Unlimited forgiveness

"Then, Peter, approaching, asked: Lord, how many times my brother will sin against me, that I forgive you? Up to seven times?" Jesus replied: "I do not tell you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven" ( Mt 18.21,22).

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Forgiveness is one of the most sensitive topics addressed in the Scriptures. Once we are not perfect people or deal with perfect people, it should not surprise us that, occasionally, we have complaints from others. The question is not whether we should forgive, because that is what human coexistence requires. The question is: how far can we go? How long can we forgive? That was Pedro's question. We will highlight here three opportune points:

In the first place, it is possible that our brothers sin against us (Mt 18.21). We do not live in a paradise. We are still subject to weaknesses. It is true that people will disappoint us and we disappoint people. Interpersonal conflicts can be seen throughout biblical history and from the beginnings of humanity. Even men of God like Paul and Barnabas had their tensions and, because they had different points of view on a certain issue, they had little disagreement. God's purpose is that we live in peace with all men, but, if conflicts arise, we must deal with these issues biblically.

Second, limited forgiveness does not express the teaching of the Scriptures (Mt 18.21). When Peter asked Jesus: "Lord, how many times will my brother sin against me, that I forgive you? Up to seven times?" He was, in his perspective, very generous. The rabbis' teaching is that forgiveness should be limited to three times. What happened was abuse and should not be considered anymore. The rabbis placed a limit on forgiveness, and Peter, while being more compassionate, stretching that number from three to seven, still placed a limit on the forgiveness we must offer the brother who sinned against us. The clear teaching of the Scriptures, however, is that God forgives our sins and he no longer remembers them. Forgive them and throw them into the depths of the sea. Forgive them and take them away from us as the East departs from the West. Forgive them and undo them like fog. This forgiveness is complete and forever. God never again throws in our face the sins forgiven. So we must, also, forgive each other.

In the third place, the forgiveness that we must give to our brothers who sin against us must be unlimited (Mt 18.22). When Jesus speaks of forgiving up to seventy times seven, he is speaking not of a number, but of an emblem. Horizontal forgiveness must have the same proportionality of vertical forgiveness. Just as God's forgiveness for us is unlimited, so must our forgiveness offered to the brother who sins against us. We can never close the door of mercy to those who, repentant, seek us seeking forgiveness. Jesus was even more emphatic in this matter, when he said: "Yes, seven times a day, sin against you and, seven times, come to you, saying: 'I am sorry', forgive him" (Lk 17,4). Jesus raises a hypothetical, and even improbable, question of a person sinning against us seven times on the same day and, once in a while, resorting to the request for forgiveness. Even in such an unusual situation, we can not forgive. The measure of forgiveness we receive from God is the measure of forgiveness we must give to our repentant brother. The apostle Paul writes: [...] just as the Lord forgave you, so he also forgives you "(Col 3,13).

Forgiveness is not an option, it is a divine order. All who were saved by grace were forgiven, and those who received God's forgiveness must grant forgiveness to their brothers.