FOCUS ON THE SCRIPTURES
January 23, 2000
Revised: June 11, 2002, January 08, 2003, March 28, 2003, & April 13, 2003
THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS - FORGIVENESS AND RECONCILIATION
This present inquiry is really a continuation of my comments on the general theme of Forgiveness dated January 03, 2000, and updated as of April 12, 2003, to which the reader is referred for a more complete understanding of what is intended here to be dealt with. Regarding Forgiveness and Reconciliation, I referred, in my comments on the Action of Anger, to the following expression found in Restoration literature: "Satan is the oldest liar in the records of eternity. His influence is seen everywhere this subject is written about, discussed and treated. We must not give into evil but rather overcome evil with good. There cannot be any truce between truth and error."
Let me say, at the outset, that the New Testament very clearly teaches that Christians are those persons who have experienced, and are experiencing, the effects of God's own reconciliation of the world to Himself, and have been, and are being, cleansed of all sin. This is so, because they are in Christ Jesus and Christ is in them. Reconciled, forgiven, and cleansed, Christians follow the teachings of Jesus, otherwise known as the doctrine of Christ, as it respects forgiveness and reconciliation between man and man. And, Christians are to believe the teaching of Jesus, otherwise known as the doctrine of Christ, as it relates to forgiveness and reconciliation between God and man.
As with other New Testament subjects, it is essential that we consider this subject in the light of what the New Testament writers said in the original language. Reconcile or reconciliation, are English translations of five Greek words, all of which have their roots in alasso. Regarding alasso, Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament says: "to change: to cause one thing to cease and another to take its place." Our comments on reconciliation will focus on the following five Greek word pictures translated reconcile, or reconciliation in the KJV: 1. apokatallasso that is translated 3 times in the KJV as reconcile; Ephesians 2:16, Colossians 1:20, and Colossians 1:22. 2. diallasso that is translated 1 time in the KJV as reconcile; Matthew 5:24. 3. katallasso that is translated six times in the KJV as reconcile: Romans 5:10, & 10 - 2 times; 1 Corinthians 7:11; and 2 Corinthians 5:18, 19, 20. 4. Katallage that is translated 2 times in the KJV as reconciliation: 2 Corinthians 5:18, & 19; and as atonement; Romans 5: 11; and as reconciling; Romans 11:15. 5. hilaskomai that is translated as be merciful Luke 18:13; and as make reconciliation for; Hebrews 2:17.
Matthew 5:24 contains the only reference where the Greek word picture diallasso is used in the New Testament. This verse involves a change in the relationship between man and man, not to be confused with that contemplated in the change in the relationship between God and man Jesus said: "For I say unto you, that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. You have heard that the ancients were told, you shall not commit murder and whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court. But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever shall say, You fool, shall be guilty enough to go into the hell of fire. If therefore you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering" (Matthew 5:20-24 NASB).
The English expression be reconciled in Matthew 5:24, translates the Greek word picture diallagethi, 2nd person, singular, second aorist, passive, imperative of diallassomai, from diallasso a compound of dia and allaso. This is the only place the word is used in the New Testament and it is important to note that it is an imperative and in the passive voice. The significance of the passive voice in Greek is that it denotes the subject as receiving the action. According to Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon, the Greek word picture diallasso means: "1. to change. 2. to change the mind of anyone, to reconcile. Passive to be reconciled, to renew friendship with one: Matthew 5:24." Alford's Greek Testament says: "It is not what complaints we have against others that we are to consider at such a time, but what they have against us; not what ground we have given for complaint, but what complaints they, as matter of fact, make against us. -- diallagethi is simply become reconciled - thyself, without being influenced by the status of the other towards thee. Remove the offense, and make friendly overtures to thy brother. --- No conclusion whatever can be drawn from this verse as to the admissibility of the term altar as applied to the Lord's Table under the Christian system. The whole language is Jewish, and can only be understood of Jewish rites."
Jesus said: "And whenever you stand praying, forgive (aphiemi, remove the offense from yourself), if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your transgressions" (Mark 11:25 NASB). . How can it be any plainer than that?
"Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving (echaridzato) each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:30-32 NASB).
Let us now consider the teaching of Jesus found in 1. Matthew 5:20-24 in the light of 2. Mark 11:25; and 3. Ephesians 4:31-32. First is Matthew’s account: 1. "If you remember that your brother has something against you, be reconciled (diallagethi, take the initiative, remove the offense, and make friendly overtures towards your brother)." 2. One of the key phrases of Mark 11:25 is: "if you have anything against anyone, forgive (aphiemi, remove the offense from yourself)." 3. And this important command from Ephesians 4:31-32: "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice."
