are weaker than one where the spirit is concerned. It’s easier to carry a log with two people, it’s easier to hate with two people (hate is a purely material activity), and it’s easier to love alone. There are co-authors in prose, but not in poetry. Reports on laboratory experiments sometimes have fifty authors, but the theory of relativity has only one Einstein. The easiest marriage is one in which there is no second participant. True, many would gladly exchange this unbearable ease for the yoke of burden.

So those who conclude that it is stupid to believe in God collectively are absolutely right. Sitting in your soul and not sticking your head out will be worse. Do you know the humor about the fact that beer better than women? There is another option about how masturbation is better than marriage.

If, of course, it were not for these words of Jesus. No, the Savior does not claim that He is only where there are two or three. Monasticism is a holy thing! I locked myself in the bathroom and prayed; Such bathrooms are specifically called “combined”.

The Savior, which is very bad, does not claim that He is always there where there are two or three. It may easily not come.

People interfere with each other, and God interferes with people. It’s easier to knead the dough alone, and it’s also easier to play the piano, but still, it wasn’t by chance that a duo or a trio was invented. Man kneads the dough, the Spirit of God makes the bread with the Body of Christ. What exactly should people who have gathered together, two or three, ask for? As far as not quarreling, everything else will follow. Well, not about the increase in exchange rate growth! Although, by the way, why not... However, the increase in growth is a consequence, ultimately, of all this - not to quarrel. So God reconciles two, three, four, and even the Chinese, a total of seven billion by lunchtime, and in the evening there will already be ten. Mirit, stirring, stirring, compacting and stretching, putting in the oven and removing from the oven. People absolutely cannot do this with each other - this is God’s prerogative (I’m not sure what “prerogative” is - probably something like a grip, a spear).