Matthew 18:20Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Similarly, we who are called by the Lord must heed the Apostle's words: I urge you, as a fellow servant of the Lord, to walk in a manner worthy of your calling, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call (Eph. 4:1-4). The Lord further clarifies this by stating, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him’ (John 14:23). Thus, just as this individual enjoys a dwelling due to his obedience to the commandments, so too does the Lord dwell among two or three if we align with His will. However, those who gather inappropriately and outside the Lord's intention, despite assembling in His name, will face the question, ‘Why do you call Me, “Lord, Lord,” and do not do what I say?’ (Luke 6:46).

Even if our abbots are not physically among us, dear friends, the Great One remains with us. He has promised, ‘Wherever …are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them.’ Let us therefore be vigilant, beloved! The presence of the Lord resides in the harmony of the brethren, while their discord entertains the adversary.

Their way of life mirrors that of the heavenly angels, as they unite in praising the Lord God with harmonious psalms and hymns, earning the reward that comes from obedience. The promise of the Lord is manifested in them, where He states, ‘Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them’ (Matthew 18:20). In this declaration, He does not restrict the number of those who come together in His name; instead, the mention of ‘two or three’ highlights the boundless potential of their gathering. Whether few or many, if they join in His name and with a sincere longing to serve Him, we firmly believe that Christ is present among His followers. Residing within such communities, these earthly beings strive to align themselves with the life of the heavenly. They dedicate their time to fasting, prayer, vigils, heartfelt tears, profound sorrow, reflections on mortality, and embodying humility, meekness, and silence. They endure hardships, aspire to purity, maintain inner peace, and exhibit perfect love for both their Lord and their neighbors. As a result of such a way of living, at the conclusion of their days, they are transformed into true heavenly angels.

This is the same divine essence.

This notion may be interpreted differently. The triad could signify passion, desire, and reason, or body, soul, and spirit. Alternatively, the triad may refer first to those who are called, second to the chosen, and third to the beings honored above all. The divine power, shared without division among them, governs all creation. Therefore, each individual who rightly employs the inherent abilities of their soul seeks that which is fitting and abhors what is harmful, as it is written: ‘Bless them that bless thee, and hate them that hate thee.’ (Gen. 12:3) By transcending passions and desires, infused with love for all creation, for God's sake, the individual begins to live a Gnostic life, effortlessly mastering their desires much like a Savior, merging knowledge, faith, and love into an inseparable unity.

Their judgments become just and genuinely spiritual, and their thoughts are thoroughly cleansed from the blemishes of passions and desires. They are ultimately reshaped by a masterful architect ‘in the image’ of the Lord, becoming a perfect being, deserving to be called a brother of the Lord, and simultaneously a friend and son to himself. In this context, it is said that two or three gathered in one Gnostic spirit reflects a unity. The consensus of many within the triad where the Lord resides can also denote one Church, one individual, one humanity.

The Lord provided the law to a singular lineage, the Jewish people. When He prophesied and sent Jeremiah to Babylon, He subsequently called the Gentiles through prophecies, bringing together two nations. (Eph. 2:15) Yet the third is undoubtedly the new community formed from the two, where He dwells and walks, namely, the Church. Thus, the law, the prophets, and the gospel, in the name of Christ, together form a singular whole, the gnosis. However, those who reject marriage out of harm or those who lustfully misuse their bodies will find themselves excluded from the company of the saved, where the Lord is present.

Herod and Pontius Pilate were united, yet their purpose was contrary to Christ—one aimed at dishonor and the other at murder, colluding in darkness. Today, many individuals may come together, such as the wayward and the thief, not in the name of Christ, but surrounding issues associated with Him. All who transgress His sacred commandments stand as opponents of Christ. As He declared, “Whoever is not with Me is against Me; and whoever does not gather with Me scatters” (Matthew 12:30). In contrast to these unlawful gatherings and Jewish assemblies, the Most Gracious Jesus withdraws. Where is He to be found? It is in the assembly gathered in His holy name that He abides; there is His resting place, where Christian love thrives. What, then, defines Christian love? As the holy apostle instructs, it is characterized by patience, compassion, a lack of envy, boasting, pride, disorder, self-interest, irritation, ill will, and delight in unrighteousness. Rather, it rejoices in truth, bears, believes, hopes, and endures all; it never falters (1 Corinthians 13:4-8). This is the essence of Christian love, where the presence of Christ can be cherished as in a beautiful chamber. Thus, we find Christ in the midst of this love. Our remaining task is to invite Him into our homes. He is no foreigner to the most humble of abodes; indeed, He stands at the door and knocks: “Behold, I stand,” He says in Revelation, “at the door and knock: if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him” (Rev. 3:20). For our sake, He entered the virgin womb, emerging from her pure blood in miraculous birth. He embraced the humility of the manger as an infant swaddled in cloth, and He will not turn away from our modest homes if we ask with sincerity, for He is Merciful and Benevolent, inclined to respond to humble requests. Let us draw near to Him, emulating the wise men (Matthew 2:1-12). Let us approach Him, no longer as a child wrapped in cloth, but as He who is enthroned in glory alongside the Father and the Spirit. Instead of offering gold, frankincense, or myrrh, let us present Him with our broken and humble supplications. Since He finds rest in Christian love, let us first cultivate and prepare our hearts with it. When we encounter a hungry brother, let us feed him; when we see someone thirsty, let us provide a drink; when we encounter the naked, let us clothe them; when we find the homeless, let us bring them in and share a meal; when we meet the sick, let us visit and care for them; when we discover someone imprisoned, let us extend our love and service in any way we can. In summary, let us love our fellow brethren as we love ourselves.

