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 pay, 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

Jesus has been teaching the importance of leadership in the Church, a leadership that must serve in important ways. It began with a question from the disciples, in Thursday's reading: "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Jesus responded by bringing a child in front of them all, and teaching about receiving God like a little child, and then about how they must treat the "little ones" in the Church. The essential importance of humility has been stressed. In yesterday's reading, He said, "Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven." He said. "For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost." He stressed the importance of going after the lost sheep -- "Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish." He also gave a recipe for dealing with problems in the church -- if one sins against another. First discuss it privately, He said. Then if the person who's sinned against you doesn't hear, there should be witnesses to the problem. If he still refuses to hear, tell it to the church, "let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector." He then repeated a promise of covenant: "Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."

Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Peter asks a question that comes out of the passage on forgiveness in yesterday's reading, in which Jesus gave a formula for forgiveness and reconciliation in the church. The words reflect something of the Old Testament Scriptures, although it is a kind of reversal. After Cain killed Abel, God left a mark on Cain -- to assure that he would not be victim to others' murderous violence. With that mark, God assured that "whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold." Here, the question becomes potent as part of Jesus' teachings on love in action, in His church -- and instead of vengeance, it is all about forgiveness.

Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." Again, we have a reflection of the Old Testament Scriptures. As Genesis chapter 4 continues, Cain's descendent Lamech declares for himself a singing boast: "If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.” In Christ, the "seventy times seven" is all about forgiveness, as contrasted with the fallen violent world of Cain and Lamech. Here, the Kingdom is undoing the damage and evil of violence and all its forms. This clearly is the job of the Church, of those who will take Christ's words to heart, and accept to bear that kingdom into the world.

"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 pay, 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." Jesus begins a parable to illustrate His concept of forgiveness and how it works. My study bible says, "Sin is portrayed as a debt to God, a debt originated by neglecting God's will." Ten thousand talents, it notes, is an impossible sum, more than a laborer could earn in an entire lifetime. But here, because of his humility and earnest request for patience, the king is moved with passion to the extent that forgiveness is truly grand: the servant is released, the debt is forgiven. Let us review the language here -- the word for forgiven is the same as in the Lord's Prayer, when we pray for our debts to be forgiven. It means, essentially, to let go, to release. So the message here is of the tremendous forgiveness that the King has given, in his compassion upon his servant. We remember that Jesus is speaking to His disciples, His servants whom He expects to serve in the church, to His flock.

"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." The man who was forgiven much -- ten thousand talents -- does not release another fellow servant from a much smaller debt. A hundred denarii, my study bible tells us, was the equivalent to about a hundred days' wages. We should note the same cry for mercy, an acknowledgement of the debt on the part of the fellow servant -- and keep in mind Jesus' formula for forgiveness, as told in yesterday's reading. Mirrored here is a formula for salvation and repentance; hence, forgiveness becomes an all-important understanding of saving the lost sheep in the church.

"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." The great lesson on forgiveness here continues as the example in which we are forgiven so much -- and therefore extend the great compassion to our fellow servants. Once again, there is a reflection of the passage in which Jesus taught the Lord's Prayer. In the prayer, He spoke of the forgiveness of debts. After the prayer, He added words about trespass: "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." It is a reciprocal action, a dependency. As we know we are loved, so we are called to love. My study bible says of this parable: "Because God forgives us, we in return are obliged to grant this gift of forgiveness to others. When each Christian forgives from his heart, true reconciliation and healing come to the Church by God's grace."

We note here that forgiveness is not necessarily automatic. This is, I'm sure, something that may rankle. But the parable is clear: there is at least an acknowledgement of the debt. We are called to be responsible for our own trespasses, our debts -- but we are also called to love and forgiveness, to compassion, to a relationship that is an embodiment of love in which we, in turn, learn to love. And there is the key. There is so much interdependence at work here. As we are loved, so we learn to love. As we forgive, so we are forgiven. It is all a great, circular reality, one which encompasses a great community and a bond, forging more deeply covenant between us and Our Lord, and between those of us in this community, an endless cycle. This is our picture of love in action, and, as my study bible notes, "reconciliation and healing" that comes "by God's grace." So, how do we put love into action? There is above all love and compassion, but that does not neglect truth nor does it neglect justice. Mercy incorporates it all. Grace is its energy and work in us and with us. Let us remember, then, our part in this grace, and love in action. Accountability does not mean all is well without our own work and acknowledgement, without our own efforts at community and relationship. The love of God is all in all, and calls us to participate in it. God's grace will work to mend all things. It is always available to our call, and calls us in return.