John Calvin Commentary Matthew 18:16

"But if he hear [thee] not, take with thee one or two more, that at the mouth of two witnesses or three every word may be established." — Matthew 18:16 (ASV)

But if he shall not hear thee. The second step is that he who displayed obstinacy, or refused to yield to one man, should be admonished again in the presence of witnesses.

Here some object that it will serve no purpose to call witnesses if we are dealing with an obstinate and rebellious man, because their presence will be so far from leading him to acknowledge his guilt, that he will only make a more wicked denial.

But this difficulty is speedily removed if we distinguish between denial and evasion. He who explicitly denies the fact, and declares that he is falsely and slanderously accused, must be left alone, for it would be in vain to press him by calling witnesses.

But as, in most cases, men shamelessly evade, or impudently excuse, the improper and unjust actions they have committed, until greater authority is employed, it is useful to observe this method towards such persons.

That Christ’s discourse should be understood in this sense is evident from the word used, ἔλεγξον, reprove, or argue; for to argue is to convince by demonstration.⁵⁵⁵ And how could I argue with a man⁵⁵⁶ who boldly denies the whole matter? For he who has the effrontery to deny the crime he has committed shuts the door against a second admonition.

We now perceive for what purpose Christ proposes to call witnesses. It is to give greater weight and impressiveness to the admonition. As to the slightly different meaning to which He has turned the words of Moses, it involves no absurdity. Moses forbids sentence to be pronounced on a matter that is unknown, and defines this to be the lawful mode of proving, that it be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. At the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established
(Deuteronomy 19:15).

Alluding to that law, Christ says that when two or three witnesses rise up to condemn the man’s obstinacy, the case will be clear, at least until the Church is prepared to take cognizance of it; for he who refuses to hear two or three witnesses⁵⁵⁷ will have no reason to complain that he is dragged out into the light.

Tell it to the Church. It is asked, what does He mean by the term Church? For Paul orders (1 Corinthians 5:5) that the incestuous Corinthian should be excommunicated, not by a certain chosen number, but by the whole assembly of the godly. Therefore, it might seem probable that the power of judging is bestowed on all the people.

But at that time no Church was yet in existence that acknowledged the authority of Christ, and no such order had been established. Since our Lord employs the ordinary and accepted forms of expression, there can be no doubt that He alludes to the order of the ancient Church, just as in other places He also accommodates His modes of expression to what was known and customary.⁵⁵⁸ When He commands that: the offering, which we intend to present, shall be left at the altar, till we are reconciled to an offended brother,
(Matthew 5:23).

He unquestionably intends, by means of that form of the worship of God which was then in existence and in force, to teach us that we cannot rightly pray or offer anything to God as long as we are at variance with our brethren.

Therefore, He was then referring to the form of discipline observed among the Jews, for it would have been absurd to propose an appeal to the judgment of a Church that was not yet in existence.

Now, since among the Jews the power of excommunication belonged to the elders, who held the government of the whole Church, Christ speaks appropriately when He says that those who sinned must eventually be brought forward publicly to the Church if they either haughtily despise, or ridicule and evade, private admonitions.

We know that after the Jews returned from the Babylonian captivity, a council was formed, which they called the Sanhedrin (and in Greek, Synedrion, συνέδριον). To this council was committed the superintendence of morals and doctrine.

This government was lawful and approved by God, and was a bridle to restrain the dissolute and incorrigible within their duty.

It will perhaps be objected that, in the time of Christ, everything was corrupt and perverted, so that this tyranny was very far from deserving to be accounted the judgment of the Church. But the reply is easy.

Though the method of procedure was at that time depraved and perverted, Christ justly praises that order as it had been handed down to them from the fathers. And when, shortly afterwards, He erected a Church, while He removed the abuse, He restored the proper use of excommunication.

Yet there is no reason to doubt that the form of discipline which prevailed in the kingdom of Christ took the place of that ancient discipline. And certainly, since even heathen nations maintained a shadowy form of excommunication, it appears that, from the beginning, this was impressed by God on the minds of men: that those who were impure and polluted should be excluded from religious services.⁵⁵⁹

It would therefore have been highly disgraceful for the people of God to have been entirely without that discipline, some trace of which remained among the Gentiles.

But what had been preserved under the Law Christ has conveyed to us, because we hold the same rank as the ancient fathers.

For it was not Christ's intention to send His disciples to the synagogue—which, while it willingly cherished disgraceful filth in its bosom, excommunicated the true and sincere worshippers of God. Instead, He reminded us that the order, which had been formerly established in a holy manner under the Law, must be maintained in His Church.

Let him be to thee as a heathen and a publican. What is added here about heathens and publicans confirms the interpretation I have given. For since heathens and publicans were at that time regarded by the Jews with the greatest hatred and detestation, He compares unholy and irreclaimable men, who yield to no admonitions, to them.

Certainly, He did not intend to enjoin them to avoid the society of heathens, of whom the Church was afterwards composed; nor is there any reason today why believers should shrink from associating with publicans.

But so that He might be more easily understood by the ignorant, Christ borrowed a mode of expression from what was then customary among His nation.⁵⁶⁰ The meaning is that we should have no intercourse with the despisers of the Church until they repent.

⁵⁵⁵ “Car arguer signifie convaincre par argumens, et remonstrer par bonnes raisons;” — “for ;” — “for to argue signifies to convince by arguments, and to show by good reasons.”signifies to convince by arguments, and to show by good reasons.”

⁵⁵⁶ “Or comment pourroit on arguer ou convaincre un homme, que ce qu’il a fait est mauvais?” — “Now how could we ?” — “Now how could we argue or convince a man that what he has done is wrong?”or convince a man that what he has done is wrong?”

⁵⁵⁷ “Veu qu’il n’a pas voulu recevoir l’admonition qui luy a este faite en prive par deux ou trois;” — “since he did not choose to receive the admonition which was given to him in private by two or three.”;” — “since he did not choose to receive the admonition which was given to him in private by two or three.”

⁵⁵⁸ “Comme aussi en d’autres passages il s’accomodi a ce qui estoit lors ordinaire, et use des termes communes;” — “as also in other passages he adapts himself to what was then customary, and employs common terms.”;” — “as also in other passages he adapts himself to what was then customary, and employs common terms.”

⁵⁵⁹ “Ne devoycnt estre receus a participer aux choses sacrees appartenantes au sarvice de Dieu;” — “ought not to be admitted to take part in the sacred things belonging to the service of God.”;” — “ought not to be admitted to take part in the sacred things belonging to the service of God.”

⁵⁶⁰ “A use d’un terme convenable a la coustume du pays;” — “used a term in accordance with the custom of the country.”;” — “used a term in accordance with the custom of the country.”