The Madness of Unforgiveness: 70 Times 7
- David and Marilynn Chadwick
- Mar 31
- 2 min read
by David Chadwick
70 times 7. Jesus says that this is the number of times we must offer forgiveness to others. Read Matthew 18:21-22.
Much of the entire chapter in Matthew 18 has to do with forgiveness. In Jesus’s day, within Hebrew culture, the number of 7 represented the number of completion. Therefore, when Peter asked Jesus how often to forgive someone else, he inquired if God’s idea of completion would be encapsulated in this question from Peter: “Are we supposed to forgive someone who has hurt us 7 times?”
Jesus’s response to Peter is compelling. He said, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Or, as we see in other translations, Jesus told Peter it wasn’t just 70 times, but 70 times 7!
What was Jesus saying? Was he teaching that on the 491st time we are now allowed to retaliate and respond with revenge? No! Jesus was teaching that 7 (the number of completion) extrapolated outward (to 70 times) means that we are to forgive repeatedly. Over and over again.
In that moment, Jesus took Peter’s understanding of completion within Hebrew culture and brought him up to a higher perspective of the culture of the Kingdom of heaven. He wants to do the same with us!
When the offense and your offender come to mind, or someone reminds you of your pain or trauma, or you run into the offender at the grocery store and the pain returns, stop and pause. Remind yourself to forgive that person again. And again. And again. Jesus knew that most likely painful memories would recur.
The good news is, over time, the pain will lessen. I think Jesus knew the reality of the human heart. He knew the quicker we respond with forgiveness, the less chance we have for bitterness to remain in our hearts, causing a root of resentment to reestablish itself.
At some point, as we faithfully obey Jesus’s teachings, the grace of forgiveness from Jesus to you will overwhelm the bitter feelings of what happened to you.
The next time you hear something, see someone, or are triggered to be reminded of what happened to you. Pause. Remember. 70 times 7. Forgive once again.
And eventually, the pain will go away.