"WHERE TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED TOGETHER"
“[p. 320] WHERE TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED TOGETHER”
In selecting this scripture in Matthew I have in mind to treat of it according to its setting in the assembly gospel. Notice how the word ‘assembly’ is used in the passage I read. It does not indicate what assembly, it is “the assembly”, as if it were the only company in the universe called by that name. In truth, the word is unique. It is a word that has a great place in heaven, and, as we have indicated in this chapter, has a great place on earth. Matthew has in mind the heavens and the earth. They cannot be divorced; that is, they cannot be divorced morally.
It will be observed that we have the idea of “thy brother”, not simply a brother, but thy brother. I am endeavouring to use words carefully and the brethren, I know, will be very sympathetic on these lines. So I refer to the expression “thy brother”, and that, in effect, should affect every heart here, for it is not simply the word ‘brother’, but a christian that is in mind. Therefore it might be a sister that would sin against another sister. The Lord selects His words in infinite wisdom. So the word is, “If thy brother sin against thee …” Matthew 18:15. It is not sinning against God, but “sin against thee”. There again is a careful selection of words, for the word ‘brother’ is prominent and the word ‘sin’ is prominent and the word ‘thee’ is prominent. Each of these words is brief but each is distinctive. The passage says, “Go reprove him” Matthew 18:15. It does not say to write to him; it does not even say to speak to him, but to reprove him. Do not hesitate. When reproof is needed we are not to hesitate to extend it. But it is to be alone, “between thee and him alone” Matthew 18:15.
[p. 321] The next thing I would stress is, “If he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother” Matthew 18:15. It is a great matter to gain a brother! “He that brings back a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death” James 5:20. Not simply a man, but a soul: “… shall save a soul from death and shall cover a multitude of sins” James 5:20. These are very important remarks in regard to assembly relations and services. I am keeping to the word ‘assembly’. I am using it now objectively. It is a matter of assembly relations and the question is whether I can gain my brother in these relations. “If he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he do not hear thee, take with thee one or two besides” Matthew 18:15,16. Notice that it is “one or two”, not several — one or two besides. These are to be most carefully chosen; this is phraseology which is most carefully selected by none less than the Lord Jesus Himself. It is in view of gaining a brother. It is the negative side. “If he do not hear thee” Matthew 18:16. And then, “… take with thee one or two besides” Matthew 18:16. Personality is in mind in all this, for it is “that every matter may stand upon the word of two witnesses or of three”, Matthew 18:16. Now notice a further word that is to be stressed, and that is ‘matter’. It is “every matter”. So that it is not this particular matter only, but a general idea that is being propounded — that every matter may stand upon the word of two witnesses or of three.
Now the next thing to be noticed is, “If he will not listen to them”, that is the two or three, “tell it to the assembly” Matthew 18:17. The assembly is therefore an entity to be spoken to, and to be told, and to be complained to if it is a question of complaint. “Tell it to the assembly; and if also he will not listen to the assembly” — now listen to this word — “let him be to thee as one of the nations and a tax-gatherer” Matthew 18:17. The word ‘tax-gatherer’ is to be noted. Tax-gathering was an employment that was belittled.
[p. 322] It was a degraded employment. Therefore, when it says, “Let him be to thee as a … tax-gatherer” Matthew 18:17 it means that he is to be under reproach in your mind.
So I go on further in the chapter: “Verily I say to you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on the earth shall be bound in heaven” Matthew 18:18. Now you will remember what I said a few moments ago: that the heavens and the earth are not to be divorced; they are to be held together for assembly purposes. They are, in a sense divorced because of man’s will, and there shall presently be a new heavens and a new earth, but that is a different matter. This present earth and heaven are in mind here. So it says, “Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on the earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on the earth shall be loosed in heaven” Matthew 18:18.
Now the next thing is, “Again I say unto you, that if two of you …” Matthew 18:19. Now notice that this is another injunction entirely. It is another matter, different from the one with which we have been dealing. “Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth concerning any matter, whatsoever it may be that they shall ask, it shall come to them from my Father who is in the heavens” Matthew 18:19. Now notice that the matter comes from heaven. It is not from an angel; not simply from heaven, but from “my Father who is in the heavens”. And it is not simply “from my Father” but “from my Father who is in the heavens”. The Lord Jesus is speaking about two persons, but not simply two persons, but “two of you”. I want you to notice that; the value of two such persons is in mind — the relative value of two such persons. And I would point out that we have here an illustration of the word that “two are better than one and a threefold cord is not quickly broken” Ecclesiastes 4:12. This statement is related to what I am speaking about. Here it is two of you: “If two of you shall agree on the earth concerning any matter” Matthew 18:19.
[p. 323] It happens on earth but it relates to heaven. It is just “two of you”, and they are mentioned as agreeing on earth as touching any matter. “Whatsoever it may be that they shall ask, it shall come to them from my Father who is in the heavens” Matthew 18:19. This is what the Lord says, and I am urging it on the brethren because it relates to assembly relations. “It shall come to them from my Father who is in the heavens”.
