Bits of Torah Truths – #Torah Concept in the NT: Forgive 490+ times – Episode 857
Matthew 18:22
הֵשִׁיב לוֹ יֵשׁוּעַ׃ ״אֵינֶנִּי אוֹמֵר לְךָ עַד שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים אֶלָּא עַד שִׁבְעִים וָשֶׁבַע.
#torah #torahwisdom #torahtruth #torahforlife #torah4you #torahtruth
Matthew 18:22
18:22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. (NASB)
https://www.matsati.com/index.php/category/bits-of-torah-truths/
Yeshua’s instruction to forgive “seventy times seven” emphasizes a pattern of relentless, ongoing forgiveness rather than a numerical limit. The Torah provides foundational parallels in which God models repeated forgiveness and commands Israel to maintain a posture of mercy toward others.
– Torah parallels –
- Exodus 34:6‑7 – God reveals Himself as merciful, gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity repeatedly; divine character sets the pattern for limitless forgiveness.
- Numbers 14:18‑20 – After Israel’s rebellion, Moses appeals to God’s forgiving nature, and God pardons them again, showing repeated forgiveness despite continual failure.
- Exodus 23:4‑5 – Israel is commanded to return an enemy’s lost animal and help even those who hate them, demonstrating ongoing acts of mercy rather than retaliation.
- Leviticus 19:17‑18 – Israel must not bear grudges but love their neighbor as themselves, implying continual release of offense.
- Deuteronomy 15:1‑2 – The remission of debts every seven years models structured, repeated forgiveness within Israel’s economic life.
- Deuteronomy 24:10‑13 – Commands about compassionate lending and returning a poor man’s pledge show a pattern of repeated merciful action.
- Numbers 12:13‑15 – Moses intercedes for Miriam’s sin, demonstrating a willingness to seek restoration even after personal offense.
– Context Synthesis –
Yeshua’s teaching that forgiveness must extend far beyond human calculation aligns with the Torah’s portrayal of God as repeatedly forgiving His people and commanding Israel to embody the same spirit. The Torah does not quantify forgiveness but reveals it as a continual covenant posture rooted in God’s own character. Israel’s laws about releasing debts, refusing grudges, and showing mercy to enemies all point toward a lifestyle of ongoing forgiveness. Yeshua intensifies this trajectory by framing forgiveness as an unending practice that mirrors God’s persistent mercy toward Israel.
– Core Insight –
The Torah establishes forgiveness as a repeated, ongoing covenant obligation grounded in God’s own nature. Yeshua’s call to forgive without limit is not a new ethic but the fullest expression of the Torah’s pattern of relentless mercy. This is how Yeshua taught Torah in the NT, the Torah has not passed away!
Visual Summary of Concepts the Torah in the NT
