Binding and Loosing (Ezekiel 33, Matthew 18)

A homily, on Ezekiel 33. 7 - 11, and Matthew 18. 15 - 20.

In the name of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

     "Truly, I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven...if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them." Matthew 18, 18 - 20.
     The whole of the eighteenth chapter of Matthew's Gospel is a collection of Jesus's teachings to his disciples. The chapter begins with the disciples' question to Jesus, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Jesus immediately makes it clear that greatness in the kingdom is nothing like greatness in the world that we know. And through the rest of the chapter, Jesus presents parables which lay out a way of life not at all typical of worldly greatness.
     There are three themes in today's Gospel. The first them is indicated by the title that our translation gives this reading: "Reproving another who sins." The second theme may be called, perhaps, one of individuality. That is to say, the person being reproved is dealt with as an individual. And the third theme is that of the power of binding and loosing.
     First, reproving another who sins. In the Gospel, we have come a long way from the understanding of sin that we hear about in the reading from Ezekiel. The Lord says to Ezekiel, "If I say to the wicked, 'O wicked ones, you shall surely die,' and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from their ways, the wicked shall die in their iniquity, but their blood I will require at your hand." In other words, if you don't warn the wicked, I'll let them have it, and you too! Then, the Lord goes on to say to Ezekiel, "If you warn the wicked to turn from their ways, and they do not turn from their ways, the wicked shall die in their iniquity, but you will have saved your life." In other words, warn the wicked and I'll still let them have it, but you will escape their fate. Here the wicked are addressed as a group, with no regard for them as individuals, and there are no second chances either. God here is announcing his warnings from on high, through a prophet, who, it appears, may or may not do exactly as God commands, so God threatens him too. Behind this story is an understanding of people only as members of a group, and of God speaking to them from a distance, as it were, through prophets, and none too gently either. We remember that this reading comes from a period many centuries before the time of Jesus.
     But in today's Gospel, no one is warning the wicked from on high, from a distance, through the mouth of a prophet. Rather, one member of the community points out a fault to another. If that doesn't induce a change, two or three more come into the discussion. And if that doesn't help, the discussion moves to the whole community, to the church. And if that doesn't help, only then is the offender dealt with, by giving him the status of a Gentile, or, worse, a tax collector. Exclusion, not blood and death, is the punishment here. The tone is one of gentleness, patience, step-by-step efforts to root out an offence. Here the reproof is on an individual basis, and has nothing in common with the wholesale condemnation of a group, such as we hear about in the reading from Ezekiel. And in keeping with the second theme, that of individuality, it is remarkable, in a time noted for its tribal consciousness, that Jesus emphasizes the correct way to relate to a single individual, who is not identified with any group or type. Only after the community has exhausted all attempts at correction, is the offender identified with a group, and an outside group at that: Gentiles or tax collectors.
     This aspect of the story can have meaning for us. We constantly hear about groups of one kind or another: ethnic, religious, interest groups, afflicted minorities of all sorts. Our Lord is reminding us that in the end it is the individual that counts, more than any general category to which he may belong. This must apply especially in the Church.
     This brings us to our third theme: the power of binding and loosing. As the Gospel says, "Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Traditionally, this text is quoted in support of the power, received by the priesthood from the apostles and their descendants the bishops, to absolve sin. The text can also be understood as support for the sacramental authority of the priesthood generally. But there is a lot more to this text than this formal, somewhat narrow interpretation. We remember that Jesus goes on to say, "For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them." The plain implication is that Jesus is not limiting his presence, and so by extension his authority, to the disciples in front of him, and to their successors the bishops. He is addressing the whole Christian community, in all times and places. He is also saying, it seems to me, that beyond the narrow authority to forgive sins, there is another teaching here. "Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven," can be taken to mean that all our actions, all our choices, all our bindings and loosings, not just the formal sacramental ones, have consequences in this life and in eternity, and so we must take care what we bind and loose. Every action, choice, thought, deed, omission, have consequences for us and for those around us. Our Lord is giving his community enormous authority to influence the well-being of everyone in it, and beyond. Jesus has revealed the real freedom that we have, as individuals and as a group, to influence, almost to create, dare I say it, our eternal destiny.
    "Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

In the name of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.