Sometimes the Bible is hard to understand.

Like Matthew 18:15-20.

What the last half of that text says is if I release something on earth, it’s released in heaven. What the text says is that if I tie something up on earth, it’s tied in heaven. What the text says is that if you and I agree to ask God for something, He will do it. What the text says is that He be with us if you and I (at least) are together here on earth.

But I watch people agree to pray for healing for someone who is dying and the person doesn’t and I gotta wonder. And I’m not sure I want the power to bind and loose stuff in heaven. I mean, I have a hard time tying and untying my shoes sometimes.

(I’m not making light of the text here. That is a serious observation.)

But when I look at my commentaries on this text, I discover that they encourage me to look at the whole lesson Jesus is giving. They tell me to look at the conversation about releasing in the context of the conversation of what to do when someone has done what Jesus said not to. They tell me to look at the “asking in agreement” in the context of telling someone lovingly but directly in front of witnesses that they are going to have to be outside of the church. They tell me that wherever two or three of us are wrestling with what to do to help our brother or sister understand, that Jesus is part of the conversation, too.

The commentaries say that God will be involved when we are trying to help someone see the relationship they have with Jesus.

If that’s what it means, I can handle it.