THE GREAT GOSPEL OF JOHN
VOLUME 5
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord in the house of Simon Peter. Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 18
- Chapter 248 -
On forgiveness.
But outside Peter's house a loud disagreement started up between some fishermen returning home, and Peter thought that we should go out in order to calm the bad argument.
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I said, "Yes, you do that then, it is a good deed to settle quarrels amongst men so that their anger subsides, which is an offspring of hell and for years contaminates the heart and darkens the soul."
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At this Peter went out and asked the two who were still arguing outside his house what the matter was over which they had got into such a bad argument.
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Then one of them, who was somewhat calmer, said that the servant of a citizen from the town, who had no fishing right and was standing there in their midst, had fished with rods on one of the best fishing spots, made a very rich catch and, as they as the authorized fishermen had caught him there, chastised him and taken away his catch according to their rights, he had set himself against them and had begun to prove with the crudest expressions that he also had the full rights and could fish wherever he wanted. However he had no license and was only claiming the right, which they could not and would not tolerate.
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When Peter heard this, he said, "The man is indeed a thief; but nonetheless let him go now. If he dares to be cheeky again, only then give him over to the judges; for you know yourselves that we should forgive our enemies seven times according to the Law!"
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Then the fishermen, who were holding the fish thief firmly, said, "We have forgiven him his cheek seven times already; but the Law does not speak of forgiving eight times, and we therefore now want to place him before a judge."
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Peter said, "You indeed have the full right to do that; but for my sake do the better thing here and forgive him also this last time, although it is already the eighth time! But if you catch him a ninth time at his cheek, then you can exercise your good right on him!"
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At these words they let the thief go, after he had promised them never again to commit the crime, and thus the bad quarrel was calmed, and the arguers returned to their houses calmly.
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When Peter came back into the room to us, he said, "Lord and Master, the argument is indeed calmed, since I have persuaded my neighbors to overlook the fisher-thief's cheek for an eighth time; but legally this eighth time would indeed have been to hand him over to the court. It would be also very good, oh Lord, if You would explain somewhat more clearly the Laws of Moses in this earthly legal area, particularly in these days when also the laws of Rome have begun to reach into the Jewish lifestyle very strongly and one no longer really knows whether one should hold more to the laws of Moses or of Rome. In some respects the Roman law is obviously more humane than Moses', which can no longer be used literally in many cases as a state law. What would now be correct according to Your greatest love and wisdom?"
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Said I: "I know that the things are now so and it is difficult for a judge to decide between the two laws and also difficult to determine how and when one person has sinned against another, because for example the one law calls good what according to the other law is a sin.
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In order to give you all and through you for all people an assignation, according to which everyone can direct himself, remember this and also write it down:
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If any brother of yours sins against you, go and reprove him in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. (Matt. 18:15) But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses of the community every fact may be confirmed. (Matt. 18:16) And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the community; and if he refuses to listen even to the community, let him be declared a Gentile and a tax-gatherer by you, by the witnesses and by the community. (Matt. 18:17)
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And let that be enough for you and for everyone; anything else is from evil and creates anew even greater evil. This determination is taken from My divine order and is valid not only here but also for the great beyond. For truly I say to you, whatever you shall bind on Earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on Earth shall have been loosed in heaven. (Matt. 18:18)
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Again I say to you, so that you shall cope better with all argument and all discomfort, that if two of you agree on Earth about anything that they may ask the Father in My name, it shall be granted them by My Father who is in heaven, and thus on Earth. (Matt. 18:19)
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Therefore If someone has sinned against you, forgive him wholeheartedly and ask the Father in My name to set the sinner's heart right, and this will happen in proportion to your faith and your forgiveness towards the one who has sinned against you.
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Again I say to you: where two or three have gathered in My name concerning a matter which is good and within My order, there I am in their midst in the spirit and will heed whatever they ask Me for. (Matt. 18:20)
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And I believe that you and everyone will very easily come to terms with such a designation now given to you by Me in all possible critical conditions of life and also in the middle of thousands of often so contradictory world laws!"
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Then Peter came and said to Me, "Lord, that is all now good and true, and it goes without saying that we will certainly most actively observe such designations of Yours and also will lay them on the hearts of other people for true observance; but there is now one critical point, and that consists of this: How often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times, according to the Law of Moses?" (Matt. 18:21)
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I said to him, "If it should happen according to a number, then Moses' number of seven is too little, but instead seventy times seven should it happen! (Matt. 18:22) For this mainly is the Kingdom of Heaven, that there be the same love, harmony and spirit of forgiveness amongst men as prevail amongst My angels in heaven, some of whom you have already met."