When Two or Three Are Enough
This morning was one of those Fridays that could go in a lot of different directions. Some weeks Friday means I am finishing my sermon for Sunday. Other weeks it has me at the church taking care of projects. And sometimes it is just a day to catch up around the house.
This week I had been traveling. Airports, planes, and hotel rooms filled my schedule. The good part of that was I had extra time on the road to work ahead. By today my sermon was already finished. That meant this Friday became a “get some things done around the house” kind of day.
One of those things was heading to Lowe’s to pick up a new pressure washer. It is actually a battery powered one, so I am hoping it works out as well as I think it will.
On the drive over I had a finance podcast playing. It is a show where the host interviews different people and talks about our relationship with money. (By the way, I also write about money for pastors and ministry leaders over at pastoralfinance.com/blog.)
This particular episode featured a Jewish rabbi. While the main topic was money, one comment she made had nothing to do with finances, but it stuck with me.
She explained that in Jewish tradition, certain prayers and readings can only take place when ten people are present. In some branches that quorum has to be ten adult men. This gathering is called a minyan.
As soon as she said it, my mind went straight to the words of Jesus.
“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” — Matthew 18:20
The Minyan: Why Ten?
The idea of ten does not come directly from the Torah or the Old Testament. It comes from rabbinic interpretation. In Numbers 14:27 God calls the ten spies who brought back a fearful report a “wicked assembly.” The rabbis took that word “assembly” and reasoned that ten must be the minimum number required for a congregation.
From that interpretation, the tradition grew that certain prayers could only be offered when ten are present. Over time this became a central practice in Jewish life.
There is something beautiful in the emphasis on community. But notice where the number came from. It came from the ten who were gripped by fear.
Ten in Fear or Two in Faith
The story of the spies actually gives us two different pictures. Ten were in agreement with fear. They saw the giants in the land and said, “We cannot do this.” Those ten swayed the people and turned the nation back from God’s promise.
But there were also two. Joshua and Caleb stood together in agreement with the word of the Lord. They said, “We can certainly take the land” (Numbers 13:30). They aligned with God’s will, and they aligned with each other.
Ten in fear stopped the people. Two in faith would have carried them forward.
And out of that story, tradition built a practice around the ten.
Jesus Points to the Two
Then Jesus comes along and says something different.
“If two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” — Matthew 18:19–20
Jesus does not dismiss larger gatherings. He preached to crowds, He taught in synagogues, He met in the temple. But He shifts the focus from numbers to agreement.
Not ten. Not a quorum. Two or three.
In other words, if two come together in agreement with Him, that is enough. His presence is there. His authority is there. His Father hears.
Where tradition built around the ten in fear, Jesus honors the two in faith.
What This Means for Us
So what do we take from this?
God meets us in small numbers. We do not need a crowd for Christ to be present. Two parents praying for a child. Two friends seeking reconciliation. Two leaders agreeing in faith. That is enough.
Agreement matters more than attendance. Jesus places the focus on unity, on hearts aligned in His name. It is not about reaching a number. It is about walking in agreement with His will.
Your prayer circle counts. Whether it is a hospital room with two people holding hands or a kitchen table with a family of three, Jesus is there.
This Week, Try This
Think of one thing in your life that feels too heavy to carry alone.
Invite one or two trusted people to pray with you about it.
Open Matthew 18:19–20 and read it out loud together.
Trust that Christ is present in that moment.
Prayer for today:
Lord, thank You that Your presence is not reserved for the crowd. Thank You that You are near when just two or three gather in Your name. Teach us to value agreement, to pursue unity, and to trust that even in the smallest circle, You are with us. Amen.
