Seventy times seven

Then Peter came to him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

"Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!' So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. So my heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."

- Matthew 18:21-35

The lectionary continues with lessons on humility. In yesterday's reading, Jesus laid down a plan for discipline in the church; specifically, for the handling of offenses among members of the church. Jesus taught this system as follows: "Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.' And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector." Following upon this teaching, Peter comes up with his question (which begins today's reading).

Then Peter came to him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." Following upon the system of discipline in the church, we understand that there is a way to tell a brother or sister that he or she has trespassed. This is a system established for repentance and reconciliation. So - Peter's question is reasonable. He asks about repeated offense within this system. Jesus' answer is, of course, a reflection of mercy. We do not break relationships that are worthy and ongoing. None of us is perfect - we are to work at maintaining good relationships. It is only in the fullness of the body of the church, in Jesus' system, that one becomes outcast with refusal to "hear."

Jesus then elaborates on this teaching with a parable that illustrates yet another aspect of the kingdom of heaven. My study bible notes that "unlimited forgiveness toward a brother or sister is illustrated by this parable. Sin is portrayed as a debt to God (6:12), a debt originated by neglecting God's will." "Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents." "Ten thousand talents," my study bible says, is "an impossible sum, more than a laborer could earn in a lifetime." This is contrasted to a hundred denarii, equivalent to about a hundred days' wages." "But as he was not able to, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!' "

"So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. So my heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses." My study bible notes, "Just as the king shows mercy and severity toward the servant, so does God show love and strictness toward us depending on our willingness to forgive our brothers and sisters. The love of God is manifested in paying off the debt, a remission or letting go of sins. Because God forgives us, we in return are obliged to grant this gift of forgiveness to others. When each Christian forgives from his heart (v. 25), true reconciliation and healing come to the Church by God's grace."

I think there are many different aspects to forgiveness that we are to look at regarding this parable. First of all, the system that Jesus establishes for discipline in the church is one in which trespass, or debt (to God) in the form of sin, is acknowledged. It is important to understand that forgiveness does not mean that life is glossed over, nor that repeated trauma or injury or hurt is simply ignored and we suffer. This is not the system Jesus has pointed out to his disciples. Instead, this system is one that protects privacy and respect for persons while at the same time it airs grievances, and hurts or debts are fully acknowledged. I think that many times we are taught to "forgive" where there is no grievance allowed to be aired - so to forgive from the heart becomes nearly impossible. There is no reconciliation where there is no truth, no form of mutual understanding is possible when things are swept under the rug or go unacknowledged. This is quite different from practicing humility, when it is simply better to let things go to than cause offense. Our humility comes in the form of the offering of forgiveness through reconciliation, mutual understanding - and our willingness to change in the letting go of a recognized debt through mercy.

But in terms of practicing mercy in the cause of reconciliation, we are to reach every single chance where it is available. And that might mean "seventy times seven." In other words, our mercy should be as unlimited (or we should strive that it be so) as the mercy that is practiced toward us by our Father in heaven. We understand that God's love is infinite. Indeed, we all count on this all the time. How often do prayers come when necessity or emergency arises? To whom do we turn for understanding when all else fails? Who do we expect to understand our frailties? So, we should understand that God wishes for us to love one another in the same way. In recent readings, Jesus has pointed out the extraordinary love of God for "one lost sheep." It seems to me that through this teaching we can ascribe to God a character of the deepest longing for his children - for restoration and reconciliation of relationship to every single one of us. This is the kind of love, if we may view it in human terms, that always feels a loss when one of its own is missing. God, it seems to me, will take every chance to have us back - and we meet there in the heart. So, we are to hold out forgiveness for those who acknowledge their debt. As a goal, this is an extraordinary level of love to learn to practice! But, again, we are taught to "be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." I personally am quite concerned with issues of abuse within families and within all systems of groups and institutions. Of course, Jesus was concerned with his Church - and mentions the word "church" in the previous reading. So, we are to understand this definition of reconciliation and forgiveness as that which he wants us to practice with our brothers and sisters. We are taught to "love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another," and that, "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:34,35). Jesus is teaching us what it is to love, in essence. All of the teaching on reconciliation, seeking the lost sheep, receiving the little ones, on church discipline among its members, and today's - on the proper practice of mercy and forgiveness - is all a teaching on what it is to love. So, we are to take courage, and to turn toward that love that we understand is in the nature of God, and measure our own by that yardstick. How do we need to change our perspective to learn this mercy and love? How do we need to reconcile our own understanding of what it is to forgive? How do we take it to heart to learn to love one another? Is it going to be an excuse for abuse - or a true forgiveness of the heart, a real reconciliation? This is what he asks of us, or at least the willingness to try.