Nevertheless, some attempt to mask their own complacency under the guise of faith, justifying their neglect of communal worship. They forgo the shared enthusiasm of the gathering, claiming instead to dedicate their time to prayer while attending to personal matters. By succumbing to their own wants, they diminish and dismiss divine commandments. Such individuals fracture the body of Christ, causing disruption among its members. They hinder the development of its Christ-like nature, which was revealed to the prophet in the spirit, leading him to sing, ‘His sight is greater than the sons of men’ (Isaiah 52:14). Indeed, while every individual has the responsibility for personal prayer, this duty can only be truly fulfilled when one is connected to the perfect body, acting as a valuable part of it. This illustrates the contrast between the glorious completeness of the assembly and the emptiness of isolation, born from ignorance and neglect: through salvation and glory, the beauty of the entire body is evident in the unity of its members, whereas the division of its inner parts results in shameful, fatal decay.

The Lord addresses the power of corporate prayer, reassuring the small gatherings within the Church that they should not feel inadequate to partake in His promise, while simultaneously encouraging larger gatherings to trust even more deeply in that promise (thoughts of St. Basil the Great). 'What greater assembly is there in His name than in the holy temple?' teaches Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow. He is indeed present among us, and where He is present, He also works graciously and salvifically. In this covenant promise, 'There I am in the midst of them,' the Lord has established a continuous source of glory for the gatherings of Christians, designed to unite the faithful in His name. He is in our midst through the Gospel, in the sanctity of the Sacraments, and in the spirit and fervor of united prayer. Wherever God and the glorified God-Man are present, there is Heaven, forever brimming with glory.

‘Consider,’ St. Chrysostom says, ‘how He eliminates hostility and brings reconciliation to those in discord: following admonitions against enmity, He promises great rewards for harmony. The joined supplicants kneel to the Father in their requests, and Christ dwells among them.’ Yet, why do not all consistently receive their requests? ‘Because,’ St. Chrysostom explains, ‘numerous factors can hinder answers to prayers. They may not receive due to often seeking trivial things, or because they do not fulfill what is required on their part, as the Saviour desires prayerful individuals who mirror the Apostles, hence, He specifies: two of you, signifying those virtuous and in leadership. Alternatively, they may pray against those who have wronged them, seeking retribution, which is forbidden; or unrepentant sinners might ask for mercy, making it impossible for them to obtain it, even though another may intercede for them. But if all these conditions are met— if you seek meaningful things, live an apostolic life, fulfill your obligations, and maintain harmony and love with your neighbors— then you will receive according to your requests, for the Lord is a loving God. The apostles listened intently to Christ's teachings on love and the elimination of sin, temptation, and discord among His followers. After the Lord assured that He would remain with those united in His name by love, Peter interjected with a question, revealing his lack of comprehension regarding the doctrine of reconciliation and forgiveness.

Likewise, we who are called by the Lord must heed the words of the apostle: “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called” (Eph. 4:1-4), as well as the promise given by the Lord: “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him” (Jn. 14:23).

When it is said, “There I am in the midst of them,” it signifies the spiritual communion between Christ, as the head, and those who have faith in Him as His body, provided they are worthy. It is crucial not simply to convene but to embody this virtue, for His message conveys that if one prioritizes love for their neighbor based on His foundation and possesses other virtues, I will be with them. Conversely, those who gather unworthily and not in alignment with the Lord’s will, despite appearing to come together in His name, will hear the admonition, “Why do you call Me Lord, Lord, and not do the things which I say?” (Lk. 6:46).