Chaplaincy Matters

Psalm 14:1 says “There is no God”.    Of course, we can make the Bible say anything we like if we take a verse out of context. The previous verse taken in context says “Only a fool says in his heart, there is no God” - changes the meaning significantly doesn’t it?

There are many Bible passages that are frequently used ‘out of context’. The reasons for this include either a lack of training on behalf of the person in how to read the Bible or laziness on behalf of the person who is just repeating what they have heard without checking and examining the verse for themselves.

Whilst there are many verses that are frequently taken out of context (don’t get me started), the most common one I hear is Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”

How often have we all heard this verse used in this way?

I hear it often in my school by staff and students alike as well as in church, prayer meetings and Bible studies. The situation when it is used is nearly always the same - a large group was expected at the meeting but when it is time to start there are only a small number in attendance. The Chaplain, worship leader, Pastor or whoever is in charge then tries to ‘encourage’ those hardy souls in attendance by saying ”don’t worry guys there is only a few of us here but remember, where two or three are gathered in My name there I am in the midst of them.” Those in attendance then smile and nod their heads obviously affirming the thinking that because there are 2 or 3 people in attendance something ‘mystical’ has just been unleashed and God’s presence has just increased and become more ‘tangible’ than when they were standing outside the room on their own.  

Why do I get annoyed by this?

1) It is taking the verse completely out of context.

To find the true context, we need only look a few verses above it. There we see Jesus discussing the method of properly dealing with a believer (or a supposed believer) who is sinning. He tells us first to address that person on our own. If he does not turn from his wicked ways we are to take two or three witnesses and try again. If he still does not listen we are to take it before the church and if he will not heed the warnings of the church he is to be cast out of the church and considered as an unbeliever.

Verse eighteen then says “Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (another verse frequently taken out of context which we won’t go into here). Clearly God gives the church extraordinary power here. When the church decides that someone is living a sinful lifestyle and excommunicates that person on Biblical grounds, that excommunication is binding in God’s eyes. God has given the “keys of the kingdom” to the church. 

Verse nineteen follows this instruction saying that where two or three agree on earth concerning a matter of church discipline, God will do it for them.  God is affirming that where the church makes a decision based on Biblical precepts, God will agree with it.

Verse twenty follows logically as an extension of verse nineteen. Where two or three are gathered in His name, He is there. What this means is that Jesus is present spiritually to validate the decision that has just been made. Jesus will help guide the church officials and give them peace that the decision they were forced to make was the right one. 

As you can see from the above explanation, the verse has nothing to do with encouraging a small group of Christians who turn up to an event and to use it in this way is taking the verse ‘out of context’. 

2) It implies that when we are by ourselves God is either absent or ‘less present’.

The Bible teaches that this is not true. 1 Corinthians 6:19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? The Bible teaches that Christians have the Holy Spirit (God) living inside us. God’s presence dwells within us constantly - He is always with us. Whilst it is right to meet together with other believers ( Hebrews 10:25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing) it doesn’t mean that God is any more ‘with us’ than when we are by ourselves hanging out in the playground with students.

Now I have nothing against Christan’s who use this verse innocently enough but I think it would be more appropriate for them to say to a small group of believers “I’m glad you made it today, we are missing some people but isn’t it great that no matter how many of us there are God  is always with us”.

Next time you hear Matthew 18:20 being used out of context, smile to yourself and thank God for his continuing presence in your life.