Matthew 18:22

“Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.”

Context:This verse is part of a conversation between Jesus and His disciples, where they discuss the topic of forgiveness. Peter had asked Jesus how many times he should forgive someone who sins against him, suggesting whether seven times would be enough. In response, Jesus tells him that forgiveness should not be limited to a specific number, but rather should be extended abundantly.

The significance of the number “seventy times seven” is not meant to be taken literally as 490, but rather as a symbol of boundless or limitless forgiveness. It emphasizes the idea that forgiveness should be extended indefinitely, without keeping a tally of offenses. Jesus’ teaching here goes against the common practice of the time, where forgiveness was often limited to a certain number of times.

Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness is a recurring theme throughout the New Testament. In the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:12), Jesus instructs His disciples to pray, “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” This prayer emphasizes the connection between receiving forgiveness from God and extending forgiveness to others. In Matthew 6:14-15, Jesus further emphasizes the importance of forgiveness, stating that if we do not forgive others, our heavenly Father will not forgive us.

The parable of the unforgiving servant, found in Matthew 18:23-35, further illustrates the importance of forgiveness. In this parable, a servant who owed a massive debt was forgiven by his master, but he refused to forgive a fellow servant who owed him a much smaller amount. The master, upon learning of the unforgiving servant’s actions, revoked his forgiveness and handed him over to be punished. The parable teaches that if we have been forgiven by God, we should also extend forgiveness to others.