Matthew 18:20 (WEB)
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them.”
Catechism · 2
The Liturgy - Work of the Holy Trinity
“Lastly, he is present when the Church prays and sings, for he has promised 'where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them."'” — Catechism footnote: SC 7; Mt 18:20.
The Sacrament of the Eucharist
“"Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us," is present in many ways to his Church: in his word, in his Church's prayer, "where two or three are gathered in my name,"” — Catechism footnote: Mt 18:20.
Fathers and councils · 34
Origen
- Origen, Against Celsus II.9Book II
“And Jesus Himself, in raising the minds of His disciples to higher thoughts of the Son of God, says: “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of you.”” — editor's note: Matt. xviii. 20.
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Catena Aurea on Luke
- BedeCatena Aurea on Luke
“And as they spoke of Him, the Lord comes near and joins them, that He may both influence their minds with faith in His resurrection, and fulfil that which He had promised, Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them (Mat.” — the author cites it
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Athanasius of Alexandria
“…himself from the second, again he takes possession of another’s, casting an evil eye all around him upon the cities of other men, and thinking that godliness consists in wealth and in the greatness of cities, and making light of the heritage of God to which he had been appointed; not knowing that ‘where’ even ‘two…” — editor's note: 1 Tim. vi. 5; Matt. xviii. 20; 2 Cor. x. 15; 1 Cor. vii. 27.
Read the whole comment“For if He promises, that ‘when two or three are gathered together in His name, He is in the midst of them,’ it is plain that being in the midst of those who in every place are gathered together, He unites them, and receives the prayers of all of them, as if they…” — editor's note: Matt. xviii. 20.
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Gregory the Great
“Know ye whose presence will be with you, seeing that it is written, Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them (Matth. xviii. 20).” — the author cites it
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Ambrose of Milan
“It was of no determination by man, of no human counsel, that three hundred and eighteen bishops met, as I showed above more at length, in Council, but that in their number the Lord Jesus might prove, by the sign of His Name and Passion, that He was in the midst, where His own were gathered together.” — editor's note: S. Matt. xviii. 20.
Read the whole comment“Believe, then, that the Lord Jesus is present at the invocation of the priest, Who said: “Where two or three are, there am I also.”” — editor's note: S. Matt. xviii. 20.
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John Chrysostom
““For where two or three” (it is said) “are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them” ( Matt. xviii. 20 ); and again, “That they may be One, as we” also are ( John xvii. 11 ); and, “They had all one heart and [one] soul.” ( Acts iv. 32.)” — the author cites it
Read the whole comment“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”” — editor's note: Matt. xviii. 19, 20.
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Basil the Great
“Here is Christ the lover of the wilderness, for He says “Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them.”” — editor's note: Matt. xviii. 20; a curious misapplication of the text.
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Leo the Great
“For if “where two or three are gathered together in His name,” He has said that “there He is in the midst of them,” must He not have been much more particularly present with 520 priests, who preferred the spread of knowledge concerning Him to their country and their ease?” — editor's note: Ibid. xviii. 20.
Read the whole comment“For if the Lord has promised fulfilment of all they shall ask, to the holy and devout agreement of two or three, what shall be denied to many thousands of the people who unite in one act of worship, and with one breath make their common supplications?” — editor's note: Cf. S. Matt. xviii. 19, 20.
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Tertullian
“Moreover, after the pledging both of the attestation of faith and the promise of salvation under “three witnesses,” there is added, of necessity, mention of the Church; inasmuch as, wherever there are three, (that is, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, ) there is the Church, which is a body of three.” — editor's note: Compare the de Orat. quoted above, and de Patien. xxi.; and see Matt. xviii. 20.
Read the whole comment“And thus, from that time forward, every number (of persons) who may have combined together into this faith is accounted “a Church,” from the Author and Consecrator (of the Church).” — editor's note: See Matt. xviii. 20.
Read the whole comment“In a company of two is the church; but the church is Christ.” — editor's note: See Matt. xviii. 20.
Read the whole comment- Tertullian, To His Wife II.8Book II
“Where two (are), there withal (is) He Himself.” — editor's note: Matt. xviii. 20.
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Cyprian of Carthage
“Nor let any deceive themselves by a futile interpretation, in respect of the Lord having said, “Wheresoever two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”” — editor's note: Matt. xviii. 20.
Read the whole comment“For wherever two or three are gathered together in my name, I am with them.”” — editor's note: Matt. xviii. 19, 20.
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Gregory of Nazianzus
“…that better is faith, with no other roof but the sky to cover it, than impiety rolling in wealth, and that three gathered together in the Name of the Lord count for more with God than tens of thousands of those who deny the Godhead.” — editor's note: S. Matt. xviii. 20.