When we have abandoned the life-altering and mind-controlling evil natures of bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and all malice, STEP ONE - (In other words when we have removed these sinful reactions to the behavior of others from ourselves - the same concept as that expressed by the Greek word picture aphiemi that is translated forgive), now comes STEP TWO: Fill the void with kindness, tender-heartedness and freely and graciously forgiving each other (charidzomenoi), even as Christ did forgive (echaridzato, aorist tense), freely and graciously - the point being the forgiveness effected when Christ died.
STEP TWO follows STEP ONE; not the other way around. Some, mistakenly, try to bypass STEP ONE and attempt STEP TWO.
If the pattern is followed, as we become free of the sinful reactions of all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander and all malice, we must fill the void that results from their departure from our pattern of behavior towards others with kindness, tender-heartedness, and we, then, can be about the business of graciously and freely forgiving others.
Forgiveness and reconciliation.
If we follow the pattern as set out in these verses, in fact, and in our daily walk, we will not tolerate the evil spiritual condition of bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, along with all malice. We are, in these passages, being introduced to a peculiarity of the new law of love, and as Alford's Greek Testament points out, "Jesus in the following passage enforces it by a solemn assurance." Jesus said: "For if you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions" (Matthew 6:14-15 NASB).
Jesus said: "What do you think? If a man has a a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? And if it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. Thus it is not the will of your father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish, And if your brother sins (literally, between you and him alone), go and reprove him in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax-gatherer" (Matthew 18:12-17 NASB).
Jesus said: "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer. The Pharisee stood and was praying thus to himself, God, I thank Thee that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax-gatherer. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get. But the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, God, be merciful (hilastheti - 2nd person, singular, first aorist, imperative, passive voice of hilaskomai) to me, the sinner! I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted" (Luke 18:10-14 NASB).
Jesus said: "And He said to His disciples, It is inevitable that stumbling blocks should come, but woe to him through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble. Be on your guard! If a brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents (the Greek ean with the subjunctive mood of metanoeo signifies literally that the change of mind, translated repents, is expected to occur) forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying I repent (change of mind, translated repent, is not expected to occur), forgive him" (Luke 17:14 NASB).
The Apostle Paul said: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. if we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another. Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, looking to yourselves, lest you be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 5:22-6:2 NASB). And to the Thessalonians he wrote: "But as for you brethren, do not grow weary of doing good. And if anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that man and do not associate with him, so that he may be put to shame. And do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all" (2 Thessalonians 3:13-16 NASB). "And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation," (KJV atonement), katallage is the nominative, singular Greek expression (Romans 5:11 NASB). "But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow-countrymen and save some of them. For if their rejection be the reconciliation (katallage) of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead (Romans 11:15 NASB)." "But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not leave her husband but if she does leave, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled (katallageto - third person, singular, second aorist, imperative mood, passive voice) to her husband, and that the husband should not send his wife away" (1 Corinthians 7:11 NASB). And it is important, also, that we take note of the following passage from the book of James: "My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth, and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death, and will cover a multitude of sins" (James 5:19-20).
Jesus said: "Then Peter came and said to Him. Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times? Jesus said to him: I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven" (Matthew 18:20-21 NASB).
Well, there you have it! New Testament teaching on: Forgiveness and Reconciliation between
man and man.
Writing in the October, 1864, edition of The Millennial Harbinger, J. W. McGarvey said: "The Protestant sects have greatly mistaken the reconciliation proposed by the gospel, and their whole scheme of conversion is based upon this mistake. --- The starting point of this grand mistake consists in supposing that reconciliation between God and man is like that between man and man. When earthly parties become estranged, it is seldom that both parties are not guilty of wrong, and both cherish animosity. Hence, in the work of reconciling them, the feelings of each have to be changed toward the other. But in the estrangement between God and man, the entire wrong is on the part of man; he alone has a feeling of enmity. God stands where He ever did, and the whole distance between them has been made by the departure of man. God can come no nearer to him, without leaving Himself, without sanctioning some part of the wrong that man has done. ---- For this reason, there is not a syllable in the Scriptures about reconciling God to the world; but much about reconciling the world to God."
Reconciling the world to God involved a change in the relationship of God to man,
"But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one, and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile (apokatallakse - 3rd person, singular, first aorist, subjunctive, active of apokatallasso), them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity" (Ephesians 2:13-16 NASB). Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon defines apokatallasso as: "to reconcile completely, to draw to himself by reconciliation, or so to reconcile that they should be devoted to Himself."
