Ouch—Did Jesus Really Mean ‘Forgive As We Forgive’?

I don’t know about you, but I think this might be one of the most overlooked Scriptures in the Bible. Why?

Before we peel back some layers of this verse, I want to invite you to join our private Facebook community. Aside from being free (just answer the few short community questions), we are currently offering live teachings each week with wonderful teachers on the Lord’s Prayer. For the group, we’ve created a free verse mapping plan. The community is supportive, active and growing in grace. And we’re love for you to be apart of it here.

So, if you're struggling with forgiveness or maybe you're just curious why this verse is so often overlooked, let's go!

The reason why I think this verse is easily missed- or rather, misread is because of the word “as” here.

Jesus didn’t say “forgive us our debts and forgive those who sin against us.” Some of us might think this is how to pray. And to be honest, I think some of us might even think we’re being pretty good asking God to forgive those who wronged us, right?

But this isn’t what he is saying here.

By putting the word “as” in this sentence, Jesus has taken forgiveness to an entirely different level.

If I may be so bold as to paraphrase: we are to request that God to treat us the way we treat others when they wrong us.

So let me ask us to reflect on this: How do we treat others when they wrong us? I think we’ll find a variety of responses. For those we love, we might be more patient, gentle and understanding. For those who “rub us the wrong way” we might find annoyance, anger, bitterness, etc. But Jesus didn’t say “forgive us our debts as we forgive our loved ones.” He said “as we also forgive our debtors.” The Greek word for debtors here means “one who has not yet made amends to one whom he has injured.”

Ouch. Did you feel that?

The people who injure us and don’t apologize- these are the ones who we are called to forgive to the degree to which we desire God to forgive us.

I’d be a hypocrite if I were to say I’m very good at this. Even with decades of practice, every few years, someone in my life teaches me a deeper level of this truth. I can confidently share, however, that God has been undeniably generous in these times by teaching more wisdom. When I ask for wisdom and trust him to provide it, he has always provided strength to me and cultivated a gentler heart inside me.

So, friends, this week as we meditate on Matthew 6:12, let's allow the Holy Spirit to teach us new layer and levels of forgiveness.