Title: Mercy and Mercy/Matthew 18:21-22
Contents
I. Human Limits to Compassion
(Mat 18:21) Then Peter came to him and said, "Lord, if my brother sins against me, how many times shall I forgive him? Up to seven times?"
A. How many times will I forgive you?
Jesus' teaching continues with the question of Peter's forgiveness. Peter's question, 'If my brother sins against me,' was a question that was beyond common sense in the Jewish culture at the time. For them, the concept of forgiveness has already been practiced throughout history and has become routine. The Jewish forgiveness is limited to three times. It was the teaching of the rabbis that biblically God mentioned up to four times, so that God's forgiveness could not be exceeded. (See Amos 1:3-11)
Peter, who is accustomed to the Jewish culture, also had the tradition of the Old Testament, the teachings of the rabbis, and historicality, so the scope of forgiveness was set.
Since I had lived my life faithfully and centered on the Word, there was no reason for me to receive a new lesson, at least as far as my view on forgiveness. But there is a lesson in Peter's question. It is the fact that the teachings of Jesus Christ transcend human will and thinking. Although Peter was deeply committed to Judaism, all believers must imitate his faith in questioning the Lord nonetheless. Many saints have their own will and thoughts and live their lives mistakenly for the life of Christ.
B. Shall we do it up to seven times?
Peter's view of forgiveness, “Shall we do it up to seven times?” was a groundbreaking proposal. This is because the concept of forgiveness, which had been tolerated only three times, spread to Peter for the first time to an extent beyond himself. According to the customs of Jewish culture, the suggestion of up to seven times is sufficient for Peter to be stoned to death. There is no need to say any more about Peter, who blasphemed God because they were the ones who crucified the sinless Lord. Nevertheless, Peter's view of forgiving up to seven times is representative of his great faith. But humans are limited. Man cannot be perfect because he is not God. Although Peter's proposal transcends the law, his proposal is also human. Although Peter had a strong faith, he has limitations because he is a human being.
II. The mercy of the saints that should be infinite
(Matthew 18:22) Jesus said to him, “I say to you, not seven times, but seventy times seven times.
A. Not only seven times
Peter's up to seven proposals are immediately restrained by Christ. The number seven is the greatest and perfect number for Peter, but it is a very partial number for the Lord. Peter sets the number seven and regards it as the best act. Just as Cain offers a poor sacrifice and expects God to accept it, man limits God by ignoring it. It rationalizes human actions as if they were God’s actions. Peter's notion of seven is the notion of all men.
All human beings look to God through their own eyes. Limiting God to partial views. This is the human form. Peter tried to minimize the Lord with his views. But the Lord is by no means a humble God.
Because the Lord is the Christ and perfect, He is not limited by human vision. Peter's idea of seven times was the ultimate idea of ignorance of himself.
As the saying goes, “Do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not understand the log that is in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:3), not everyone tries to admit their sins. On the other hand, they relentlessly try to expose the faults of others. The Lord's precept, 'Not only seven times' is the exhortation to 'First, take the log out of your eye' (Matthew 7:4).
B. Seventy times seven times
The Lord's view of Peter is unlimited forgiveness. Contrary to the Jewish tradition of asking for limited forgiveness and the teachings of the rabbis, any number of forgiveness was the Lord's way.
The Lord, who had previously said to Peter, ‘Many sins are forgiven him, and to whom little are forgiven loves little’ (Luke 7:47), the Lord has now taught us the perfect way to forgive.
Humans prefer to be forgiven rather than forgiven. The limited forgiveness of up to seven times is a common human way of forgiving. The Lord's way of asking for forgiveness seventy times seven times must be the Christian's way of forgiveness. Because the Lord wants to forgive many sins if possible.
III. God's mercy on the saints
A. Human beings to be forgiven
Human life has been a fallen life since Adam, and has been wearing the clothes of sin along with history. We will continue to live with countless sins in the future. Even today, these people forget their sinful nature and try to promote their own foolish holiness. But what is certain is that a human being is unable to see the speck of his own eyes.
A sinful person cannot forgive others. Those who have already lost their qualifications. The Lord has come to these people. And you said “Your sins are forgiven you” (Luke 7:48).
Now, man should look back on himself and live a life that covers his faults, heals wounds, and forgives sins. Because the unforgivable has been forgiven, it should be the life of the debtor. This is the will of Christ who allowed the forgiveness of sins.
B. God's Mercy
The flower is already dead the moment it is cut from the root. The flowers are placed in a vase and become a beautiful decoration. And it entertains a lot of people. However, many people marvel at the beauty of already dead flowers. Even though the flower is already dead, we forget that it is dead. Humans are like flowers.
Humans are already dead the moment they are expelled from the Garden of Eden. A flower is the root of all life. The origin of human life is in Eden. That Eden was separated from man because of the fall of man. However, because God loves human beings, he has reserved human beings, who are fallen beings, to a life of existence.
This is God's mercy. The stone olive tree lives a new life as a true olive tree the moment it is grafted onto the true olive tree.
The God of love has given the stone olive tree, Christ, the true olive tree. This is God's mercy. The grace of raising the dead, the grace of granting the only begotten Son to sinners, that love made us live. - Grace Ministries - 97.11 ☞Sermon/Park Seong-gyu-mok
This is the reason we love and forgive seventy times seven times. God's infinite forgiveness should be our forgiveness today.