Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on Matthew 18:16
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
But if he will not hear thee, etc.]. But will either deny the fact, or extenuate and excuse it, or defend it, or at least is obstinate and incorrigible, shows no signs of repentance, but is angry, gives hard words, and ill language: then take with thee one or two more; members of the church, and perhaps of weight, reputation, and character, who either know some thing of the matter, and so can confirm, by their testimony, what has been alleged, in order to bring the person to conviction and acknowledgment; or if they do not, and which seems rather to be the sense, they may, by hearing what is said on both sides, judge where the truth lies, and join with the offended person in the admonition, that it may fall with the greater weight, and become more effectual: that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established, referring to (<051915>Deuteronomy 19:15). So that should the matter be brought before the whole church, these witnesses would be able to testify the truth of the case, and report the steps that had been taken, and what effect they had had; so that things being thus prepared, the case would appear plain and easy, and without difficulty. The whole of this is very agreeable to the rules and customs of the Jews, and is founded on the law, in (<031917>Leviticus 19:17), upon which they form rules very much like to these. They represent God himself taking such a method as this, with the sons of men f999: “When the holy blessed God reproves a man, he reproves him in love, privately: if he receives it, it is well; if not, he reproves him among his friends: if he receives it, it is well; if not he reproves him openly before the eyes of all; if he receives it is well; if not, he leaves him, and reproves him no more.” And this is an instruction to men, how they should reprove their friends. They say f1000, “he that sees anything in his friend that is not becoming, he ought to reprove him.” And which is elsewhere more f1001 largely expressed: “he that seeth his friend walking in a way that is not good, he is bound to reprove him, even a disciple his master; and this he shall do for his good, and in order to bring him to the life of the world to come, or eternal life; and “if he takes it of him, it is well”: but if not, he must reprove again, “a second and a third time”; and so he must reprove him many times, if, or until he hears him.” And this they require to be done, in the most private manner: “reproof out of love (they f1002 say) is secret from the children of men; whoever reproves his friend in love, seeks to secrete his words from the sons of men, that he may not expose him thereby to shame and reproach.” That is, as the gloss f1003 on it observes, “he seeks to reprove him in secret, so that he may not be put to shame before many.” If this way does not succeed, they allow of a public reproof, for so it is said f1004 ; “thou mayest not reprove him with hard words, till his countenance changes; for whoever causes the face of his friend to turn pale publicly, has no portion in the world to come; but thou mayest reprove in the words of heaven, or God; and if he does not return privately, thou mayest make him ashamed publicly, and expose his sin before him; and reproach and curse him, until he returns to do well; so did all the prophets to Israel.” They plead also for a second reproof, from the text in (<031917>Leviticus 19:17) f1005 . From whence does it appear, that he that sees anything in his friend unbecoming, ou…
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