The Gospels, in particular Luke 17.3-4 and Matthew 18.21-22, present forgiveness as a fundamental requirement for the disciple, rooted in divine mercy and practiced without limit.
Luke 17.3-4: Forgiveness conditioned on repentance
Jesus the Messiah says: “If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to you, saying, I repent, you shall forgive him.”
Key points: forgiveness is linked to repentance; the brother acknowledges his fault. The repetition of forgiveness (up to seven times in a day) underlines the generosity required.
The disciple is called to brotherly vigilance: he rebukes, but he forgives as soon as the other returns.
Matthew 18.21-22: Forgiveness without limit
Peter asks: “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answers: “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”
Key points: Jesus the Messiah goes beyond the symbolic limit proposed by Peter. The number “seventy times seven” (490) is not to be taken literally: it means infinite forgiveness.
This passage is followed by the , which shows that refusing to forgive after having been forgiven oneself is a grave fault.
Theological synthesis
Forgiveness is a voluntary and repeated act that reflects the very nature of God. It does not depend on the number of offenses, but on the disposition of the heart to restore the relationship.
Luke insists on repentance, while Matthew stresses the infinity of forgiveness, even in the face of repeated offenses.