seven? (Mt 18:21-35)

June 18, 2010

Num. 13:1-3, 21-30; Rom. 2:25-3:8; Matt. 18:21-35


“Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?…” “So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from you heart.” (Matthew 18:21, 35)

(I guess this applies to the guys who refereed game 7 of the Celtics-Lakers final...)

Essentially Peter asks Jesus how many times they have to work through this restoration process. It’s an amazing bookend to the chapter on relationships (and sin) in the kingdom, and in the church, which began with Jesus’ call to humility. It seems that Matthew (Jesus and the Holy Spirit) knows that Jesus' teaching in verses 15-20 could be used in hurtful ways and so he pads both sides of the directive with these words regarding all that needs to be in place in the context of dealing with sin in the community.

In this passage, our forgiveness is not conditional to the brother who sins against us coming to us in repentance (though that may be inferred from v. 15 and v. 29). We are to forgive, and we are to recognize the gravity of our own sin first and foremost (cf. vs. 5-6, 7-9), and the enormity of the grace and forgiveness and forgiveness we live under. This is the only context in which confronting sin among our brethren can work for the growth and maturity and beauty of the Body of Christ.

For a long time I have read into this parable that Jesus tells a principle that seems to say that my sin against God cannot be compared with anyone else's sin against me. That is, turning my back of God in rebellion, pride, self-preservation, and finding my life any- or everywhere else, from one perspective is "worse" than the most hurtful action on a human to human level, which would be a "hard saying."

That is, more is "owed" to God (I incur more debt) for sin against him, than is "owed" to my fellow man. This may be a false comparison as well as a hard saying, because really sins against others are sins against God. But perhaps the point is this: we are basically blind to our indebtedness to God, and to our absolute inability to repay that debt. Our ability seemingly to be able to make reparations, to make things right on a human level, may lead us to believe we can make things right with God on our own... I think this parable basically tells us that really, we, on our own, without amazing grace, cannot make things right God nor with one another.

What do you think?


We humble ourselves, Lord, before you. Forgive our arrogance and pride and judgmentalism. We need your grace and your forgiveness. We are in awe, and stricken by, and humbled by, your infinite love for us sinners on the cross. With your help, we will extend the forgiveness we’ve been extended. We will be who you say we are, the gathering where you are among us, forgiving, loving, victoriously living. Amen.