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Clement of Alexandria
“Quinam sunt autem illi “duo et tres, qui congregantur in nomine Domini, in” quorum “medio” est Dominus? annon virum et mulierem et filium tres dicit, quoniam mulier cum viro per Deum conjungitur?” — editor's note: Matt. xviii. 20.
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Catena Aurea on Matthew
- JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
Because He had said, “If he will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as a heathen, and a publican,” whereupon the brother so contemned might answer, or think within himself, If you despise me, I also will despise…
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on Matthew
He said not in the heavens (in caelis), as when He spoke to Peter, but in heaven (in coelo), for they are not yet attained to the like perfection with Peter.
Read the whole comment - Hilary of PoitiersCatena Aurea on Matthew
To hold out a great and terrible fear, by which all men should be reached in this present life, He pronounces that the judgment of the Apostles should be ratified, so that whosoever they bound on earth, i.e. left…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
And be it noted, that He said not to the Primate [margin note: προέδρος] of the Church, Bind such a man; but, If ye shall bind him, the bonds shall be indissoluble; leaving the other to his discretion. And see how He…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
Otherwise; When you begin to hold your brother as a publican you bind him on earth, but take heed that you bind him with just cause; for an unjust cause breaks rightful bonds. But when you have corrected him, and…
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
But He holds out a ratification not only of sentences of excommunication, but of every petition which is offered by men holding together in the unity of the Church; for He adds, “Again I say unto you, that if two of…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or, because He had said, It shall be done unto them by My Father; therefore, to shew that He is the Giver together with His Father, He adds this, “where two or three, &c.”
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on Matthew
And He said not, “I will be,” but “I am in the midst of them;” because straightway, as soon as they have agreed together, Christ is found among them.
Read the whole comment - Hilary of PoitiersCatena Aurea on Matthew
For He who is peace and charity, will set His place and habitation in good and peaceable dispositions.
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or otherwise; All His foregoing discourse had invited us to union; now to make us embrace peace more anxiously, He holds out a reward, promising to be in the midst of two or three.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
Yet He said not barely, “Where they are gathered together,” but added, “in my name,” as much as to say, If any man look upon Me as the chief motive of his love to his neighbour, I will be with him, though his virtue…
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on Matthew
And this also is the reason why our prayers are not granted, because we do not agree together in all things upon earth, neither in doctrine, nor in conversation. For as in music, unless the voices are in time there…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
We may also understand this spiritually; where our spirit, soul, and body are in agreement, and have not within them conflicting wills, they shall obtain from My Father every thing they shall ask; for none can doubt…
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or, In whatever the two testaments are in agreement, for this every prayer is found acceptable to God.
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Cross-references · 48
Cited together in Letters Letter 93.
Cited together in Letters Letter 93 and 1 other place.
Cited together in Bede on Luke 24:13–24 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Bede on Luke 24:13–24 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Bede on Luke 24:13–24 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Bede on Luke 24:13–24 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Bede on Luke 24:13–24 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Bede on Luke 24:13–24 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Bede on Luke 24:13–24 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Bede on Luke 24:13–24 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Bede on Luke 24:13–24 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Bede on Luke 24:13–24 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Bede on Luke 24:13–24 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Bede on Luke 24:13–24 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Against Celsus II.9.
Cited together in On Repentance Chapter 10.
Cited together in On Repentance Chapter 10.
Cited together in On Baptism Chapter 5.
Cited together in Defence Against the Arians I.1.
Cited together in Against Celsus II.9.
Cited together in Defence Against the Arians I.1.
Cited together in Sermons Sermon 88.
Cited together in Sermons Sermon 88.
Cited together in On Baptism Chapter 5.
Cited together in Letters Letter 93.
Cited together in Exposition of the Christian Faith I.19.
Cited together in Defence Against the Arians I.1.
Cited together in On the Mysteries Chapter 5.
Cited together in Defence Against the Arians I.1.
Cited together in On the Mysteries Chapter 5.
Cited together in Exposition of the Christian Faith I.19.
Cited together in Letters Letter 93.
Cited together in On the Mysteries Chapter 5.
Cited together in Letters Letter 93.
Cited together in Epistles, Books IX–XIV IX.45.
Cited together in Defence Against the Arians I.1.
Cited together in Epistles, Books IX–XIV IX.45.
Cited together in On Baptism Chapter 5.
Cited together in Defence Against the Arians I.1.
Cited together in Epistles, Books IX–XIV IX.45.
Cited together in Defence Against the Arians I.1.
Cited together in Exposition of the Christian Faith I.19.
Cited together in Sermons Sermon 88.
Cited together in Sermons Sermon 88.
Cited together in Sermons Sermon 88.
Cited together in Sermons Sermon 88.
Cited together in On Baptism Chapter 5.
Cited together in On the Mysteries Chapter 5.