If you wish to read the texts click here: Ezekiel 12:1-12; Mt 18:21 – 19:1
The text of today is the
conclusion to Matthew’s “Community Discourse” (18:1-35). It begins with a
question from Peter about the number of times one is expected to forgive. While
Peter proposes seven times, Jesus’ response far exceeds that proposal. The
number seventy-seven can be understood in this way or even as four
hundred ninety (seventy times seven). The point is not so much about numbers
but about forgiveness from the heart. If one has to count the number of times
one is forgiving, it means that one is not really forgiving at all. The
story that follows in 18:23-35 about the king who forgave his servant a debt of
ten thousand talents (a talent was more than fifteen years wages of a labourer)
and that same servant who would not forgive another servant who owed him a mere
hundred denarii (a denarius was the usual day’s wage for a labourer) makes the
same point.
We expect to be forgiven by
other when we do them harm after we have said sorry, and sometimes if they do
not forgive us, we get upset with them even more. We need to apply the same
yardstick to ourselves when others ask for forgiveness from us.
I've been asked for forgiveness on many many occasions by persons well known to me. They've come up to me saying, "Please forgive me -I've been judging you, and they go on listing my many sins. While I am guilty of some, many are their judgements.
ReplyDeleteWhat would you say about this?
Those who have been judging you, do not have any right to do so. You do not have to worry about their judgements. If you believe that you need to change any area of your life, you may go ahead, but not because someone says you NEED to change.
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