Compare Luke 7:47 with Matthew 18:21-22 on forgiveness frequency. Setting the Scene • Two very different moments in Jesus’ ministry—one in a Pharisee’s house (Luke 7), the other on the road with His disciples (Matthew 18). • Both conversations pivot on forgiveness, yet one highlights the depth of love flowing from forgiveness, the other the sheer number of times we are to extend it. Luke 7:47 – Forgiveness Measured by Love, Not Arithmetic “Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” (Luke 7:47) Key observations • Jesus links the woman’s tangible acts of devotion to the reality of her “many sins” already forgiven. • Love is evidence, not the price, of forgiveness; she loved because she had been forgiven. • The contrast: those who think they need little forgiveness will show correspondingly little love. Matthew 18:21-22 – Forgiveness Beyond Counting “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy-seven times.’” (Matthew 18:21-22) Key observations • Peter’s “up to seven” sounds generous; Jesus shatters the ceiling. • “Seventy-seven times” (or “seventy times seven” in some manuscripts) is idiomatic for limitless forgiveness. • Forgiveness frequency is intentionally uncountable—tracking totals betrays a grudging heart. How the Two Passages Fit Together • Luke 7:47 stresses the depth of forgiveness received and the love that springs from it. • Matthew 18:22 stresses the breadth of forgiveness given and the refusal to cap it. • When the heart grasps the depth (Luke), it gladly practices the breadth (Matthew). Practical Takeaways • Remember how much Christ has already released you from; let gratitude fuel your readiness to release others. • Stop tallying offenses—both yours and others’. Love tallies grace, not grievances. • The test of whether I’ve truly tasted God’s mercy is how reflexively I extend it, no matter how often it’s required. Supporting Scriptures • Colossians 3:13—“Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” • Ephesians 4:32—“Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” • Luke 17:3-4—“If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him… even seven times in a day… you must forgive him.” • Psalm 103:12—“As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” When forgiven much, love much; when counting, count on infinite grace. |
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