Forgive Us Our Trespasses
Forgive Us Our Trespasses Commentary
"Forgive us our traspasses" is the fifth of the Lord's prayer's seven petitions (the first three address God, the second four are prayers related to our needs and concerns). In the New Testament, the Greek word for "forgive" is "aphes," which also means to dismiss or liberate. Thus, God's forgiveness is not simply about being absolved of wrongdoing, but also about being set free from it. It is a profoundly transformative event.
Take note how Jesus combines the concepts of seeking forgiveness from God and forgiving others. They are entwined inexorably. If we have tasted God's forgiveness and acquittal, we will unquestionably forgive those who have harmed us. Christ emphasizes the significance of this right following the prayer. "For if you forgive others who transgress against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well. However, if you refuse to forgive others' sins, your Father will refuse to forgive yours." (Matthew 6:14-15) Additionally, he expands on this in the parable of the unmerciful servant, in which we are encouraged to continue forgiving those who have harmed us (Matthew 18:21-35).
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 12: [And forgive us our debts] Sin is portrayed here as a debt, and because our transgressions are numerous, they are referred to as debts. God created man in order for him to live to his glory and gave him a law to follow; and if he contracts a debt with Divine Justice when he does anything that does not glorify God, how much more is he a debtor when he breaks the law by actual violation! "All of God's attributes are causes for man to obey; those attributes are infinite; every sin is an act of ingratitude or rebellion against all of these attributes; so, sin is infinitely sinful," as has been correctly remarked.
Please pardon us.- Man owes nothing: if his obligations are not pardoned, they will remain charged against him in perpetuity, as he is completely bankrupt. Therefore, forgiveness must come through God's gratuitous kindness in Christ: and how weird it is that we cannot have the old debt wiped without contracting a new one that is as enormous as the old! however, the credit is shifted from Justice to Mercy. While we are sinners, we are in debt to infinite Justice; when forgiven, we are in debt to infinite Mercy; and because persistence in a state of grace entails constant communication of mercy, the debt continues to grow ad infinitum. Strange economy in the Divine method, which maintains man forever dependent on his Creator by making him an infinite debtor! How wonderful God is! And what does this dependency status imply? A symbiotic relationship with and participation in the fountain of everlasting kindness and felicity!
In the same way that we forgive our debtors.] Among the ancient Jews, it was a rule that no one should lie down in his bed without first forgiving those who had wronged him. That guy, who uses this prayer with vengeance and malice in his heart, condemns himself to eternal torment. Whoever refuses to attend to a circumstance so favourable to himself (remitting a hundred pennies to his debtor in order that his own creditor may remit him 10,000 talents) is a lunatic who, in order to make his neighbour suffer an hour, is resolved to suffer forever! Though forgiving our neighbour cannot possibly merit anything, it is the condition upon which God will not pardon anyone. cf. Mt 6:14–15. Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary
Matthew Henry's Commentary
And pardon our debts as we pardon our debtors. This is tied to the preceding; and forgive, implying that without forgiveness of our crimes, we will have no comfort in life or its supports. Our daily bread only serves to nourish us as sheep for the slaughter if our misdeeds remain unforgivable. Likewise, it implies that we must pray for pardon on a daily basis, just as we pray for bread on a daily basis. He who has been washed must also wash his feet. Here is a supplication (1.): Father in heaven, pardon us our debts, our debts to thee. Take note, [1.] Our sins are our debts; there is a debt of duty that we, as creatures, owe to our Creator; we do not pray to be discharged from that debt, but upon non-payment of that debt, a debt of punishment arises; in default of obedience to God's will, we become odious to God's wrath; and for failing to observe the precept of the law, we are subject to the penalty.
A debtor is subject to processing, just as we are; a malefactor is subject to the law, just as we are. [2.] Every day, our heart's desire and prayer to our heavenly Father should be that he would forgive us our debts; that the duty to punishment would be annulled and vacated; that we would avoid condemnation; that we would be released and receive the comfort that comes with it. When we seek forgiveness for our sins, the central argument we must make is the satisfaction that was made to God's justice for man's sin through the death of the Lord Jesus, our Surety, or rather Bail to the action, that undertook our discharge. (2.) An argument in favour of enforcing this petition; similarly to how we forgive our debts.
This is not a meritocracy argument, but a grace argument. Nota bene, those who come to God for forgiveness of their sins against him must have the conscience to forgive those who have offended them; otherwise, they curse themselves when they pray the Lord's prayer. Our obligation is to forgive our debtors; with regard to money debts, we must refrain from being rigid and severe in extracting them from those who cannot pay them without ruining themselves and their families; but this also includes debts of injury; our debtors are those who trespass against us, who smite us (Mt 5:39,40), and who, in the strictest sense of the law, may be prosecuted for it; we must forbear, forgive, and forget the Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible, Volume V (Matthew to John)
Albert Barnes's Commentary
Verse 12. And pardon our debts, and so forth. The term "debts" is used symbolically here. This does not imply that we are physically indebted to God, but rather that our sins bear a likeness to debts. Debtors are persons who owe money to others in commercial transactions; for something we have acquired and are contractually obligated to pay. There can be no such transaction between God and us, literally. It must be interpreted metaphorically.
We have not complied with the law's requirements; we have breached its commitments; we are subject to its penalty; we are guilty; and God alone can forgive, just as no creditor can pardon a debtor. Thus, debts in this context refer to sins or offences against God—offenses that no one but God can forgive. The standard by which we can expect forgiveness is the one we apply to others. Psalms 18:25,26, Matthew 18:28–35, Mark 11:25, and Luke 11:4. This is the unchanging standard by which God grants pardon. Whoever stands before him unforgiving, harbouring dark and vindictive thoughts, how can he expect God to extend him the mercy he is reluctant to show others? However, we are not compelled to forgive debts in a financial sense. We have a right to them, however they should not be pushed in an aggressive and oppressive manner; they should not be pushed to the point of sacrificing sentiments of mercy in order to secure legal claims.
No one has the right to oppress; and when a debt cannot be paid, or when it would cause considerable anguish to a wife and children, a widow, or an orphan, or when disaster has rendered an honest man incapable of repaying the loan, the Christian spirit mandates that it be forgiven. This plea in the Lord's prayer undoubtedly extends to such instances. However, it was probably intended to refer mostly to injuries to our character or person caused by others. If we are unable to forgive them from the heart, we can be certain that God will never forgive us. (z) "pardon our debts" Matthew 18:21–35; Luke 7:40–48
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