Jesus said unto him,
I say not unto you, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
All Commentaries on Matthew 18:22 Go To Matthew 18
Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
Serm., 83, 3: I am bold to say, that if he shall sin seventy-eight times, thoushouldest forgive him; yea, and if a hundred; and how oft soever he sin againstthee, forgive him. For if Christ found a thousand sins, yet forgave them all, do not you withdraw your forgiveness. For the Apostle says, “Forgive one another, if any man hath a quarrel against any, even as God in Christ forgave you.” .
Yet not without reason did the Lord say, “Seventy times seven;” for the Law isset forth in ten precepts; and the Law is signified by the number ten, sin by eleven, because it is passing the denary line. Seven is used to be put for awhole, because time goes round in seven days. Take eleven seven times, and you have seventy. He would therefore have all trespasses forgiven, for this is what He signifies by the number seventy-seven.
