Matthew Chapter 18, Verse 21
From BibleWiki
21: τοτε προσελθων αυτω ο πετρος ειπεν κυριε ποσακις αμαρτησει εις εμε ο αδελφος μου και αφησω αυτω εως επτακις
21: Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my
brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
21: Then came Peter unto him and said: Lord, how often shall my
brother offend against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
Then came Peter, etc, The mention of the duty Mt 18:15 seeing a brother when he had offended us, implying that it was a duty to forgive him, led Peter to ask how often this was to be done.
Forgive him? To forgive is to treat as though the offence was not committed - to declare that we will not harbour malice, or treat unkindly, but that the matter shall be buried and forgotten.
Till seven times? The Jews taught that a man was to forgive another three times, but not the fourth. Peter more than doubled this, and asked whether forgiveness was to be exercised to so great an extent.
