Grace Living and the Power of Forgiveness
Posted by Pastor Pat on October 19, 2009
“Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22)
Peter’s question in verse 21 is intriguing because it is either very sincere, innocent or it is deceptive and pharisaical. Perhaps Peter thought he was already reasonably forgiving or he was maybe thinking of a situation where he was being “victimized” and wanted to know when he could “pull-the-plug” on another individual relationally.
Why did Peter say, “Up to seven times?” Let us consider some historical insight.
“It was Rabbinic teaching that a man must forgive his brother three times.” (Barclay, Matthew, 193). The prophet Amos uses the formula, “For three transgressions and for four” which many have “deduced that God’s forgiveness extends to three offences and that he visits the sinner with punishment at the fourth.” When Peter suggested “seven times,” he thought he was going very far. He expected commendation by His Lord.
Our Lord’s response in verse twenty-two, however, declares to Peter that our forgiveness is to be limitless. Our forgiveness is to be as big as God Himself. It is as abundant and as inexhaustible as the provided resource.
Jesus follows up His statement with a story of two debtors. It is a familiar scenario. The first debtor had a debt he could not pay (v.24) and he made a promise he could not keep (v.26). The king moved by compassion cancelled the debtor’s debt (v.27). At this point, a second debtor is introduced. The emphasis is not on the second debtor’s ability to pay his debt, but on the first debtor’s response to the second debtor. The first debtor had a heart he could not fix (vv.28-30).
He treated the second debtor without compassion, without consideration and without charity. The message of any parable is singular. This parable is NOT teaching the reinstating of our sins by the Father. That is not the point. The point is, “Those who have been forgiven an insurmountable debt forgive unconditionally and immeasurably.”
I found the contrast between the two debts interesting. “The 100 denarii (v.28) could be carried in one pocket. The ten thousand-talent debt would take an army of about 8,600 carriers, each carrying a sack of sixpences 60lbs. in weight; and they would form, at a distance of a yard apart, a line five miles long.
The contrast between the debts is staggering.” (Barclay, 194). Today I heard our nation has a debt of 7 TRILLION dollars. I cannot begin to imagine just how large 7 TRILLION dollars is. Yet such a debt pales when compared to the sin debt I had before the Father. Whether my debt was 1 TRILLION, 7 TRILLION OR 700 TRILLION would not matter one iota. The size of the debt would in no way affect my ability to cancel it. I had to have forgiveness.
Verse 27 uses two key words, “release,” and “forgive.” The word “release” is a compound word meaning, “To free fully.” The word, “forgive” means, “To forsake, or deny.” Both words are graphic. God has “fully freed” us from our sin debt. Our sin has been left behind.
In Luke 7:42 and 43 Jesus once more refers to two debtors. The word He uses for “forgive” is charizomai. It is rooted in the word, charis (or grace). Charizomai is the same word used in Ephesians 4:32.
Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
Thus, to forgive is grace expressed. Friend, we are always the greater debtors. I am freely to forgive just as I have been forgiven. Some people wait to forgive until the offending party asks them for forgiveness. How tragic. If God treated us this way, we would all perish. We are to forgive just as we have been forgiven. How has God forgiven us? He has forgiven us completely (Col. 2:13). He has forgiven us unconditionally (1 John 2:1, 2). He has forgiven us freely (Rom. 3:24).
We, of all people, should be quick to forgive those who have committed wrong against us. Who is it that you simply cannot forgive? If you step back and look at it from God’s perspective, you perhaps will see that you are the greater debtor.
A little boy was asked what forgiveness meant. He responded with this answer, “It is the odor that flowers breathe when they are trampled upon.”
By Pastor Patrick J. Griffiths. For more information see the Waukesha Bible Church series on Galatians.
