Breaking the Word

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.  Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place”. (Mt 5, 17-18)

Was Jesus a revolutionary or a traditionalist? There were many revolutionaries at the time of Jesus and in the land of Israel. But Jesus was a different sort of a revolutionary.

Yes, Jesus was offering something utterly revolutionary. And he was faithful to it at all costs. But his revolution was not totally different from what the people believed and lived. His revolution was only a fulfillment of all they believed.

He said that he had come to fulfill the law and the prophets. All they believed and all they had longed for, was going to be fulfilled in him. This was truly revolutionary. He was the fulfillment of all their expectation.  Everything was in his own person.

For Jesus revolution was not doing away with the past and all that had gone before, in stead fulfilling everything of the past together with the expectations and hopes of the people.

Revolution is bridging the past with the future at the present. And this is done in the person of Jesus.

So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart. (Mt, 18,35)

The story does not need any explanation so also the message. But the message is very strong.

The message is not that one should ‘forgive and forget’ as though nothing has happened.  But forgiveness and reconciliation should be one’s goal. If confrontation has to happen, as it often does, it must always be with forgiveness in mind, never revenge.

God seems to be understanding when forgiveness of a brother is in question. He does not excuse us when we fail to forgive. The New Testament speaks with one voice on this subject. The prayer ‘Our Father’ confirms this message. That is ‘God forgives us only in the measure in which we forgive our neighbours’.

By saying ‘forgive your brother seventy times seven’ Jesus makes forgiveness limitless. Forgiveness should not be counted at all. The mere fact you begin to count forgiveness, then revenge is your goal. That is, one forgives so many times and then he can take revenge.  

Forgiveness should never have revenge as its goal and the only goal of forgiveness is forgiveness. Forgiveness goes from forgiveness to forgiveness to forgiveness…