What is the imagery used in Matthew 18:15-20?

In Matthew 18:15-20, Jesus employs vivid imagery to convey His teachings on reconciliation and the power of prayer within the Christian community. Firstly, He uses the metaphor of a lost sheep to describe the sinner in need of repentance. Just as a shepherd tirelessly searches for one lost sheep out of a hundred, so should believers seek the one who has strayed and guide them back to the right path. Additionally, Jesus depicts the process of confrontation and resolution among believers as akin to the legal system, stating that if a fellow believer fails to listen, they should be treated like a Gentile or a tax collector. This imagery suggests a clear separation between those within the community who have embraced repentance and those who remain unyielding. Finally, Jesus emphasizes the importance of collective prayer, heralding the powerful and binding nature of unified supplication. By likening the act of agreement in prayer to the presence of Jesus Himself, Jesus amplifies the potency of communal prayer.

This mind map was published on 11 September 2023 and has been viewed 96 times.