For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
All Commentaries on Matthew 18:20 Go To Matthew 18
Theophylact of Ochrid
AD 1107
. By these words He draws us together in love. After forbidding us to give offence to each other, either to harm and to be harmed, now He speaks of mutual agreement and harmony. Those who agree are those who collaborate, not in evil, but in good. Mark what He said: "if two of you," that is, of believers who are virtuous. For Annas and Caiaphas also agreed, but in a manner deserving blame. This is why we often pray but do not receive, because we do not agree among each other. He did not say, "I will be there," for He does not merely intend to be there at some future time, nor does He delay, but rather He said, "there am I," that is, I am present at once. You may also understand that when the flesh and the spirit agree, and the flesh does not desire something in opposition to the spirit, then is the Lord there in the midst. And so also do the three faculties of the soul — the abilities to reason, to be stirred to action, and to desire — all agree. But the Old and the New agree as well and Christ is in their midst, proclaimed by both.
