Surprised by Grace (20): If He asks that . . .

Heard it umpteen times.
Response is always the same: “It’s nice but I am human.”

Really, who could forgive 70x7?

It’s an impossible demand.
How could he have asked of Peter?

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” (Mt 18:21-22 NIV)

The focus couldn’t have been sharper.
Notice that Peter wasn’t asking about “sins against society”, nor “sins against humanity”, not even “injustice”.
Those are abstract, bland, irrelevant, and not personally emotionally invested.
Those are easier to wave it off, especially after the initial indignation wears off.

Just consider what took place in 2019-2020, and what now:
* Thousands of BNO families left HK for UK are trying to make a living in UK.
* Others in Taiwan, Canada, Australia, USA etc., are doing the same, with lifeboats.
* And people in HK almost by now have forgotten about 777, though not forgiven, driven almost mad by irreconcilable, illogical, and unjust pandemic controls.

Time changes everything, at least the perception of it.
Except personal injuries.

Except when you were slashed in the back umpteen times in Yuen long station.
Except when you were brutalised in an mtr car by masked and unidentifiable police.
Except when your swimmer daughter died naked floating.
Except when your undergraduate son fell from a multi-storey car part and died for want of medical care, with not a single fracture whatsoever.

You got the point.
No way to forgive.
Not even once.
Let alone 70x7!

Forget about abused by parents, ripped off by business partner, cheated by spouse, and beaten by children, on and on.
When it gets personal, it’s personal.

But what example Jesus gives that he can demand 70x7?

Matthew is the one who echoes the prophet Isaiah who was recorded hundred of years before Christ with this accusation of the nation of Israel. Luke adds the particular reference to “manger”:

This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger (Lk 2:12, NIV).

Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth!
For the Lord has spoken:
“I reared children and brought them up,
but they have rebelled against me.
The ox knows its master,
the donkey its owner’s manger,
but Israel does not know,
my people do not understand.” (Isa 1:2-3, NIV)

Who was the one that suffered personal and direct injuries?

From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”)(Mt 27:45-46, NIV).


The Father.
The Son.
For the world, the generation, who injured them.

That’s the example.
That’s personal.
That’s relevant to 70x7.

The final line of defense: I ain’t God; I can’t forgive personal enemies!

Well, that’s the point of departure.

Grace is surprising.