What does Matthew 18:17 mean by treating someone "as a pagan or a tax collector"? Scripture Text “If he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.” (Matthew 18:17) Immediate Literary Context Verses 15–17 outline a three-stage process: (1) private confrontation, (2) small-group confirmation, (3) public appeal to the ekklēsia. The statement in v. 17 climaxes the unit; verse 18 (“whatever you bind on earth…”) roots the instruction in heaven-sanctioned authority. Thus “treat as” defines the church’s response when every avenue of repentance is exhausted. Historical–Cultural Background: “Pagan” and “Tax Collector” • Pagan (Greek ethnikos) referred to Gentiles outside the covenant community (cf. Acts 10:28). Religious difference, not ethnicity, marked the divide: they were spiritually alienated (Ephesians 2:12). • Tax Collectors (telōnai) farmed Rome’s taxes, exacting surcharges that enriched them at Israel’s expense (Luke 3:12–13). They were stigmatized as collaborators (m. Nedarim 3.4) and regularly paired with “sinners” (Matthew 9:10). First-century synagogue records (e.g., b. Sanhedrin 25b) show tax collectors barred from testimony and fellowship. Jesus’ audience would have heard v. 17 as “treat him as an outsider to covenant life.” Canonical Parallels • Old Testament: persistent rebellion led to removal from the camp (Numbers 15:30–31; Deuteronomy 17:12). • Jesus’ teaching: “Do not throw your pearls before swine” (Matthew 7:6) anticipates protective separation. • Paul: “Remove the wicked man from among you” (1 Corinthians 5:13); “have nothing to do with him, so that he may feel ashamed” (2 Thessalonians 3:14). The apostolic pattern mirrors Matthew 18. • Titus 3:10—“Reject a divisive man after a first and second warning.” The consistent trajectory is restorative exclusion. Theological Purpose: Church Discipline 1. Guard the holiness of Christ’s body (Ephesians 5:27). 2. Protect the flock from contagion of open sin (1 Corinthians 5:6). 3. Awaken the offender through loss of fellowship (1 Corinthians 5:5). 4. Vindicate the church’s credibility before the watching world (1 Peter 2:12). Evangelistic Posture—How Jesus Treated Pagans and Tax Collectors Jesus ate with tax collectors (Matthew 9:10), called one to apostleship (Matthew 10:3), and healed Gentiles (Matthew 15:28). Therefore, “treat as” cannot mean hatred. It means: • Do not affirm false assurance of salvation. • Relate as to an unbeliever—patiently, lovingly, evangelistically (2 Timothy 2:24–26). • Offer repentance and reinstatement, exemplified by Zacchaeus the tax collector (Luke 19:8–10). Practical Procedure for the Contemporary Church 1. Written notice of decision, citing Matthew 18. 2. Removal from membership and offices; exclusion from Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:29). 3. Ongoing prayer and gospel engagement. 4. Public restoration when repentance is evident (2 Corinthians 2:6–8). Boundary Versus Shunning The text does not command social ostracism. Paul still advised eating with unbelievers (1 Corinthians 5:10). The boundary is covenantal, not relational: no fellowship symbols that would imply communion in Christ, yet full availability of the gospel. Authority to “Bind and Loose” Verse 18 ties the verdict to heaven’s court. The perfect participles (“having been bound…loosed in heaven”) in key manuscripts (𝔓^45, B, א) show the church’s action reflects a prior divine judgment, underscoring infallible Scripture’s unity. Archaeological and Patristic Corroboration • Papyrus 𝔓^70 (3rd c.) confirms the reading without textual variation. • The Didache (4:13; 15:3) echoes the same three-step model, demonstrating early Christian continuity. • Ignatius (To the Smyrnaeans 6.1) urges withdrawal from those who “confess not the Eucharist” until they repent. These first-century witnesses strengthen the historicity of Matthew’s directive. Common Misconceptions Answered • “It’s unforgiving.” No—immediately restore upon repentance (Luke 17:3). • “It contradicts love.” Discipline IS love (Hebrews 12:6). • “It violates autonomy.” Covenant membership is voluntary; continued rebellion against agreed standards warrants consensual removal. • “It’s legalistic.” Grace is never license (Romans 6:1–2). Eschatological Undercurrent Earthly discipline prefigures final separation (Matthew 25:32). Treatment “as a pagan” warns that persisting in unrepentance evidences an unregenerate heart, steering the offender to examine himself before the Day of the Lord. Summary “To treat as a pagan or a tax collector” means to regard the unrepentant brother as outside the covenant community: remove him from church privileges, cease affirming his spiritual status, yet continue to love, pray, and evangelize him, anticipating restoration. The procedure upholds holiness, protects the flock, and mirrors Christ’s own redemptive heart toward those still “far off,” whom He longs to bring near. |
    |