Jesus answered, "I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy-seven times! Sermons I. THE ULTIMATE LIMIT IS THE DIVINE EXAMPLE OF FORGIVENESS. "As Christ forgave you, so also do ye." What do we expect from God? Can we conceive of a limit to the times when we may hope for the mercy of God? What would life be worth if we could? The fear of outstretching the limit would fill us with misery. Man can never lose the hope in God. If he does he becomes fixed in sin. "There is forgiveness with thee;" a man must be able to say that in full view of the provocations of a long life, when he comes to his dying day. To the Divine forgiveness there is no qualification of degrees or numbers. II. THE PRACTICAL LIMIT IS OUR CHRISTLY LOVE FOR OUR BROTHER. If we are Christly, we want to do him good. It does not matter about ourselves, and injury done to us. It does matter to a Christly man that a brother has done a wrong. The Christly man is set upon his recovery from the wrong; and if that means his forgiveness over and over again, until patience is tried unto the uttermost, the Christly man will forgive and bear, if only he may win back his erring brother at last. - R.T.
Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? I. THE BEST EXEMPLIFICATION OF THE SPIRIT OF FORGIVENESS IS OUR LORD'S OWN LIFE. There were two kinds of sin in these days of which Christ took cognizance; those against society or the race, and those against Himself. To each He applied the principle of the text. He forgave the vilest sinners who came to Him; and Saul who persecuted His Church. But we find the highest illustrations of His love when we mark His dealings with the souls He seeks to save. Christ does not turn against the man who rejects Him.II. THIS PRINCIPLE IS INTENDED TO GUIDE US IN OUR ACTIONS TOWARDS OUR FELLOWS. 1. Shall not Christians be forbearing towards other men. Let us bear wrong in as generous a spirit as we can. The feeling of brotherhood must be kept higher than that of revenge. 2. This law must be observed in the family. 3. Christ teaches the spirit in which we must regard offenders whose sin is against society. Unlimited forgiveness you will say is unpractical. Put it into action, and let it fail. Christianity conquers by failing; its martyrs are its victors. This is not a dead law; but life-giving. (A. J. Griffith.) I. A PERSONAL OFFENCE IS ANYTHING WHEREBY WE ARE PERSONALLY INJURED IN OUR FEELINGS, OUR REPUTATION, OUR PERSON OR ESTATE. A public offence is one by which the Church is injured by any of its interests.II. THE QUESTION IS, WHAT IS OUR DUTY IN REFERENCE TO PERSONAL OFFENCES? 1. We should not cherish any malignant or revengeful feelings towards those who injure us. 2. We should not retaliate, or avenge ourselves on our offenders. 3. We should cherish towards those who offend us the feelings of kindness, regarding them with that benevolence which forbids our wishing them any harm. 4. We should treat them in our outward conduct with kindness, returning good for evil. and acting towards them as though they had not injured us. III. WHEN ARE WE TO FORGIVE? There are two classes of passages which bear upon this subject. 1. Those which prescribe the condition of repentance (Luke 17:3). 2. Those in which no such condition is prescribed (Matthew 6:14; Matthew 18:21; Matthew 5:44, 45). So Christ prayed for His crucifiers. So Stephen prayed. So is God in His dealings with us. These passages are not inconsistent. The word forgiveness is used in a wider or a stricter sense. In the wider sense, it includes negatively, not having a spirit of revenge; and positively, exercising a spirit of kindness and love, and manifesting that spirit by all appropriate outward acts. This is forgiveness as a Christian's duty in all cases. In a more restricted .sense it is the remission of the penalty due to an offence. This is illustrated in the case of an offence against the Church. Repentance is the condition only of the remission of the penalty, not of forgiveness in the wider sense. There are penalties proper to private as well as public offences. IV. GROUNDS OF THE DUTY. 1. God's command. 2. God's example. 3. Our own need of forgiveness. Our sins against God are innumerable and unspeakably great. 4. The threatening that we shall not be forgiven unless we forgive others. 5. It is a dictate of Christian love. (C. Hodge, D. D.) I. Is urged by a consideration of the greatness of God's mercy to us.II. Of the lightness of our brother's sins. III. Of the terrible consequences of indulging an unforgiving spirit. (Dr. Dobie.) 