CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE/A Man With Much to Learn

 About six months earlier in his hometown of Capernaum, Peter approached Jesus and asked :"Lord, how many times is my brother to sin against me and I am to forgive him? Up to seven times?" Peter likely thought that he was being generous. After all, the religious leaders of the day taught that one had to forgive only three times! Jesus replied: "Not up to seven times, but, up to seventy-seven times." - MATTHEW18:21, 22

Was Jesus suggesting that Peter keep a running tally of a transgressor's actions? No, rather by turning Peter 's 7 into a 77, he was saying that love does not allow us to set and arbitrary limit on forgiveness. (1 Corinthians 13:4, 5) Jesus showed that Peter had been influenced by a hard-hearted and unforgiving spirit that was prevalent in those days, one that meted out forgiveness as if by an accountant's ledge. However, divine forgiveness is expansive, generous. - Read 1 JOHN 1:7-9.

Peter did not argue with Jesus. But did Jesus' lesson really reach his heart? Sometimes we learn the most about forgiveness when we realize how desperately we need it ourselves. So let us return to the events leading up to Jesus' death. In those difficult hours, Peter gave his Master many things to forgive.

Next time: CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE/A Growing Need for Forgiveness

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