Breaking the Word

GOSPEL READING: MATTHEW 18:21-35

In this passage Peter is concerned about personal offences and wrongs done by brother. These petty wrongs are within the power of the individual to forgive. Greater mistakes and wrongs are only forgiven by people in authority or by God himself. So also the public offences have to be treated in public. Here Peter is concerned with personal and little offences.

God keeps an account (Deu. 32:34), because he is the Judge, and vengeance is his; but we must not, lest we be found stepping into his throne. It is necessary to the preservation of peace, both within and without, to pass by injuries, without reckoning how often; to forgive, and forget. God multiplies his pardons, and so should we, Ps. 77:38, 40. It intimates that we should make it our constant practice to forgive injuries, and should accustom ourselves to it till it becomes habitual.

பேதுரு தனக்கு எதிராக செய்யப்பட்ட சிறு குறைகளைப் பற்றியும் தவறுகளைப்பற்றியும் பேசுகிறார். தீர்ப்பிட வேண்டியது கடவுளுடைய செயல். கடவுளுடைய இடத்தை நாம் எடுக்கக் கூடாது. சிறு சிறு குற்றங்களையும் தவறுகளையும் மன்னிப்பது நமக்கு இயல்பாக வேண்டும்.

GOSPEL READING: LUKE 4:24-30

People around him, in his home town, see in him Jesus the Nazarene. He is seen as a person of the place and nothing more. They have seen him grow with them and they are well aware of his local identity and they were also aware of his talents and capabilities. Their knowledge did not permit them to see beyond the hard facts and realities of their experience.

Jesus proposed to them to have seen at least the prophetic role that he was playing among the people. As any prophet of old, he was doing the miracles. They should have accepted him as a prophet instead they were not even ready to accept him as a prophet. It would be much more difficult for them to accept him as a messiah because that would need a revelation from God. (Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. Mt 16:17)

சொந்த ஊரில் உள்ளவர்கள் அவரை சிறுவயதிலிருந்து பார்த்திருக்கிறார்கள். அவரோடு வளர்ந்திருக்கிறார்கள். அதனால் அவரின் இயல்பு சார்ந்த செயல்களை நன்கு அறிந்திருந்தார்கள். அவர் இறைவாக்கினருக்கான செயல்களை செய்து கொண்டிருக்கிறார் மக்களால் அதை ஏற்றுக்கொள்ள இயலவில்லை.