"For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fulness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile (apokatallaksai - first aorist, infinitive, active) all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled (apokatellaksen) - you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach" (Colossians 1:20-22 NASB). The Expositor's Greek Testament says: "With the reading apokatellaksen the infinitive expresses purpose, He reconciled in order to present. -- Reconciliation has not to do with a change of feeling in God or man, but of the relation of God to men."
"For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die, But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled (katellagemen - 1st person, plural, second aorist, indicative, active voice of katallasso) to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled (katallagentes - nominative, plural, masculine, participle, second aorist, passive voice of katallasso), we shall be saved by His life" (Romans 5:6-10 NASB). Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon defines katallasso as: "properly to change, exchange."
"Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled (katallaksantos - genitive, singular, masculine, participle, first aorist, active voice of katallasso) us to Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation (katallages - genitive, singular of katallage), namely, that God was in Christ reconciling (katallasson - nominative, singular, masculine, participle, present tense) the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation (katallages - genitive, singular of katallage). Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God (katallagete - 2nd person, plural, second aorist, imperative mood, passive voice). In the New Testament God is said to receive one into His favor (KJV reconcile one to himself). (Allow yourselves to be reconciled to God; do not oppose your return into His favor, so says Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon) - He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:17-21 NASB).
"My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have a Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous-, and He Himself is the propitiation (hilasmos - nominative, singular, of hilaskomai - Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon says: "the means of appeasing, propitiation) for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world (1 John 2:1-2 NASB)." "Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation (hilaskesthai - present infinitive of hilaskomai to expiate, make an atonement for), for the sins of the people" (Hebrews 2:17 NASB).
Well, there you have it! New Testament teaching on: Forgiveness and Reconciliation between
God and man.
The doctrine, of men, that human forgiveness is to be strictly analogous to Divine forgiveness, when broadly applied, is to use J. W. McGarvey's words: "at the starting point of the grand mistake that consists of supposing that reconciliation between God and man is like that between man and man. -- In accordance with this idea, they often represent God as holding the sword of justice suspended over the sinner's head, while Jesus kneels in prayer before Him, and pleads that the fatal stroke be stayed a little longer. --- It speaks the praise of God's unspeakable love, that though he could not come nearer to a sinful man, he left him not to eternal misery, but sent after him a force to bring him back to Himself. Thus the work of effecting this reconciliation is declared to be the work of God, and the death of Christ the chief means of effecting it."
It is simply not true, as some would have us believe, that Divine forgiveness is always conditioned on confessing each and every sin committed and the proper change of mind (repentance) regarding each and every sin committed. Divine forgiveness is found in the death of Jesus at the cross; in His death He shed His blood and without the shedding of blood there can be no Divine forgiveness. It is available to those who are in Christ. "If we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses (katharidzei - 3rd person, singular, present, indicative mood, active voice of katharidzo. Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon says: "1. to make clean, to cleanse a. from physical stains and dirt. b. in a moral sense; a. to free from the defilement of sin and from faults; to purify from wickedness. b. to free from the guilt of sin, to purify. c. to consecrate by cleansing or purifying. 2. to pronounce clean in a Levitical sense}, us from all sin (one can be confident that all means all and would include those of which we are not even aware." The Indicative mood is the mood of certainty. The active voice describes the subject as producing the action. The thought of a verb as expressing something acting is its verbal significance.
"If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (John 1:7-8 NASB).
"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:1-2 NASB).
"What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin; for he who has died is freed from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin, once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus" (Romans 6:1 -11 NASB).
Christians, therefore, are in Christ Jesus and Christ is in them.
They are baptized into Christ Jesus. They place their trust in Jesus as Savior and Lord, and their confidence in Him for salvation. In Christ, Christians experience the benefits of God's own Scheme of Redemption - forgiveness and reconciliation.
Divine Forgiveness and Reconciliation, between God and man, required the death of God's one and only son.
Forgiveness and Reconciliation, between man and man, requires no such comparable cost on the part of man, either as the offender or the one offended.
In Christ, Christians are putting on the new self with a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; bearing with others, becoming reconciled themselves; and, forgiving (aphiemi - removing the offense from themselves) every offense of everyone. By freeing themselves of all bitterness, and wrath and anger and clamor and slander, along with all malice, they are now kind to one another, tender-hearted, graciously and freely forgiving (charidzomenoi - nominative, plural, masculine, participle, present tense) each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven (echaridzato - third person, singular, first aorist tense, and indicative voice), (did forgive, aorist tense, effected in His death on the cross), graciously and freely.
The Apostle Paul said: "Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you - unless indeed you fail the test" (2 Corinthians 13:5 NASB).
And finally; Jesus said: "and why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say?"
Jim Davis
E-mail: jamesdavis@focusonthescriptures.com
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