‘If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says ‘I repent,’ forgive him.’ (Luke 17:3b-4)

I have always found this verse to be a bit rich and pastorally insensitive. In fact this whole idea of what appears to be unconditional forgiveness seems to be a big ask – and it is not only mentioned here in Luke.

In the gospel of Matthew the disciple Peter asks Jesus ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?’ and Jesus answers ‘not seven times, but seventy-seven times’!

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