Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 18:15

"And if thy brother sin against thee, go, show him his fault between thee and him alone: if he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother." — Matthew 18:15 (ASV)

Do not say, "You must come to me." Go to him; he has trespassed against you, it is a personal affair; go and seek him out. It is useless to expect the person who does the injury to try and make peace. It is the injured one who always has to forgive, though he has nothing to be forgiven; it always comes to that, and it is the injured one who should, if he is of the mind of Christ, be the one to commence the reconciliation.

So far from despising any, we are to seek their good, even when they have done us wrong. Here is a case of personal offense. We are to endeavor to make peace with our brother who has trespassed against us. The offended is to seek the offender.

We must not let the trespass rankle in our hearts by maintaining a sullen silence, nor may we go and make the matter public. We must seek out the offender and tell him his fault as if he were not aware of it, as perhaps he may not be. Let the reproof be between you and him alone.

It may happen that he will at once rectify the wrong, and then we have gained not our case, but something worth far more—our brother. We might have lost him. Happily, a frank word has won him. God be praised!