The answer is: 490

Matt 18:22

In Matthew 18:22, when Jesus replied with an astounding number—“seventy times seven”—to Peter's inquiry about how many times we ought to forgive someone who wrongs us, He wasn't being literal about a specific count. Instead, Jesus was signaling a boundless spirit of forgiveness, suggesting it should exceed ordinary expectations. Who would want to keep track anyway?

To put 490 times into perspective, think about an athlete trying for their biggest goal—the repeating practice that shapes skill. Jesus’ ethos here echoes in the Talmudic thought of ‘forgive often’ as a virtue. At this time, the Jewish law considered forgiving someone three times, after which they might be overstepping. Jesus flips that idea on its head, urging His followers toward a mentality that reflects divine grace.

Throughout the Bible, forgiveness looms large. Remember the Parable of the Prodigal Son? The father's forgiving spirit — recognizing the son’s regret, and waiving the suffering he caused — illustrates that forgiving should transcend our grievances. And let’s not skip the vibrancy of Peter's excitement. He fancied leniency might win an applauding gaze from Jesus, but the lesson was not to quantify forgiveness—it was to embrace the expansive love of forgiveness itself.

In a world rife with conflict, understanding this call can be transformational and liberating! It's a paradoxical challenge, integrating patience and mercy as deliberate acts, reflecting divine grace. Catch yourself if you start to count— just keep forgiving!