Jesus is addressing a sensitive problem in the life of the Church. Certain members simply do not belong to the community because they show, by what they say or do, that they are not in fact disciples but "pagans." Extreme care must be taken to distinguish them from disciples who are merely weak or ignorant. It is not a question of ridding the Church of sinners but rather of encouraging them to recognize the presence of Jesus in their lives.

It is the duty of a leader to practise forbearance and patience and to reconcile sinners. It is upon this duty that the authority to "bind and loose" is vested. This ensures a way for many people to experience a greater freedom in their lives.

Moses, the great freedom movement leader, spoke with Yahweh face to face and encouraged the people to strive for a life of freedom. We see that he himself did not live to set foot on the soil of freedom, yet he remained faithful to the people and sought the blessings of God on them.