1. If God commands us thus to forgive, there must be an infinite ocean of forgiving love in His own heart.2. That God's forgiveness is altogether above man's conception of it. (J. H. Evans, M. A.) I. THE CHRISTIAN DUTY OF FORGIVENESS.II. THE CONSEQUENCES OF REFUSING TO FULFIL THAT DUTY. (B. W. Noel, M. A.) There are many wrong notions about forgiveness. Consider the following conspicuous points —I. The principle of forgiveness is single. II. Forgiveness and forbearance are two separate principles of action. III. The object of the Christian religion is to make like God, and therefore the Christian is called upon to imitate God in his action. IV. Compassion and forgiveness are very different things. V. Forgiveness has an element of justice in it. (N. Schenck, . D. D.) This question was framed in the very spirit of the old law of retaliation. By proposing any limit whatever to forgiveness, Peter showed that he still considered that to forgive was the exceptional thing, was to forego a right which must some time be reassumed, was not an eternal law of the kingdom, but only a tentative measure which at any moment may be revoked; that underneath the forgiveness we extend to an erring brother, there lies a right to revenge which we may at any time assert. This feeling, wherever it exists shows that we are living with retaliation for the law, forgiveness for the exception. But Christ's law is, that forgiveness shall be unlimited.(Marcus Dods, D. D.) A man strikes me with a sword, and inflicts a wound. Suppose, instead of binding up the wound, I am showing it to everybody, and after it has been bound up I am taking off the bandage constantly, and examining the depths of the wound, and making it fester, is there a person in the world who would not call me a fool? However, such a fool is he who, by dwelling upon little injuries or insults, causes them to agitate and influence his mind. How much better were it to put a bandage on the wound and never look to it again.(Simeon.) A soldier in the American army heard of the severe illness of his wife. He applied for leave of absence but was refused. He left the army, but before he got away he was retaken, and brought in as a deserter. He was tried, found guilty, and summoned before the commanding officer to receive his sentence. He entered the tent, saluted, and stood perfectly unmoved while the officer read his fearful doom — "To be shot to death with musketry on the next Friday." Not a muscle of his face twitched, not a limb quivered. "I deserve it, sir," he replied, respectfully; "I deserted from my flag. Is that all, sir? .... -No," replied the officer — "I have something else for you;" and, taking another paper, he read aloud the doomed man's pardon. The undaunted spirit which severity had failed to move was completely broken down by clemency. He dropped to the ground, shaking, sobbing, and overcome, and, being restored to his regiment, proved himself grateful for the mercy shown him, and was soon promoted for good conduct.A private was court-martialled for sleeping at his post. He was convicted, sentenced to death, and the day fixed for his execution. But, the case reaching the ears of the President, he resolved to save him; he signed a pardon and sent it to the camp. The day came. "Suppose," thought the President, "my pardon has not reached him." The telegraph was called into requisition; but no answer came. Then, ordering his carriage, he rode ten miles and saw that the soldier was saved. When the Third Vermont charged upon the rifle-pits, the enemy poured a volley upon them. The first man who fell, with six bullets in his body, was William Scott, of Company K. His comrades caught him up; and, as his life-blood ebbed away, he raised to heaven, amid the din of the war, the cries of the dying, and the shouts of the enemy, a prayer for the president.(Moore.) Peter's question showed that he wholly misunderstood the nature of forgiveness. He thought it was something he might withhold or give as he pleased. Our Lord shows that it is a state of the heart which cannot be called forth by order or calculation.I. Both in the parable and in the teaching of our Lord here it is admitted THAT ALL MEN HAVE CLAIMS ON ONE ANOTHER. These are not to be compared, in point of magnitude, with the claims which God has on all, but still they are claims. The man who is debtor towards God may be a creditor towards somebody, and the man who has committed most wrongs may be able, in his turn, to say that there is some one who has wronged him. II. Admitting to the full the claims which one man has against another in the way of personal offences, YET THERE IS SOMETHING OF MORE IMPORTANCE STILL THAN THE RECTIFYING OF A WRONG ACT OR WORD. His of importance to have the wrong righted, but Jesus Christ has more respect still to the character, repentance, and restoration of the individual who has offended. It is difficult to realize that the offender has inflicted a worse injury on himself than on the offended, the injury he has wrought on his own spirit. This truth will come out more clearly when you consider the precepts Christ gives for guidance in the matter, and the great result of success — "Tell him his fault between thee," etc., "Thou hast gained thy brother." This is above all personal gain. Charity is victory. III. This duty of forgiveness is ENFORCED BY A PARABLE WHERE OUR CLAIMS ON OTHERS ARE PLACED IN CONTRAST WITH GOD'S CLAIMS ON US. We have no hope but in forgiveness. If we feel the need of Divine compassion, have we not learned the worth of it towards our fellow-creatures. (A. Watson, D. D.) Suppose a man were to put the question, How often must I admire what is beautiful and great in creation? how often must I cherish affection for my child? how often must I honour God? how often must I practise the duty of kindness? or how often must I feel sympathy for the unhappy and the