Commentary on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2.pdf

<strong>Commentary</strong> on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2
Wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt,
because thou didst implore me: 33. Oughtest not
thou also to pity thy fellow-servant, even as I
pitied thee? 34. And his master, being enraged,
delivered him to the tormentors, till he should
pay all that he owed him. 35. So likewise shall
my heavenly Father do to you, if you forgive not
every one his brother from your hearts their
offenses.
Matthew 18:21. Lord, how often shall my brother offend against me? Peter made this objection
according to the natural feelings and disposition of the flesh. It is natural to all men to wish to be
forgiven; and, therefore, if any man does not immediately obtain forgiveness, he complains that he
is treated with sternness and cruelty. But those who demand to be treated gently are far from being
equally gentle towards others; and therefore, when our Lord exhorted his disciples to meekness,
this doubt occurred to Peter: “If we be so strongly disposed to grant forgiveness, what will be the
consequence, but that our lenity shall be an inducement to offend?” 571 He asks, therefore, if it be
proper frequently to forgive offenders; for, since the number seven is taken for a large number, the
force of the adverb, (ἑπτάκις) seven times, is the same as if he had said, “How long, Lord, dost thou
wish that offenders be received into favor? for it is unreasonable, and by no means advantageous,
that they should, in every case, find us willing to be reconciled.” But Christ is so far from yielding
to this objection, that he expressly declares that there ought to be no limit to forgiving; 572 for he
did not intend to lay down a fixed number, but rather to enjoin us never to become wearied.
Luke differs somewhat from Matthew; for he states the command of Christ to be simply, that
we should be prepared to forgive seven times; but the meaning is the same, that we ought to be
ready and prepared to grant forgiveness not once or twice, but as often as the sinner shall repent
There is only this difference between them, that, according to Matthew, our Lord, in reproving
Peter for taking too limited a view, employs hyperbolically a larger number, which of itself is
sufficient to point out the substance of what is intended. For when Peter asked if he should forgive
seven times, it was not because he did not choose to go any farther, but, by presenting the appearance
of a great absurdity, to withdraw Christ from his opinion, as I have lately hinted. So then he who
571 “Incitera les autres a mal faire, et a nous offenser;” — “shall induce others to do ill, and to offend us.”
572 “Mais tant s’en faut que Christ ait esgard a ceste objection pour lascher quelque chose de son dire, que mesmes il dit
notamment et expressement que sans fin ne terme on doit tousiours pardonner;” — “but so far was Christ from paying regard
to that objection, to extenuate any thing that he had said, that he even says plainly and expressly, that without end or limit we
must always forgive.”
256
John Calvin