Matthew 18:15-17
“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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When Jesus says "you have gained your brother," the word "gained" (kerdaino in Greek) carries a powerful implication: it suggests that the brother was, in a sense, already lost through his sin. The goal of this gentle, private confrontation isn't just to clear the air, but to reclaim a soul and restore a lost member to the community, a victory far more valuable than any earthly possession.
Jesus is laying out practical steps for dealing with conflict within the community, following a discussion about humility and caring for the vulnerable. He's shifting from preventing offenses to addressing them when they happen, emphasizing restoration over punishment. This instruction sets up a process for resolving disputes, starting with direct, private conversation and escalating if necessary.
When someone wrongs us, our first instinct might be to lash out or withdraw. But Jesus offers a different path, a way to mend relationships and protect the community.
Jesus lays out a clear, step-by-step process for addressing sin within the community, starting with a private conversation. The goal isn't to shame or punish, but to convince and restore.
The Gentle Approach
If this private conversation is successful, the relationship is not only repaired, but strengthened. You have gained your brother back, a far greater treasure than winning an argument.
What does it truly mean to 'gain' someone back? It's more than just ending a conflict; it's about restoring them to fellowship and to God.
The ultimate aim of confronting a brother in sin is not to win an argument or assert your own righteousness, but to win the person.
A Rescue Mission
Understand the original words
adelphos · Greek Noun
Refers to a fellow member of the covenant community or a fellow believer in Christ, emphasizing the bonds of spiritual kinship and obligation.
hamartanō · Greek Verb
To miss the mark of God's standard of holiness; it involves transgression against God’s law or a failure to love one’s neighbor as oneself.
elenchos · Greek Noun
A shortcoming, mistake, or offense that carries the responsibility of correction or restoration within the context of Christian community.
rhēma · Greek Noun
A legal or moral accusation brought against someone, often requiring validation to determine truth and ensure justice.
This Old Testament passage directly informs Jesus' teaching here, highlighting the principle of addressing wrongs privately before escalating, as part of loving your neighbor.
Luke 17:3This parallel account in Luke emphasizes the importance of recognizing when your brother repents, reinforcing the goal of restoration mentioned in Matthew 18:15.
1 Corinthians 6:1-8This passage challenges believers about taking disputes to secular courts instead of resolving them internally, aligning with Jesus' method of seeking reconciliation within the community.
Galatians 6:1This verse echoes the spirit of Matthew 18:15 by calling for gentle restoration when a fellow believer falls into sin, stressing the importance of a restoration mindset.
Philemon 1:15-16Though a different context, this letter shows how restoring a 'lost' brother (like Onesimus) back into fellowship is a profound 'gain', mirroring the outcome Jesus desires in Matthew 18:15.
vincentMatthew 18:15: "Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother."
Go (ὕπαγε)Do not wait for him to come to you.Tell him his fault (ἔλεγξον)Rev., shew him. The verb means, first, to test, try, search out; therefore, to cross-examine with a view of convincing or refuting; thence to rebuke or chide. The Rev. shew is better than tell, which implies merely naming the fault; whereas the…
calvinMatthew 18:15-20: "Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother."
- But if thy brother hath sinned against thee, go and reprove him between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16. But if he shall not hear thee, take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be confirmed: and if he shall not hear them,…
When Jesus says "you have gained your brother," the word "gained" (kerdaino in Greek) carries a powerful implication: it suggests that the brother was, in a sense, already lost through his sin. The goal of this gentle, private confrontation isn't just to clear the air, but to reclaim a soul and restore a lost member to the community, a victory far more valuable than any earthly possession.
Jesus is laying out practical steps for dealing with conflict within the community, following a discussion about humility and caring for the vulnerable. He's shifting from preventing offenses to addressing them when they happen, emphasizing restoration over punishment. This instruction sets up a process for resolving disputes, starting with direct, private conversation and escalating if necessary.
Jesus is laying out practical steps for dealing with conflict within the community, following a discussion about humility and caring for the vulnerable. He's shifting from preventing offenses to addressing them when they happen, emphasizing restoration over punishment. This instruction sets up a process for resolving disputes, starting with direct, private conversation and escalating if necessary.
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This perspective shifts the focus from personal offense to the spiritual well-being of your brother and the health of the community.
martys · Greek Noun
Individuals who provide testimony, truth-telling, or verification of an event, grounded in Old Testament legal requirements for establishing facts.
ekklēsia · Greek Noun
The called-out assembly of believers; the body of Christ or a local congregation of disciples.
ethnikos · Greek Adjective/Noun
Historically, a non-Jewish person; often used in Scripture to denote outsiders to the covenantal community of Israel.
telōnēs · Greek Noun
In the ancient Jewish context, these individuals were often viewed as collaborators with Rome and considered traitors or social outcasts.
"“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be establi…" — When Jesus says "you have gained your brother," the word "gained" (kerdaino in Greek) carries a powerful implication: it suggests that the brother was, in a sense, already lost through his sin. The g…
