How much forgiveness is enough?

Peter said to Jesus: how many times do I have to forgive? he answer was not the one Peter wanted to hear and it may not be the one we all want to hear either? But then, how many times must God forgive us?

We've been working our way through passages in chapter 18 of Matthew's gospel account that began with the question of the disciples about which one would be greatest in the kingdom of God. Underlying that question two things are found. First is pride and the desire to have it affirmed that the questioner is the one who will be greatest. Second is the forgotten or overlooked truth that we are all equally sinful. As long as sinfulness is an undercurrent in human living, no one is greater than any other.

From that beginning, we get the parable of the incomplete flock. We get the process for reconciling a trespassing member to the flock which is the truth. Today we get the question of forgiveness which might be restated as: how much should a sinful person forgive another sinful person? Moreover, how many times should a person forgiven by God forgive another person forgiven by God?

These are questions for the week and they are found in the lectionary scriptures for this Sunday: Psalm 103:8-13; Genesis 50:15-21; Matthew 18:21-35; Romans 14:1-12.

Allen