The Limits of Forgiveness, Part 1
Jesus replied, "I do not say seven times; I say seventy times seven." Matt. 18:22, NEB.
Yesterday we began to examine Peter's question about the limits of forgiveness. The disciple, of course, had not only asked the question, but had supplied a rather generous answer. Seven forgivenesses is a lot of forgiving, especially in an area of sensitivity.
Jesus answers Peter in two parts. First, He says, the correct number is not seven but "seventy times seven" NEB, RSV, NIV margin) or 490. Now that is a lot of forgiveness (even if it is a mere 77 times, as suggested by the NIV)--so much that a person would lose count before transgression number 491 (or even 78) had arrived. However, Jesus is not teaching a lesson on the arithmetic of forgiveness, but rather that forgiveness has no limit.
That is not the answer Peter expected, for as we noted yesterday, Peter, like you and me, is really more interested in the limit of Christian love and forbearance than in its extent. After all, it is reassuring to know at what point I can stop loving my neighbor with a good conscience, to know when I have fulfilled my quota of love and forgiveness, so that I can as a "good Christian" let people have what they deserve.
All too often I find myself standing with Peter and the all-too-human implication underlying his question: "When can I let go?" "When do I have a right to explode at these stupid yokels that I have to live with? work with? go to church with?"
Here are some real questions of practicality for daily living. Especially since those other people really are disgusting--really are deserving of a bit of my wrath, a good tongue-lashing, a piece of my mind. And they are. I have been so patient with them, but they don't seem to get the point. So if forgiveness doesn't seem to solve the problem, perhaps a bit of attack will wake them up.
That line of thought represents Peter's idea on the topic and mine also. But Jesus frustrates both of us by stating that there is no limit to forgiveness.
That is not an answer that Peter can even begin to understand. So in the next few verses Jesus will illustrate His point.
Lord, give me ears to hear as my Lord tells me something that I really need to understand.
Jesus replied, "I do not say seven times; I say seventy times seven." Matt. 18:22, NEB.
Yesterday we began to examine Peter's question about the limits of forgiveness. The disciple, of course, had not only asked the question, but had supplied a rather generous answer. Seven forgivenesses is a lot of forgiving, especially in an area of sensitivity.
Jesus answers Peter in two parts. First, He says, the correct number is not seven but "seventy times seven" NEB, RSV, NIV margin) or 490. Now that is a lot of forgiveness (even if it is a mere 77 times, as suggested by the NIV)--so much that a person would lose count before transgression number 491 (or even 78) had arrived. However, Jesus is not teaching a lesson on the arithmetic of forgiveness, but rather that forgiveness has no limit.
That is not the answer Peter expected, for as we noted yesterday, Peter, like you and me, is really more interested in the limit of Christian love and forbearance than in its extent. After all, it is reassuring to know at what point I can stop loving my neighbor with a good conscience, to know when I have fulfilled my quota of love and forgiveness, so that I can as a "good Christian" let people have what they deserve.
All too often I find myself standing with Peter and the all-too-human implication underlying his question: "When can I let go?" "When do I have a right to explode at these stupid yokels that I have to live with? work with? go to church with?"
Here are some real questions of practicality for daily living. Especially since those other people really are disgusting--really are deserving of a bit of my wrath, a good tongue-lashing, a piece of my mind. And they are. I have been so patient with them, but they don't seem to get the point. So if forgiveness doesn't seem to solve the problem, perhaps a bit of attack will wake them up.
That line of thought represents Peter's idea on the topic and mine also. But Jesus frustrates both of us by stating that there is no limit to forgiveness.
That is not an answer that Peter can even begin to understand. So in the next few verses Jesus will illustrate His point.
Lord, give me ears to hear as my Lord tells me something that I really need to understand.
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