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Matthew 18:21-22 – 70×7
I imagine Peter feeling quite generous of heart, by doubling the times the rabbis had said to forgive based on Amos 1:6, and adding an extra for good measure. Peter asks, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? As many as seven times?”
Can you picture the smile on Peter’s face as he demonstrates his piety? He has learned from Jesus to forgive. Or has he…
“I tell you, not as many as seven,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven” (CSB’17 Matthew 18:21-22). That’s hyperbole for everytime. Can you imagine the self-righteousness it would take to keep count? “That’s 491 times, I don’t have to forgive anymore!”
C.S. Lewis said, “We need to forgive our brothers seventy times seven not only for 490 offences (sic.) but for one offence” (Reflections on the Psalms, p.29).
Professor Lewis doesn’t expand on this reflection much, but it struck me as powerful in showing how deep within, we need to dig, to reach the unearthed levels of forgiveness to match our level of hurt. Every day, even if for 490 days straight or more, I might need to forgive and reforgive (not a real word but it is a real feeling), the same offence against me. If we can forgive once, we can continue to forgive even if it takes every day, even if the rest of our lives, to forgive, to only realize each day we haven’t fully forgiven yet. Can we imagine that amount loving forgiveness? If you can’t, stop trying to imagine and experience the reality of Jesus.
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