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Then
Peter came to him and asked, "Lord, how often
should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven
times?"
"No!"
Jesus replied, "seventy
times seven!"
??“
Matthew 18:21-22 (NLT)
Peter thought he was being generous with his
offer to forgive seven times. He knew that the Rabbis
taught that a man must be willing to forgive his brother
three times. Rabbi Jose ben Hanina said, "He who
begs forgiveness from his neighbor must not do so more
than three times." Rabbi Jose ben Jehuda said,
"If a man commits an offense once, they forgive
him; if he commits an offense a second time, they
forgive him; if he commits an offense a third time, they
forgive him; the fourth time they do not forgive."
Rabbi Jesus said, ???Forgive four hundred and ninety
times!??? In other words, pardon knows no limits. It
cannot be defined by a number; it is to be expressed
each and every time an offense is rendered.
Easier said then done, right? How could Jesus
make such an unrealistic demand on His followers? How
dare He expect us to forgive indefinitely when we have
been slighted so many times? The answer lies in Jesus??™
own willingness to forgive us time and again. Every time
we sin we come under the covering of His Cross. Each
transgression is met with the grace of Jesus??™
sacrifice. His own demonstration of limitless
forgiveness gives Jesus the right to expect nothing less
from His followers.
PRAYER
THOUGHT:
Lord, teach me the discipline of limitless pardon. Who
do I need to forgive today?
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