When two or three are gathered in His name

[searn77]

Someone asked me about this scripture and I’m not really sure about it either. It’s from Matthew 18:19-20: “Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” What exactly does this mean? And why does it have to be at least two people to ask God for something? And why does it have to be at least two people together for God to be in their midst? Can’t God be in the midst of a person who is alone?

 

[Trishie]

Of course there can be Searn. Jesus was emphasising the power of community prayer. He asked prayer of Peter, James and John in His dreadful moments before being captured.

However, that He sometimes went off to pray alone as Scripture tells us, shows us He knew the value of One to One prayer.

He also advised private prayer, “Go into your private room and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in that secret place, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.” I just have to look up the source of that quote. I’m good with remembering words but not numbers!
I need a DVD bible to help me find the quotes faster!!!

Okay, it’s Matthew 6 verse 6

 

[COPLAND_3]

Here is a comment from Theophylact (Church Father)…

By these words He draws us together in love. After forbidding us to give offence to each other, either to harm and to be harmed, now He speaks of mutual agreement and harmony. Those who agree are those who collaborate, not in evil, but in good. Mark what He said: “if two of you,” that is, of believers who are virtuous. For Annas and Caiaphas also agreed, but in a manner deserving blame. This is why we often pray but do not receive, because we do not agree among each other. He did not say, “I will be there,” for He does not merely intend to be there at some future time, nor does He delay, but rather He said, “there am I,” that is, I am present at once. You may also understand that when the flesh and the spirit agree, and the flesh does not desire something in opposition to the spirit, then is the Lord there in the midst. And so also do the three faculties of the soul — the abilities to reason, to be stirred to action, and to desire — all agree. But the Old and the New agree as well and Christ is in their midst, proclaimed by both.

 

[Luke65]

Of course there can be Searn. Jesus was emphasising the power of community prayer. He asked prayer of Peter, James and John in His dreadful moments before being captured.

However, that He sometimes went off to pray alone as Scripture tells us, shows us He knew the value of One to One prayer.

He also advised private prayer, “Go into your private room and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in that secret place, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.” I just have to look up the source of that quote. I’m good with remembering words but not numbers!
I need a DVD bible to help me find the quotes faster!!!

Okay, it’s Matthew 6 verse 6

Good answer, Trishie But I’m a little more concerned about your apparent lack of internet savvy! There are plenty of searchable versions online. Here are a bunch at one site BibleGateway. :tiphat:

 

[KingAlfred]

Someone asked me about this scripture and I’m not really sure about it either. It’s from Matthew 18:19-20: “Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” What exactly does this mean? And why does it have to be at least two people to ask God for something? And why does it have to be at least two people together for God to be in their midst? Can’t God be in the midst of a person who is alone?

This was Jesus’ way of instructing us to get together, occasionally, in his His name. He didn’t want His movement to fall apart after His departure. My question is this: does the TV or internet count? I say they do. I can already hear church-going Catholics condemn this practice. But, if we’re going to finance and pour tons of resources into broadcasted evangelism, it has to count for something.

 

[LeroyCRHP]

You should read the whole verse and also these cross references. I really like this chapter Seam77!

Matthew 16:19
19"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven."

John 20:23
23"If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained."

Matthew 18:15-20
Discipline and Prayer
15"If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.
16"But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that )BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED.
17"If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
18"Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.
19"Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. 20"For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst."