Bible references

Key NT Scriptures

• Matthew 5:23-24
• Matthew 18:15-17

Supportive NT Scriptures

• Acts 17:29-30
• Colossians 3:13
• Ephesians 4:2
• Ephesians 4:26
• Ephesians 4:31-32
• Galatians 6:1-2
• Hebrews 12:14-15
• John 20:21-22
• 1 John 1:9
• Luke 6:27-32
  Click to retrieve Luke 6:27-32
• Luke 6:37
• Luke 17:3-4
• Luke 23:34
• Mark 11:25-26
• Matthew 5:9
• Matthew 6:12
• Matthew 6:14-15
• Matthew 18:21-22
• 1 Peter 4:8

Supportive OT Scriptures

• Deuteronomy 19:15-18
  Jewish Commentary
• Exodus 22:9-13
  Jewish Commentary
• Micah 6:8
  Jewish Commentary
• Proverbs 19:11
  Jewish Commentary

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Commentary

Rabbi Michael Rudolph

This Mitzvah assumes that an offense (a sin) has been committed (or is thought to have been committed) either by (1) us against a brother believer, or (2) against us by a brother believer. Matthew 5:23-24 speaks to the former and Matthew 18:15-17 speaks to the latter. If it is we who have committed (or are accused of having committed) the offense, our obligation is clear; we are to repent by going to our brother, confessing our sin, asking his forgiveness, making restitution where possible, and attempting to reconcile our relationship. If it is our brother who has committed (or is thought to have committed) the offense, there is a step we must take before implementing the multi-step solution described in Matthew 18:15-17 ; it is to decide whether we should overlook the offense pursuant to Proverbs 19:11 . That is because the alleged offense, while sinful, may have been committed innocently, may be too trivial to pursue, or our relationship may more likely be left intact by our silently forgiving the offense and not pursuing our brother in a formal way ( Ephesians 4:2) . We may, nevertheless, opt for correcting our brother in love pursuant to Galatians 6:1. If we pursue an offense against our brother pursuant to Matthew 18:15-17 , there are three steps that we must take. The first is to go to our brother, show him his fault, and seek reconciliation. If our brother repents then we must forgive him and lay the matter to rest. If he does not, we should again consider whether we should let the matter drop and, if we elect not to do so, Scripture instructs us to return to our brother with one or two others to be witnesses to our conversation and interaction. These witnesses will form their individual opinions of who is right in the controversy, and will try to persuade the wrongdoer to repent. Naturally, if it is we who are wrong, then we must repent to our brother. However, if the witnesses side with us, and our brother will not listen to them and repent, there is a third step that we may pursue, which is to bring the matter to a beit din (ecclesiastical court) of a suitable congregation or apostolic organization. If the beit din rules against our brother and he will not repent by complying with what the beit din requires of him, then Matthew 18:17 says that our brother is to be treated as a “pagan or a tax-collector,” which means an unbeliever. This does not mean shunning our brother unless he continues to sin while holding himself out as a believer, or behaves in such a way as to be divisive in the community. Such a finding allows the innocent party to seek redress and restitution in the public courts as he would be able to do against an unbeliever. For a more detailed discussion of the foregoing, see Mitzvot #DA1, DA4, DA17, DA19, DA34, and DA67. We also recommend reading “ Disputes, Discipline, and Reconciliation in the Body of Believers by Michael Rudolph, published by Tikkun International in 2002.

Copyright © Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster, The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective - Volume 3

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