Forgiveness and the Father's Forgiveness in Scripture
The concept of forgiveness in Scripture is deeply intertwined with God's character as a compassionate Father, who extends mercy and pardon to humanity. This divine forgiveness is presented as a unique prerogative of God [5].
Old Testament passages frequently describe God as "long-suffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression" [3]. For instance, Exodus 34:7 states that God keeps "loving kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and disobedience and sin" [1]. This forgiveness, however, is not presented as an automatic clearing of the guilty, as the same verse notes that God "will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the children’s children, on the third and on the fourth generation" [1]. The imagery of God as a father is used to convey His compassion; Psalm 103:13 declares, "As a father hath compassion on his children, so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him" [2]. The father's role in ancient Israelite society, as the head of the family, served as a likeness of God's authority over His creatures [4].
In the New Testament, the theme of the Father's forgiveness is prominent, particularly in the teachings of Jesus. Forgiveness of sins is considered a constituent part of justification, where God absolves the sinner from condemnation due to the work of Christ, removing the guilt of sin and the liability to eternal wrath [5]. This pardon is granted freely and abundantly [6]. The New Covenant, as described in Hebrews 8:12, emphasizes God's promise: "I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their iniquities remember no more" [9, 11].
Jesus's teachings often link receiving God's forgiveness with the human act of forgiving others. In the Lord's Prayer, believers ask God to "forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors" [12]. John Gill, in his commentary on Mark 11:25, explains that if individuals do not "freely and fully" forgive those who have trespassed against them, they cannot expect their heavenly Father to forgive their trespasses [7]. Similarly, on Matthew 18:32, Gill notes that God will act in a similar manner towards those who are "cruel and hard hearted to their brethren, and are of merciless and unforgiving spirits" [8]. This suggests that a willingness to forgive others is a reflection of a repentant heart that has experienced God's mercy [12]. The Jamieson, Fausset & Brown commentary on Ephesians 4:32 encourages believers to be "kind, tender-hearted, and forgiving" to others, "even as God hath shown Himself... to you" [10]. This forgiveness from God is "in Christ," meaning it is through Christ that God extends pardon [10].
Sources
- Exodus “keeping loving kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and disobedience and sin; and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the children’s children, on the third and on the fourth generation.” -- Exodus 34:7”
- Psalms “Psalms 103:13 (Geneva1599) — As a father hath compassion on his children, so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him.”
- Numbers “Numbers 14:18 (Webster) — The LORD [is] long-suffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing [the guilty], visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth [generation].”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Father — The position and authority of the father as the head of the family are expressly assumed and sanctioned in Scripture, as a likeness of that of the Almighty over his creatures. It lies of course at the root of that so-called patriarchal government, (Genesis 3:16; 1 Corinthians 11:3) which was introductory to the more definite systems which followed, and which in part, but not wholly, superseded it. The father's blessing was regarded as conferring special benefit, but his malediction special injury, on those on whom it fell, (Genesis 9:25,27; 27:27-40; 48:15,20”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Forgiveness of sin — One of the constituent parts of justification. In pardoning sin, God absolves the sinner from the condemnation of the law, and that on account of the work of Christ, i.e., he removes the guilt of sin, or the sinner's actual liability to eternal wrath on account of it. All sins are forgiven freely (Acts 5:31; 13:38; 1 John 1:6-9). The sinner is by this act of grace for ever freed from the guilt and penalty of his sins. This is the peculiar prerogative of God (Ps. 130:4; Mark 2:5). It is offered to all in the gospel. (See [219]JUSTIFICATION.)”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Pardon — The forgiveness of sins granted freely (Isa. 43:25), readily (Neh. 9:17; Ps. 86:5), abundantly (Isa. 55:7; Rom. 5:20). Pardon is an act of a sovereign, in pure sovereignty, granting simply a remission of the penalty due to sin, but securing neither honour nor reward to the pardoned. Justification (q.v.), on the other hand, is the act of a judge, and not of a sovereign, and includes pardon and, at the same time, a title to all the rewards and blessings promised in the covenant of life.”
- Mark (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Mark 11:25: But if ye do not forgive,.... Freely and fully, such as have trespassed against you, remit the debts they owe, and pass by the offences and injuries done you, and put up with every affront and indignity: neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses; that is, such persons do not appear to have any true, or right notions of forgiveness; nor is there any evidence that their hearts are duly affected, or truly impressed with a sense of it; nor can they, upon their own principles and conduct, expect it: not but that to whomsoever God stands in the relation of ”
- Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 18:32: So likewise shall my heavenly Father,.... This is the accommodation and application of the parable, and opens the design and intent of it; showing that God, who is Christ's Father, that is in heaven, will act in like manner towards all such persons, who are cruel and hard hearted to their brethren, and are of merciless and unforgiving spirits; for so it is said, he will do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. The phrase, "their trespasses", is omitted by the Vulgate Latin, the Arabic, and the Ethiopic versions, ”
- Hebrews (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Hebrews 8:12: For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness,.... That is, sin; for all unrighteousness is sin, being contrary to the justice of God, and his righteous law: and the phrase is expressive of God's forgiveness of it, which is a very considerable article of the covenant of grace; mercy is the spring and original of pardon; it is what God delights in, and therefore he pardons freely; it is large and abundant, and hence he pardons fully; and this lays a foundation for hope in sensible sinners: and the way and means, in and by which God pardons, is the propitiatory sacri”
- Ephesians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ephesians 4:32: (Luk 7:42; Col 3:12). even as--God hath shown Himself "kind, tender-hearted, and forgiving to you"; it is but just that you in turn shall be so to your fellow men, who have not erred against you in the degree that you have erred against God (Mat 18:33). God for Christ's sake--rather as Greek, "God in Christ" (Co2 5:19). It is in Christ that God vouchsafes forgiveness to us. It cost God the death of His Son, as man, to forgive us. It costs us nothing to forgive our fellow man. hath forgiven--rather as Greek, "forgave you." God has, once for all”
- Hebrews (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Hebrews 8:12: For, &c.--the third of "the better promises" (Heb 8:6). The forgiveness of sins is, and will be, the root of this new state of inward grace and knowledge of the Lord. Sin being abolished, sinners obtain grace. I will be merciful--Greek, "propitious"; the Hebrew, "salach," is always used of God only in relation to men. and their iniquities--not found in Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, and one oldest Greek manuscript; but most oldest manuscripts have the words (compare Heb 10:17). remember no more--Contrast the law, Heb 10:3.”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 6:12: 6:12 as we have forgiven (see also 6:14-15; 18:21-35): Forgiving others is a reflection of a repentant, regenerate heart, which makes our own forgiveness possible. Those who have experienced God’s forgiveness will forgive. Jesus implies that those who are unwilling to forgive have not perceived God’s mercy, and perhaps have never truly repented.”