THE UNFORGIVING: PETER'S QUESTION ABOUT FORGIVING
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. The Unforgiving
a) The parable of the unforgiving slave illustrates the principle that Jesus also underlined when he taught his disciples to pray. Part of that model prayer pleads with God to... "Forgive us our debts even as we forgive our debtors" (Matthew 6:12). Jesus commented, "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. (Matthew 6:14-15).
b) The parable of the unforgiving slave illustrates the goodness and severity of God. It portrays God as merciful to us on the condition that we are merciful to others. If we are not, then we will incur his wrath (Matthew 18:21-35).
2. Peter’s Question About Forgiving
Mathew 18:21-22
"21 Peter came up and said to Jesus, 'Lord, how often should I forgive my brother who sins against me? Should it be up to seven times?' 22 Jesus said to him, 'I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.'"
a) Some scholars translate the Greek as "seventy-seven times" rather than "seventy times seven". It doesn't alter the principle being taught.
b) It shows us why Jesus told this parable. Peter had evidently been puzzling over the problem of forgiveness when the offence is repeated. Peter suggested that seven times was probably more than reasonable to forgive the serial offender. However Jesus answers Peter, "You say seven times; I say seventy times seven". Of course, Jesus was not meaning literally 490 times, as Peter meant his seven. Jesus was saying to forgive as many times as it takes to win the offender.
c) Peter was missing the point. He did not take into account that, as soon as we put a limit on forgiving others, God will apply that same limit to forgiving us — our forgiveness by God is conditional upon our forgiveness of others. So Jesus tells Peter a parable to make the matter clear.
The End ...
1. The Unforgiving a) The parable of the unforgiving slave illustrates the principle that Jesus also underlined when he taught his disciples to pray. Part of that model prayer pleads with God to... "Forgive us our debts even as we forgive our debtors" (Matthew 6:12). Jesus commented, "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. (Matthew 6:14-15).
b) The parable of the unforgiving slave illustrates the goodness and severity of God. It portrays God as merciful to us on the condition that we are merciful to others. If we are not, then we will incur his wrath (Matthew 18:21-35).
2. Peter’s Question About Forgiving
Mathew 18:21-22
"21 Peter came up and said to Jesus, 'Lord, how often should I forgive my brother who sins against me? Should it be up to seven times?' 22 Jesus said to him, 'I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.'"
a) Some scholars translate the Greek as "seventy-seven times" rather than "seventy times seven". It doesn't alter the principle being taught.
b) It shows us why Jesus told this parable. Peter had evidently been puzzling over the problem of forgiveness when the offence is repeated. Peter suggested that seven times was probably more than reasonable to forgive the serial offender. However Jesus answers Peter, "You say seven times; I say seventy times seven". Of course, Jesus was not meaning literally 490 times, as Peter meant his seven. Jesus was saying to forgive as many times as it takes to win the offender.
c) Peter was missing the point. He did not take into account that, as soon as we put a limit on forgiving others, God will apply that same limit to forgiving us — our forgiveness by God is conditional upon our forgiveness of others. So Jesus tells Peter a parable to make the matter clear.
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