Seventy Times Seven - Matthew 18:22

Matthew the apostle wrote how Peter came to Jesus, “and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?”, and in chapter eighteen and verse twenty-two of his book, Matthew shares how Jesus proclaimed, “until seventy times seven” where we read:

Jesus said unto him, I say not unto you, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

The verse reads, “Jesus said unto him, I say not unto you, Until seven times:”. Matthew began with the words, “Jesus said” or “Jesus uttered, declared and proclaimed” “unto him” which refers to “Peter”,“Until” or “till the amount of” “seven times” which means “seven repeated times”. Matthew shared how Jesus told Peter he was not to forgive a brother who “sinned” against him only “seven times”.

The verse continues, “but, Until seventy times seven.” Matthew added the word, “but” or “nevertheless, notwithstanding, nay, rather and moreover”, “until” which means “till the amount of” “seventy times seven” or “seventy times seven repeated times”. Matthew shared how Jesus said Peter should forgive his “brother” who sins against him – four hundred and ninety times.

When we consider Matthew's words in this verse, we see how Jesus responded to Peter's question with an answer that must have seemed impossible. To “forgive” someone “four hundred and ninety times” would be difficult to keep count, and Jesus made the requirement beyond the ability for a normal person to perform. God, however, forgives over and over again, and those who think about this can't help but wonder if He has forgiven them well above “four hundred and ninety times”. God sent His Son Jesus into the world to “forgive” the sins of mankind, and all who yield their lives to Him shall be saved from the penalty for sin which is death and receive “everlasting life”. Jesus' idea is to “be like God” and “forgive”.

Next time Matthew shares how Jesus tells Peter how, “the kingdom of heaven” is “likened unto a certain king”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.