The word, "forgive," comes from Old English word, forgiefan, that means to grant or pardon, where "for" means "completely" and "giefan" means "to give." It refers to completely giving up the desire to punish. Fine. Okay. But I learned something interesting the other day.
We're familiar with the phrase in the Lord's Prayer, "And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors" (Matt 6:12). The word in that text (and Matt 6:13-14) is aphiēmi. The word means "to send forth." Interesting, isn't it? If you back up a step and put that back in, Jesus said, "And send away our debts, as we also have sent away the debts of our debtors." That's an interesting image ... and helpful. It's not "feel better about." It's not "don't remember." It's not "make excuses for." It's not "mitigate." It's "send away." The image is an offense (debt) standing between you, and you choose ... to set it aside. Take the loss. Move on. Let it go. Forgive.
If you look at the rest of that text, Jesus said, "But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions" (Matt 6:15). Wow! I can't tell you how many Christians have told me, "I can never forgive that person." But one of the characteristics of love is "does not take into account a wrong suffered" (1 Cor 13:5), and we are told to love our neighbors ... including our enemies (Luke 6:27). We're told that the one who is forgiven much loves much (Luke 7:47) ... which implies they forgive much. We're told to forgive each other "just as God in Christ has forgiven you." So ... apparently this "sending away" of offenses is kind of important for genuine believers.
3 comments:
Forgiveness should be our ready position as Christians as we strive to emulate our Savior that set forth to forgive us while we were yet still enemies of God and hostile toward Him.
This is a helpful continuation of “Forgive and Forget” from last Friday, as I consider my obligation to replicate God’s gracious treatment of me as I deal with others. The notion of “sending away offenses” is helpful, as it implies a resolution on my part to decidedly and permanently banish an offense from my daily consciousness. In fact, the image that comes to my mind with “sending away” is a scapegoat. I understand the OT’s scapegoat’s purpose, as it symbolically took the sins of the people out of the community. Do you think there is any aspect of forgiveness the way you have explained it in sending away the scapegoat?
Forgiveness should be the ready position of any Christian in our striving to emulate our Savior who died to save and forgive us while we were enemies and hostile toward Him.
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