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seven times?

Matthew 18:21
"Then came Peter to Him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?"

This week, we’ve explored Jesus’ instructions on confronting sin, with an emphasis on repentance and restoration. Jesus promises His presence not based on numbers, but on faithful purpose, unity, and obedience to God’s will—not our own.

He assures His presence when the community faithfully practices discipline and reconciliation. When decisions align with God’s Word, heaven upholds them.

Today’s verse introduces Peter’s question about forgiveness limits. Peter assumes forgiveness should have a cap and suggests seven times, viewing this as quite generous.

Cultural Context: Jewish teaching at the time typically limited forgiveness to three offenses (drawing from passages like Amos 1–2). By proposing seven, Peter believed he was exceeding the standard. In Jewish thought, seven often symbolized completeness, so Peter likely meant “a full measure” of forgiveness.

This sets the stage for Jesus’ radical response in the following verse... we will read in tomorrow’s devotional. 
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