Matthew 18:21

The Parable of the Unforgiving Slave

21 Then Peter came up to him [and] said, "Lord, how many times will my brother sin against me and I will forgive him? Up to seven times?"

Matthew 18:21 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 18:21

Then came Peter unto him
Having heard and observed the rules Christ gave concerning offences and brotherly reproofs, he drew near to Christ, and put this question to him:

and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I
forgive him?
He instances in a brother, because it was such an one Christ had been speaking of; he makes no doubt of its being his duty to forgive him upon his repentance, and acknowledgment, but wanted to be reformed, how often this was to be done, and asks, whether

until seven times?
Which was, as he might think, a large number; and especially, since it was double the number of times, that the Jewish doctors set for forgiveness: for thus they say ^F4,

``A man that commits a sin, the "first" time they pardon him; the "second" time they pardon him; the "third" time they pardon him: the "fourth" time they do not pardon, according to ( Amos 2:6 ) ( Job 33:29 ) .''

Again,

``he that says I have sinned, and I repent, they forgive him "unto three times", and no more ^F5.''

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 36. 2. Mainion. Hilch. Teshuba. c. 3. sect. 5.
F5 Abot. R. Nathan, c. 40. fol. 9. 3.

Matthew 18:21 In-Context

19 Again, truly I say to you that if two of you agree on earth about any matter that they ask, it will be done for them from my Father [who is] in heaven.

20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there in the midst of them."

21 Then Peter came up to him [and] said, "Lord, how many times will my brother sin against me and I will forgive him? Up to seven times?"

22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven!

23 "For this [reason] the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man--a king--who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves.

Footnotes

• [a]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("came up") has been translated as a finite verb
• [b]. Some manuscripts have "Then Peter came up [and] said to him"