Endnote 4 – Why Doesn’t God Answer Prayers?

The initial “Again” is a clear indication that these verses did not originally belong in their present context, which has nothing to do with prayer. Thus in themselves they have nothing to do with the disciplinary function of the community, which is the theme of the previous verses (Matthew 18:15–18). The saying in Matthew 18:19–20 concerns community prayer in general without any connection to the disciplinary function of the community.