Correction of a Brother Who Sins (Mt. 18:15-20)

If your brother sins [against you], go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. 16 If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector. 18 Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again, [amen,] I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Every effort must be made to reconvert and reintegrate the sinner back into the community and Jesus gave a three-stage process (the first two based on Mosaic Law) for disciplining those who sin or stray from the path of truth but remain in the community: (1) Out of Christian love, try to correct them privately (Lv. 19:17-18); (2) As required by the Law, even though it is not a judicial matter take two or three members and discuss the matter with them to convince the sinner of his fault (Dt. 19:15); (3) Give the sinner official notice and bring the individual and the matter before the whole assembled community. If all that fails expel the sinner from the community (Titus 3:10). They would be afforded the same status as pagans and tax collectors so they could still eventually be reconciled with the community if they reconvert. This three-step process will stand even after Jesus is no longer with them.

Jesus addressed the apostles and gives them the same authority as Peter to ‘bind and loose,’ but they are not given the keys to the kingdom (Mt. 16:19).  They were given the authority to excommunicate or to reconcile.  If two or three members of the community pray on an issue in Jesus’ name, their prayers would be answered; “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you (Jn. 15:7).”  Jesus will intercede for them with his Father who always hears him (Jn. 11:42).  This passage addressed three important aspects of the life of the Church – Fraternity or brotherly love, Pastoral authority, and prayer. 

Almighty God, grant us the grace to will the good for each other and to follow the example of Christ to ensure that none of us may be lost.  When we stray from the path of truth gently lead us back through correction so that we may not be excluded from communion with you.  This we pray through Christ our Lord.  Amen!

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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.

                Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.