Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Matthew 18:20

"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." — Matthew 18:20 (ASV)

These two verses should not in this setting be taken as a promise regarding any prayer on which two or three believers agree. Scripture is rich in prayer promises (21:22; 15:7–8, 16); but if this passage deals with prayer at all, it is restricted by the phrase “about anything” (lit., “about any judicial matter”). Perhaps Jesus is also saying that if two individuals in the church come to agreement concerning any claim they are pursuing (presumably on the basis of the church’s judgment, v.18), it will be allowed or ratified by their heavenly Father. This is because God’s will and purpose stand behind the binding and loosing of v.18 and also because (cf. “for,” v.20) the presence of Jesus is assured with the two or three judges solemnly convened before the church and by the church to render a decision.

Here as elsewhere, Jesus takes God’s place: he will be with the judges (cf.28:20). Jesus implicitly points forward to a time when, as “God with us” (1:23), he will be spiritually present with the “two or three” and with all his followers; and he presupposes that this time will be of considerable duration .