It’s Not About the Math!

Read Matthew 18.21-35

Pentecost +15

How many times are we REALLY supposed to forgive someone who has wronged us? Is it 77 times (as the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible has it)? Or is it “unto seventy times seven” as my trusty King James Bible has it? Which are 490 pronouncements of forgiveness.

This question seems to infiltrate the hearts of so many Christians, it’s a kind of hawkishness that approaches faith, not as a relationship with Jesus, but as a task that has a checklist of dos and don’ts. And so long as we stick with the dos we’ll be fine.

Such a posture hears Jesus’ words, and they figure they’ve got it figured out. Jesus says to forgive 77 times— or 490 — so that’s what I’ll do. And I’ll keep a running count just to make sure I get the number right. Sorry, my friends, but it isn’t about the math!