Year A
Season after Pentecost
Proper 19 (24)
Contextual Background:
Peter asks how many times to forgive. Jesus replies, “Seventy times seven.” He tells of a servant forgiven a great debt who refuses to forgive a smaller debt, and is condemned. This is a poetic way to say to forgive an infinite number of times.
Within the Jewish Tradition:
The jubilee tradition called for debts to be forgiven regularly. Prophets tied God’s mercy to the call for human mercy. The Hebrew word for this is teshuva. It is a process in which the offender desists from harm, makes restitution, and apologizes in public. Then the one harmed can offer forgiveness.
The Challenge Then:
The challenge was to embody God’s unlimited mercy in community life, especially when forgiveness was costly.
The Challenge Now:
We are tempted to limit forgiveness or to use it to avoid accountability. Jesus calls for forgiveness that restores relationships and unmasks domination.
It must be said that this call to forgiveness should be seen in terms of teshuva, and not an obligation on the part of one harmed to forgive and continue to be harmed.
Lastly, Christians often go to church to apologize to God for the harm we have done to others. This is a bad spiritual practice that keeps us from true reconciliation with each other.
Implications for Leaders & Communities:
- Leaders: preach forgiveness as restoration, not cheap grace.
- Communities: practice forgiveness with accountability and justice.
What I Am Learning:
God’s mercy frees me to forgive, but forgiveness also calls me to justice.
The Question I’m Sitting With:
How do I forgive without excusing harm or denying justice?
