Matthew 18:22

“Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, etc.] Which is as if he had said, observe what I am about to say, I do not agree to what thou sayest to fix the number, “until seven times only”, but until seventy times seven; a certain number for an uncertain, (see <010424> Genesis 4:24). Christ’s meaning is, that a man should be all the days, and every day of his life, forgiving those that sin against him, as often as they repent and acknowledge their fault; and that no time is to be set for the exercise of the grace of forgiveness; but as often as there are objects and occasions, though ever so many and frequent, it should be used; and which he illustrates by the following parable.”

“Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but, Until seventy times seven--that is, so long as it shall be needed and sought: you are never to come to the point of refusing forgiveness sincerely asked. (See on Luk 17:3-4).”

“Till seven times? - The Jews caught that a man was to forgive another three times, but not the fourth. Peter more than doubled this, and asked whether forgiveness was to be exercised to so great an extent. I say not unto thee, Until seven times, but, Until seventy times seven - The meaning is, that we are not to limit our forgiveness to any fixed number of times. See Genesis 4:24. As often as a brother injures us and asks forgiveness, we are to forgive him. It is, indeed, his duty to ask forgiveness, Luke 17:4. If he does this, it is our duty to declare that we forgive him, and to treat him accordingly. If he does not ask us to forgive him, yet we are not at liberty to follow him with…”

“Till seventy times seven - That is, as often as there is occasion. A certain number is put for an uncertain. Matthew 18:23”

“18:22 seventy times seven: Or seventy-seven times; either way, Jesus prescribes limitless readiness to forgive from the heart (18:35; cp. Gen 4:23-24).”

“but: Mat 6:11, Mat 6:12, Mat 6:14, Mat 6:15; Isa 55:7; Mic 7:19; Mar 11:25, Mar 11:26; Rom 12:21; Eph 4:26, Eph 4:31, Eph 4:32, Eph 5:1; Col 3:13; Ti1 2:8 Matthew 18:23”