Later it says, “Where two or three are gathered together unto my name …” Matthew 18:20. You will notice, now, that it is “two or three”. But I have been speaking of two, and I will just limit myself to that for a moment: “If two of you shall agree on the earth concerning any matter, whatsoever it may be that they shall ask, it shall come to them” Matthew 18:19. Now notice that it is “to them” — not to others, or simply that it will come to pass, but it will come to them “from my Father who is in the heavens”. That is what the Lord Jesus says in this wonderful passage.
It is a real satisfaction to be here, I may say, without any other motive than to be simple. I have been here many times during the past fifty years, and the brethren have become endeared to me, and I am thankful to be amongst them again, but I do not know of anything that I should more like to bring to the brethren here than this very passage in Matthew 18. This passage is basic as to assembly relations. I repeat that word, that the Lord was bringing in something basic in assembly relations. That is so important! And then He says, “For where two or three are gathered together unto my name …” Matthew 18:20. Notice that it is “unto my name”, not simply gathered together, but “unto my name”. And then, “there am I in the midst of them”. It is not only in the midst, but in the midst “of them”. It is these particular persons — two or three of them. It is the virtue that lies in the idea of two or three such persons. “Where two or three”, and these are the words of Jesus, “are gathered together unto my name, there am I in the midst of them” Matthew 18:20.
Now I shall seek to analyse what I have in mind, for I want to enlarge on this phraseology which the Lord used about two or three. “Where two or three are gathered together unto my name, there am I in the midst of them” Matthew 18:20. I have used the word ‘virtue’ and it is a sort of principle entering into phraseology — a principle that has power in it. There is power in the principle of being gathered together, but not only gathered, gathered together. There is virtue from the Lord’s own lips in that phraseology.
Now it may be that there are some here that are not breaking bread, or not in fellowship, as we say, and I would aim especially at them. Or if there are some that have not been long in fellowship, one would desire that all such might get the principle of this passage into their souls — especially the young people. But I would not confine the word to the young people; I would not limit it. Quoting from the facts we have about the Lord’s own life I would say that the age of twelve should govern, largely, the principle of persons coming into fellowship, taking their places in the fellowship of God’s Son. We have the Lord’s own example that He was found in the midst of the doctors at the age of twelve, hearing them and asking them questions, and His mother rebuked Him. Reference to the mother of the Lord brings to mind what is being said of her by certain nominal christians, that she has been exalted even bodily into heaven, which is falsehood. The devil is using it, and it is quite right to speak of it and to denounce it with all our strength It is a terrible thing that has come into the profession at this time.
But I proceed to enlarge upon the phraseology in our Scripture, and I want to say immediately that it [p. 325] has a great hearing on the present time amongst the brethren. Numbers are few, but the Lord brings them down to the very fewest number — two or three. This phraseology bears on the whole position of the assembly at the present time. If you traversed the whole continent of America, the continent of Europe, and the continent of Asia, this phraseology has to do with conditions everywhere in the assembly at the present time. But I am trying particularly to make much of the word ‘together’. It is not simply gathered, but gathered together. And it bears on how we come into the assembly or place of meeting. I would say that we use the word ‘meeting’ far too much. We should use the expression ‘gathered together’ more frequently, and I trust that this will result from what I am saying, that the phraseology ‘gathered together’ should be used far more frequently among us in preference to using the word ‘meeting’. The idea of meeting is that we do it. The brethren meet, of course, but think of the virtue that there is in the idea of gathering together! I would urge very strongly that we want to take this on and see how we reach the idea of coming into the assembly, the place of gathering, the place in which we gather, where the assembly gathers: “Where two or three are gathered together” Matthew 18:20. In gathering we are really touching the idea of the assembly, whether composed of two or three or more in any given place or locality.
I have in mind that when we disperse, if the Lord pleases, we should go to our localities carrying back in our minds the idea of gathering together. It is a heavenly thought come down to earth and it has peculiar virtue in it. The word ‘meeting’ does not have the same virtue. It is a word that can be used, and is used by the Holy Spirit, for the saints shall meet the Lord in the air and go to heaven together. But gathering together is another idea. The words [p. 326] have great virtue in them because there is a point in the power of gathering together. Some indefinable thing happens when the actual gathering of the saints takes place. There is something virtuous in it that does not attach to merely coming to a meeting place. So I would emphasize again the thought of gathering together so that we might take with us from this meeting the thought of gathering together. It is a divine thought but I think we will prove, as we apply it, that this great thought is recognizable amongst the brethren now. Years ago it was more so than it is now but I am seeking to mention it as I have done several times of late.
So I count upon God to help us as we separate after these meetings and go to our several localities, that we carry with us this great idea that “where two or three are gathered together unto my name, there am I in the midst of them”, Matthew 18:20. It is not simply in the midst, but in the midst of them. It is the persons who gather thus, for the virtue is in persons — such persons — that is where the power is.
I will close now, but in doing so I would again stress what has been said about the Lord’s phraseology so that we should have a fuller thought of virtue. The woman of Proverbs 31 is spoken of as a virtuous woman. I use the word in that sense. There is virtue in what I am saying about the power of gathering together unto the Lord’s name.
And so, dear brethren, I place the word on all our hearts as we separate from these meetings.