Jesus said, “And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12)
Less familiar is what Jesus clarified to us afterward, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:14-15)
What Jesus said is clear and easy to understand, but we live in a world where we as societies, and as individuals, have a great difficulty in forgiving others.
Jesus further warns us about our human problem with being unforgiving, in a parable which ends this way, “Then the Lord summoned him (the unforgiving servant) and said to him, ’You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me, and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had on you?’ And in his anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, till he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” (Matthew 18:32-35)
“And when they came to the place which is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. And Jesus said, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” “Luke 23:33-34)
Jesus later said to one of those criminals, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)
Did God hear and harken to Jesus’s plea to the Father to forgive them?
I’m convinced God did hear and harken, because these words Jesus said were intended to be heard by people. We know this, because before he raised Lazarus from the grave, Jesus said, “Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. I knew that thou hearest me always, but I have said this on account of the people standing by, that they may believe that thou didst send me.”
(John 11:41-42)
“As they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And he knelt down and cried with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.” (Acts 7:59-60)
Jesus heard Stephen’s plea, because Paul was one of those present there at the stoning of Stephen, and we know Paul was forgiven.
“Jesus said, “… you know neither the scriptures nor power of God.” (Matthew 22:29)
Likewise, we do not know the power of God, nor do we know the depth of God’s capacity to forgive. Nonetheless Jesus commands us to forgive, and we are also warned of the consequence of failing to forgive from the heart.
Every word Jesus spoke, and that we know about today, was intended for us to know.
The Oddblock Station Agent
