Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?

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An interpretation of Peter and Jesus' exchange on forgiveness as recorded in Matthew 18:21-22
“21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

We read in Genesis 4

13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” 15 Then the Lord said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.”

[...]

23 Lamech said to his wives:

“Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;

you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say:

I have killed a man for wounding me,

a young man for striking me.

24 If Cain's revenge is sevenfold,

then Lamech's is seventy-sevenfold.”

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Parallelism:

God to Cain (in Genesis 4):

“If anyone kills Cain, VENGENCE shall be taken on him 7 fold.”

Lamech to his wives:

"If Cain's REVENGE is 7 fold,

then Lamech's is 70 7 fold."

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Peter to Jesus (in Matthew 18):

“Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I FORGIVE him? As many as 7 times?”

Jesus to Peter and the disciples:

“I will not tell you (forgive) 7 times,
but 70 7 times."

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Interpretation:

Lamech, a descendant of Cain, killed a man in self-defense.

So he boldly claimed that if God would avenge Cain's death 7 times (an expression of exaggeration to give the meaning of "certainty") - Cain the murderer who schemed to kill his brother - then surely HE would be avenged 70 7! (infinitely more! the equivalent of someone saying today "infinity x infinity" - an exaggeration for emphasizing that he will be avenged by God if anyone kills him)

In Matthew 18,

Peter is shocked by Jesus' teaching on always going after the one who is lost and the one who sins against you (something you NEVER do in the Middle East - what you do is take a stand and refuse to talk to him until a mediator comes and brings the one who wronged you to apologize "without really apologizing" )

So Peter frustrated asks Jesus "are you telling me that I have to keep forgiving my brother even 7 times (infinitely) ??? (probably wanting Jesus to give a more reasonable answer)

Jesus answers "I will NOT tell you 7 times, but 70 7 !" (I will not tell you infinity, but infinity x infinity!!)

Jesus inverses the narratives of Cain and Lamech from never-ending Vengence to never-ending Forgiveness.

Our Greatest Gift

In this season of festivities and celebrations,
I leave you readers with what the angels told the shepherds in the field:

'today, in the city of David, was given to you, a savior, who is Christ the Lord,
and let this be a sign for you:
"you will find the baby wrapped in linen strips, and laid in a manger!" '
Luke 2:11-12
This prophetic sign that the angel wanted the shepherds to notice and memorize was very significant:
- mangers were carved in stone in 1st century Middle East, and not made of wood.
this means that the shepherds found a baby wrapped in linen strips and laid in a carved stone - which is an image of A BURIAL!
The angel was very intentional: Let this be a sign for you!
Even at the birth of Jesus we find a prophecy of his death and burial.
Jesus came so that he may save us from sin, which is eternal separation from God.
Jesus came to pay the price for our punishment, and even at his birth, this was known.
The cross was not a surprise for him, he was heading toward it. He accepted it, for our sake, so that we may be able to live eternally in relationship with God.
In this season of celebrating Christ-mass, as you give gifts and receive gifts, I would like to remind you of the greatest gift which was given to all of us:
A savior
one who would save us from eternity without God.
Anyone who receives this gift, and accepts what Jesus has done for Him on the cross, will enjoy friendship with God, now - until eternity with Him.
God bless you all,
And may you all receive the greatest gift of all.