“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens, to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the assembly (church); and if he refuses to listen even to the assembly (church), let him be to you as a gentile and a tax collector.” Mt 18, 15-18
“And I tell you, you are Peter (rock), and on this rock I will built my assembly (church). The powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.”Mt 16, 18-1
The words “I will build my ecclesia” (Mt 16, 18) have misled many to take for granted that “ecclesia” would refer to a building, a structure, with all the connotations which the word “church” has acquired in English. Jesus is indeed comparing the “ecclesia” here to a house with the main purpose of stressing the foundation (Peter’s authority) which He was giving it. Elsewhere He had employed the same metaphor when He taught that it would be wise to build one’s life not on sand, but on the firm rock of Christ’s teaching (Mt 7,24-27). Just as one’s life is not a house or a structure, so also the “ecclesia”, the “church” should be taken to mean a house or a structure only in a metaphorical sense. In New Testament time “ecclesia” simply stood for “assembly”.
“Ecclesia” was in Greek the technical term for an official gathering of the people for the exercise of a common responsiblity, such as elections, court cases, receiving reports from public servants. It came near to the old Hebrew notion of “qahal” which denoted the public gathering of God’s people (cf. Dt 23,1-3). Stephen spoke of Moses as the person authorised to act “in the assembly (ecclesia) in the wilderness at Mount Sinai” (Acts 7,38). In Ephesus Paul was dragged by the crowd to the open-air theatre where a confused assembly (ecclesia) was begun (Act 19,32). The city clerk managed to calm down the people by assuring them that charges against Paul would be settled in a regular assembly (ecclesia). After this he dismissed the assembly (Acts 19, 38-41). In the same way the early Christians used to “gather together as an assembly (ecclesia)” for common functions (1 Cor 11,18).
Wherever the apostles preached the faith, they established communities of the faithful as “assemblies” (church), “appointing elders in every assembly” (Acts 14,23). Probably the assembly (church) was constituted by fixing a place, regular time of meeting and a chairman. The assembly at Colossae for instance met in the house of Philemon (Phil 2). Archippus (Col 4, 17) and Epaphras (Col 1,7; 4,12) had been appointed elders or ministers. The normal time of meeting for the assembly was , “the first day of the week” (Acts 20,7), but the assembly could also be convoked at other occasions (Acts 14, 27).
Consonant with our stress on individual morality we have been grown accumstomed to stress the responsibility laid on individual leaders. A study of the New Testament church reveals that the community of the faithful had a great share in the taking of decisions. Before selecting and ordaining the seven deacons, the apostles “summoned the whole groups of disciples” and explained their plan. The decisions were taken by the whole community though the laying on of hands was done by the apostles (Acts 7,5-6). Inspired by his vision Peter admitted the pagan Cornelius to baptism, but he had to justify himself before the assembly (Acts 11, 1-18). It was the assembly at Antoich that sent Paul and Barnabas on their missionary journey (Acts 13, 1-3) and that received their first report (Acts 14,26-27).
If we keep this background in mind, we will understand the signifinace of the two Matthean passages where the word “assembly” (church) occurs. It is quite certain that Jesus did not employ the Greek term “ekklesia”. This for two reasons: Jesus spoke Aramaic; “ekklesia”, church assembly, was a reality which only came about at Pentecost (Acts 2,44-47). The assembly was probably called “ecclesia” only later on, under the influence of Greek speaking converts. Jesus either used the Aramaic term “qahal” or, what is more likely, He taught something which was subsequently understood by the early church to refer to the “ekklesia”. The evangelists at times attribute to Jesus phrases that could only have arisen later. Luke makes Jesus say that we should take up our cross “daily” and follow him (Lk 9,23). This is what under inspiration he understood Jesus meant: for Jesus’ audience the addition of “daily” would have been unintelligible (cf.Mk 8,34). Mark makes Jesus promise a special reward for giving a cup of water to those “who bear the name of Christ” (Mk 9,41). But we know that it was more than twelve years later, at Antioch, that the disciples were first called after Christ (Acts 11,26). The substance of Jesus’ teaching is retained, but the terminology updated.
We may be sure, therefore, that Mt 18,15-17 gives the mind of Jesus, even though some of the expressions may reflect the usage of the early church. The case is a very instructive one. Jesus speaks of some quarrel between two disciples and presupposes that the other person is at fault. Elsewhere Jesus had already insisted that the quarrel should be settled before the sacrifice: “first go and reconcile yourself” (Mt 5,24). Here more detailed suggestions are given: If a personal effort at reconciliation proves fruitless, the help of some others will have to be called in. As a last resort, the matter should be brought to the assembly (church) which will have an authoritative voice (Mt 18,17). Notice how it is the whole assembly, and not one or two elders, who have the last word: “If he refuses to listen to the assembly let him be to you as a pagan” (Mt 18,17). Of course, Christ’s minister has a special function within the assembly (see next section), yet it is by the whole assembly that the decision should be taken according to Jesus’ suggestion. Also, Paul directed that disputes between Christians be judged by the assembly and not be solved in a secular court (1 Cor 6,1-8).
No assembly can function properly without competent leader. The “assembly of God” (1 Cor 11,22) of which Christ is the head (Eph 1,22) has been made firm by the authority given to its ministers. They are the foundation of this new temple of God (Eph 2,20). Peter is the rock that gives stability to the assembly (Mt 16,18). Peter is empowered to “strengthen” the brethren (Lk 22,32). Peter holds the keys (Mt 16, 19) and feeds the flock (Jn 21, 15-17). Christ’s ministers are “guardians to feed the assembly of the Lord which He obtained with his own blood” (Acts 20,28). An assembly without an apostle is “like sheep without a shepherd” (Mt 9,36).
Fidelity to the New Testament requires that both aspects of the church are kept intact: the authority of the ministers and the authority of the assembly. An assembly without Christ’s minister, like a Council without Pope, or a diocese without bishop, cannot stand as an assembly of Christ. But the minister cannot replace the assembly, nor a Pope the Council, nor a bishop the diocese. Throughout the centuries mistakes have been made by neglecting either the one or to the other aspect. For our own times the church has reminded us not to forget the task nor the authority of the assembly. The Vatican Council’s emphasis on the collegiality of the bishops, on bishops’ conferences and pastoral councils re-instate the authority of the assembly.
Christ is present to us in more than one way. He comes to us in the person of his minister. “Who receives you, receives Me” (Mt 10,40). But Christ also makes himself present to us through the assembly. “Where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them” (Mt 18,20). Christ is present in the assembly by its common prayer: “If two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all” (Mt 18,19). He is present by the bond of unity: “Father, may they be one in us... so that the world may believe it was You who sent Me” (Jn 17,21). Christ is present by decisions taken by the whole community as a group : “Whatever you (plural !) will bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven” (Mt 18,18). Christ’s presence is especialy tangible by a mutural spirit of love: “By this love you have for one another, everyone will know you are my disciples” (Jn 13,35). Christ shines forth through the assembly as priest, prophet and king; for the whole assembly partakes in his priestly, prophetic and royal mission (The Church, 10-12). “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation” (1 Pet 2,9): “a holy priesthood... through Jesus Christ” (1 Pet 2,5).