I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to 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 

 

In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught:  "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.  For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.  What do you think?  If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?  And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.  Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.  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.  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?"  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."  My study Bible comments here that the phrase "seventy times seven" is a symbol of an unlimited amount.  The parable is an illustration of the need for unlimited forgiveness, and we must note, is given within the context of the teaching from yesterday's reading about discipline and repentance within the Church (see above).  Ten thousand talents, my study Bible adds, is an imposible sum.  It was more than a laborer could earn in several lifetimes.  A hundred denarii is a significant amount from an earthly perspective (about three months' wages), but it is a tiny amount in comparison to the debt which is owed to the king.  My study Bible comments that God not only stays the punishment we deserve, but forgives us the entire debt as well.  As God forgives us, we in turn are required to grant the gift of forgiveness to others ("Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors" - Matthew 6:12).  As to the punishment described here, there are certain patristic interpretations which my study Bible cites.   In this understanding, the man represents the soul, the wife represents the body, and the children represent a person's deeds.  Therefore the body and deeds are given over to slavery -- that is to Satan -- so that the soul might possibly be saved (see 1 Corinthians 5:5 in context). 

In a modern context, it is not always easy to understand forgiveness.  If forgiveness is expected to be extended, then why does sin matter?  If we are expected to forgive all, then why does God count sin as important?  All of these questions arise out of a misunderstanding of forgiveness in the context of God as Judge.  In the Lord's Prayer (see Matthew 6:9-15), Jesus speaks of sin as "debts."  In a remark immediately following, He speaks in terms of "trespasses."  Debts and trespasses give us two images of sin.  A debt is something that is owed to us, and suggests that something belonging rightfully to us has been taken away.  What can be taken away by others sinning against us?  There can be a sense of honor that has been stripped away by someone's bad act, a kind of injustice rendered that takes justice away from us.  Possibly we have been harmed in some sense, abused, or stolen from, both literally and figuratively.  To trespass is to cross a rightful boundary, to have been violated in some sense, improper conduct once again taking away what rightfully belongs to us, even honor or nominal respect for the integrity of another human being.  Modern psychology frequently speaks of boundary violations in order to characterize abuse of one sort or another, or one degree or another.  But in Jesus' way of thinking, to forgive is literally to "let go," using precisely the same language a banker would use of debts.  Therefore, we "let" and "forgive" to the ultimate Banker who is God, and leave justice and especially vengeance to God (Deuteronomy 32:35, Romans 12:19).  In so doing, we are seeking God's way to walk through the world, and to live the best way we can in context with our experience, even that which has been harmful.  It does not mean necessarily reconciliation with those who would continue to harm, but it does mean "giving up" to God our hurts and debts, so that God may lead us in life.  In today's reading, Peter is asking about forgiveness of a brother within the life of a Church, and it has already been given (in yesterday's reading, above) that this brother has repented within the framework of the Church community, either privately or within a wider scale of the Church.  So, when Peter poses this question, he's asking about the process of reconciliation for community that Jesus has outlined -- and Christ's answer is that the peace of His community must be eternal, forgiveness unlimited.  The parable itself teaches us about God's forgiveness of our many sins, and expresses the notion that we should be aware of this love as the foundation within which we're taught to forgive.  It is, to my way understanding, not an erasure of awareness of debt or trespass.  Rather within the context of recognition of debt we are asked to forgive for the sake of peace and of reconciliation.  It is an understanding of what is called "economia" (οικονόμια), which means basically "proper management," or good and prudent handling of a matter.  The Greek word is related, appropriately, to the word for "steward" (economos/οἰκονόμος).  It indicates an understanding that in practice mercy and forgiveness form a cohesion for community, as opposed to strictly the letter of the law.  It is an extension of the Christ's statement that "the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath" (Mark 2:27).  It teaches us that, in practice, the salvation of human souls and human lives, and the creation of real community, is a hands-on effort, so to speak.  That is, it is not an abstract principle or rule that suffices, but rather the practice that must bring about a good result, the healing of lives and community, good spiritual fruits in terms of quality of life.  This is why mercy and forgiveness are so important, because without them, nothing will actually work well in the fullness of real lives and living community.  There must be a recognition that God's ultimate concern is in the fullness of life and spiritual fruit, the Kingdom that dwells among us.  So we both acknowledge the truth of trespass and debt, and we also practice forgiveness.  We seek a way to make this work, not simply a process for assigning blame or pointing fingers.  While we bear a little shame (in a phrase oft-used by Fr. Stephen Freeman on his blog to which I link) in terms of acknowledging our fault, and also in forgiving the one who sinned, we gain community in the context of communion with God and neighbor in the Church.  This seems nearly impossible in terms of the whole overwhelming notion of a perfect community, but it does work therapeutically as guideline for how we as believers live our lives and heal from hurt and trauma.  If we can bear in mind that it was Christ who truly took on our pain and suffering, and God who takes on the debts, then we can find relief in the sense that we are both heard and able to move on.  Moreover, we can find the same forgiveness and freedom in the context of our own errors, debts, and trespasses.  But we must be willing to come to the table of communion, where the understanding of the love of God begins, the perspective of Christ's teaching of love of God and love of neighbor, for it only works within that foundation, and in light of Christ's own unfathomable expression of love for us first, and His willingness to suffer for that love.