When one owes a financial debt and the other decides to no longer charge the person with that debt, it is called debt forgiveness. In this way, Jesus, in his original wording, or at least in the oldest translations of the Bible, is transcribed to have used the word for sin or offense in the Our Father prayer as “debts,” stating, “forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12, USCCB). The USCCB note on Matthew 6:12 also explains that “debts” is used metaphorically for sins, meaning debts owed to God (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, n.d.). 

Likewise, in the Torah, commonly known as the Pentateuch, being the first five books of Holy Scripture in the Bible, when one commits a wrong, there is then a consequence, which is a debt in the law. For the damage made by one, one then pays the price. This can be seen in the law of restitution, where Exodus describes repayment for theft or damage (Exodus 22:1 to 4, USCCB). 

Likewise, when Jesus went to the cross in his Passion and willing sacrifice, as the Lord hung there upon that cross, before he breathed his last, he said, “It is finished” (John 19:30, USCCB). Though this phrase itself is best understood as meaning that Christ’s mission was accomplished and fulfilled, Scripture also speaks of Christ canceling the debt against humanity by “nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:13 to 14, USCCB). Meaning, the payment for all the sin of humanity was paid in full. God cannot be a just God without casting judgment. However, the Lord placed that judgment upon himself. This is a heavy matter, though it is the truth. Likewise, if a bank forgives one their debt, then the bank still suffers that loss. The price is always paid by one. And yet despite this reality, the Lord calls us to love and forgive as Christ did, as Christ does (Romans 3:23 to 26; 1 Peter 2:24, USCCB). 

In the Gospel according to Matthew, Jesus states, “the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you” (Matthew 7:2, USCCB). For the Lord calls us to forgive, and if we profess to follow Christ, we must forgive lest we become a Pharisee. Peter came to the Lord and said, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive? As many as seven times?” and the Lord says, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times” (Matthew 18:21 to 22, USCCB). 

The number seven in Hebrew biblical tradition was known as a number of completion, fullness, and holiness, as Scripture tells us that God completed creation and rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:1 to 3, USCCB). Biblical scholar Elaine Goodfriend also explains that biblical authors used the number seven to express completion, perfection, and holiness (Goodfriend, 2021). Seventy times seven is completion upon completion. 

Nobody deserves forgiveness, but there is no greater love than one laying down their life for another (John 15:13, USCCB). When we encounter any pain caused by those in our lives, no matter how much is taken from us, or how much we are abused and taken advantage of, scorned, mocked, defamed, or how much wrongdoing is inflicted upon us, we are called to forgive completely and to love unconditionally, no matter how much it costs us. For this is how Christ loved, and this is how we are called to love. 

References

Goodfriend, E. (2021). Seven, the biblical number. TheTorah.com.

Manning Jr., G. (2022). “Paid in full”? The meaning of tetelestai in Jesus’ final words. Biola University.

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (n.d.). Colossians 2. USCCB Bible.

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (n.d.). Exodus 22. USCCB Bible.

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (n.d.). Genesis 2. USCCB Bible.

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (n.d.). John 15. USCCB Bible.

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (n.d.). John 19. USCCB Bible.

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (n.d.). Matthew 6. USCCB Bible.

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (n.d.). Matthew 7. USCCB Bible.

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (n.d.). Matthew 18. USCCB Bible.

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (n.d.). Romans 3. USCCB Bible.

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (n.d.). 1 Peter 2. USCCB Bible.