Matthew 6:12
and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Matthew 6:12
and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This prayer isn't just a request for God to cancel our offenses; it’s a declaration that we’ve already canceled others’. The Greek wording implies a completed action: we are asking God to forgive us in the same way that we have already forgiven those who owe us, suggesting our past forgiveness is the condition for God's present forgiveness. This highlights that forgiveness is a reciprocal, active principle, not just a passive hope.
Jesus is teaching his disciples how to pray in the context of the Sermon on the Mount, showing them a model prayer that covers all essential aspects of a relationship with God. This specific petition flows directly from asking for God's will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, implying that our own failures and offenses prevent that divine will from being fully realized in our lives. The verse connects our spiritual well-being directly to our willingness to forgive others who have wronged us.
When Jesus calls our sins 'debts,' what does that really mean? It's more than just a financial metaphor; it speaks to our obligation and the satisfaction required.
What is a 'Debt' in God's Eyes?
Jesus uses the word 'debts' (in Greek, ophelemata) to describe our sins. This isn't just about owing money, but about owing something fundamental to God – obedience, righteousness, and honoring His law.
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This concept highlights the seriousness of sin and our inability to pay off this debt on our own. It sets the stage for understanding how this debt is handled.
Jesus is bold here: our forgiveness from God is directly linked to our willingness to forgive others. What does this 'as' truly signify?
The Echo of Our Hearts
The word 'as' (in Greek, hos) in this petition is crucial. It doesn't necessarily mean our forgiveness is equal in measure or that our forgiveness earns God's forgiveness. Instead, it points to a conditional relationship and a reflection of our inner state.
This petition is a powerful reminder that our relationship with God is intertwined with our relationships with others.
Understand the original words
opheilēma · Greek Noun
A term used metaphorically to represent sin or moral failures. It signifies a debt or obligation owed to God because of disobedience, which man is unable to pay.
aphiēmi · Greek Verb
To release from a penalty, debt, or obligation. Biblically, it signifies the act of God remitting the guilt of sin, and the believer's subsequent duty to grant release to those who have wronged them.
The concept of 'debts' in this prayer likely resonated with a Roman-influenced audience familiar with the crushing weight of financial obligation, while simultaneously drawing on a deeply spiritual understanding of sin as a debt owed to God that only He could cancel.
c. 70 BC - 30 BC
Roman Republic's Growing Debt Crisis
During the late Roman Republic, widespread debt, fueled by military campaigns and social inequality, became a significant economic and social problem. This created a cultural awareness of 'debts' as burdens that could be forgiven or forgiven by others.
c. 27 BC - AD 64
Pax Romana and Social Tensions
The establishment of the Roman Empire brought a period of relative peace, but underlying social and economic tensions persisted. Debts, both personal and societal, remained a constant concern for many.
c. AD 28-30— this verse
Jesus Teaches the Lord's Prayer
Jesus teaches his disciples what is now known as the Lord's Prayer, including the petition 'Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.' This prayer became a cornerstone of Christian practice and teaching.
c. AD 40-50
Early Church Grapples with Forgiveness
As the early Christian communities formed, the concept and practice of forgiveness became central. Debates and teachings addressed how believers should relate to each other and to those outside the community.
c. AD 60-65
Paul's Letters to Churches
Apostle Paul's letters, written during this period, frequently address themes of forgiveness, reconciliation, and living in community, reinforcing the teachings of Jesus.
This Psalm beautifully illustrates God's principle of reciprocity: 'With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless you show yourself blameless; with the pure you show yourself pure, but with the crooked you deal crookedly.' This directly echoes the Lord's Prayer's condition for receiving forgiveness.
Jesus tells the parable of the unforgiving servant, where a king cancels a massive debt for his servant, who then refuses to forgive a small debt owed to him. This parable is a powerful expansion of Matthew 6:12, showing the dire consequences of unforgiveness when we ourselves have been shown immense mercy.
This parallel account of the Lord's Prayer uses the word 'sins' instead of 'debts.' It highlights that our 'debts' to God are essentially our sins, emphasizing that what we ask God to forgive is our wrongdoing against Him.
Colossians 3:13Paul directly instructs believers to 'bear with each other and forgive one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; as Christ forgave you, so you also must forgive.' This letter underscores that our forgiveness of others is not optional but a direct outflow of Christ's forgiveness towards us.
1 John 1:9This verse provides the assurance of forgiveness when we confess our sins: 'If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' It complements the Lord's Prayer by showing God's faithful willingness to forgive when we acknowledge our 'debts.'
barnesMatthew 6:12: "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors."
And forgive us our debts ... - The word "debts" is used here figuratively. It does not mean "literally" that we are "debtors to God," but that our sins have a resemblance to debts. Debtors are those who are bound to others for some claim in commercial transactions; for something which we have had, and for which we are bound to pay according to contract. "Literally" there can be no such transaction between God and us. It must b…
vincentMatthew 6:12: "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors."
Debts (ὀφειλήματα)So, rightly, A. V., and Rev. (compare Luke 11:4). Sin is pictured as a debt, and the sinner as a debtor (compare Matthew 18:28, Matthew 18:30). Accordingly the word represents sin both as a wrong and as requiring satisfaction. In contrast with the prayer, "Forgive us our debts," Tholuck ("Sermon on the Mount") quotes the prayer of Apollonius of Tyana, "O ye gods, give me the things which are owing to me."Fo…
This prayer isn't just a request for God to cancel our offenses; it’s a declaration that we’ve already canceled others’. The Greek wording implies a completed action: we are asking God to forgive us in the same way that we have already forgiven those who owe us, suggesting our past forgiveness is the condition for God's present forgiveness. This highlights that forgiveness is a reciprocal, active principle, not just a passive hope.
Jesus is teaching his disciples how to pray in the context of the Sermon on the Mount, showing them a model prayer that covers all essential aspects of a relationship with God. This specific petition flows directly from asking for God's will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, implying that our own failures and offenses prevent that divine will from being fully realized in our lives. The verse connects our spiritual well-being directly to our willingness to forgive others who have wronged us.
Jesus is teaching his disciples how to pray in the context of the Sermon on the Mount, showing them a model prayer that covers all essential aspects of a relationship with God. This specific petition flows directly from asking for God's will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, implying that our own failures and offenses prevent that divine will from being fully realized in our lives. The verse connects our spiritual well-being directly to our willingness to forgive others who have wronged us.
"and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors." — This prayer isn't just a request for God to cancel our offenses; it’s a declaration that we’ve already canceled others’. The Greek wording implies a completed action: we are asking God to forgive us…
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