Humility and Forgiveness: We come now to the fourth major discourse of Matthew. It ends with the usual formula in 19:1–2 (cf. 7:28; 11:1; 13:53; 26:1). Chapter 18 reads very much like an early church manual and deals with subjects such as humility (vv. 1–4), responsibility (vv. 5–7), self-renunciation (vv. 8–10), individual care (vv. 11–14), discipline (vv. 15–20), fellowship (vv. 19–20), and forgiveness (vv. 23–35; cf. Barclay, vol. 2, pp. 173–74).

18:21–27 Peter comes to Jesus asking him how many times he must forgive a brother when he sins against him. Rabbinic literature taught that “if a man sins once, twice, or three times, they forgive him: if he sins a fourth time, they do not forgive him” (m. Yoma 5.13). Going beyond the accepted limit, Peter asks, “Would seven times be enough?” (P…