suffering? You will see that any answer which could be given to such a question would be misleading, simply because the question proceeded on a false notion of what admiration, or affection, or sympathy is. To give a direct answer to such questions, you could only say, in Christ's words, "Until seventy times seven "i.e., numbers have nothing to do with the matter. Forgiveness is a simple state of mind, like admiration of God's creation, for which all that a man needs is a sense of beauty and order in his nature, Forgiveness is a state of heart, just as affection or sympathy is. And no man thinks of determining how often and how far he must feel sympathy, or how often and how far he must love those who are dear to him. The sympathy is always there, the love is always in the heart, and it requires only to be appealed to and touched to come forth. You could not imagine a man of genuine tenderness of heart making up his mind and calculating whether he should feel pity for a case of distress or not. You could not imagine a friend debating with himself whether he would sympathize with his friend in some calamity. Sympathy is free and spontaneous; it does not come and go at one's call: love is only love; sympathy is only sympathy, when it can't help itself.(A. Watson, D. D.) If a man, in robbing us of a trifle, were to meet with an accident which disabled him and made him a sufferer for life, we should feel that his punishment far exceeded our loss; and most of us would have the heart to commiserate him, even though he had only himself to blame. And if the injury is not to life or limb, but to the immortal part of the man — if he destroys his own spiritual life — we should commiserate him all the more.(A. Watson, D. D.) We may not forgive with our lips, and bear malice in our hearts. Such sham forgiveness is only too common. A man was lying on his sick bed, and the clergyman by his side was urging him to be reconciled to some one who had injured him. After much persuasion the man said, "If I die I will forgive him, but if I live he had better keep out of my way." And again, our forgiveness must be willing, not forced from us.(Buxton Wilmot.) How many are there who profess to forgive, but cannot forget, an injury. Such are like persons who sweep the chamber, but leave the dust behind the door. Whenever we grant our offending brother a discharge, our hearts also should set their hands to the acquittance.(Archbishop Secker.) We may without sin he sensible of injuries (a sheep is as sensible of a bite as a swine); but it must be with the silence of a sheep, or at utmost the mourning of a dove, not the roaring of a bear, or bellowing of a bull, when baited. All desire of revenge must be carefully cast out; and if the wrongdoer say, "I repent," you must say, "I remit," and that from the heart; being herein like that king of England of whom it is said that he never forgot anything but injuries.(John Trapp.) People Jesus, PeterPlaces CapernaumTopics Says, Seven, Seventy, TillOutline 1. Jesus warns his disciples to be humble and harmless,7. to avoid offenses, 10. and not to despise the little ones; 15. teaches how we are to deal with our brothers when they offend us, 21. and how often to forgive them; 23. which he sets forth by a parable of the king who took account of his servants, 32. and punished him who showed no mercy to his fellow servant. Dictionary of Bible Themes Matthew 18:22 1620 beatitudes, the Library May 31. "Whosoever Therefore Shall Humble Himself as this Little Child" (Matt. xviii. 4). "Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child" (Matt. xviii. 4). You will never get a humble heart until it is born from above, from the heart of Christ. For man has lost his own humanity and alas, too often has a demon heart. God wants us, as Christians, to be simple, human, approachable and childlike. The Christians that we know and love best, and that are nearest to the Lord, are the most simple. Whenever we grow stilted we are only fit for a picture gallery, and we are only good … Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth The Lost Sheep and the Seeking Shepherd Persistence of Thwarted Love Forgiven and Unforgiving The Law of Precedence in the Kingdom Six Sweeping Statements. On the Words of the Gospel, Matt. xviii. 15, "If Thy Brother Sin against Thee, Go, Shew Him his Fault Between Thee and Him Alone;" And On the Words of the Gospel, Matt. xviii. 7, Where we are Admonished to Beware of the Offences of the World. The Forgiveness of Sins. Fourth Day. Forgiveness of Injuries. Lix. The Preacher and his Hearers. The Wicked Servant Meetings for Prayer. The Necessity and Effect of Union. The Mission of Little Children False Ambition Versus Childlikeness. Sin and Forgiveness Between Brethren. The Unmerciful Servant. Jesus Christ, the Divine Teacher of Prayer Fifteenth Lesson. If Two Agree The Third Wall. Found The School Commentary on Matthew. Introduction. Links Matthew 18:22 NIVMatthew 18:22 NLT Matthew 18:22 ESV Matthew 18:22 NASB Matthew 18:22 KJV Matthew 18:22 Bible Apps Matthew 18:22 Parallel Matthew 18:22 Biblia Paralela Matthew 18:22 Chinese Bible Matthew 18:22 French Bible Matthew 18:22 German Bible Matthew 18:22 Commentaries Bible Hub |