NOTES for Mat 18:21-19:1

At the heart of the Gospel is the message of love. At the heart of love is forgiveness. The parable told by the Lord places forgiveness at the very center of human relationships. It is impossible to want to be forgiven while being unwilling to forgive. Forgiveness is a two-way bond between people, in which both sides are responsible for maintaining the relationship. To forgive not when a person has atoned for the wrong, and not even when that person has asked for forgiveness, but earlier, in advance, leaving no unforgiveness in one’s heart—this is the essence of Jesus’ words in verse 22.