November 02, 2022 – Wednesday
Mark 11:25-26 RGT
25 “But when you shall stand and pray, forgive (if you have anything against anyone) that your Father also, Who is in Heaven, may forgive you your trespasses.
26 “For if you will not forgive, your Father Who is in Heaven will not pardon you your trespasses.”
Comment
Why the RGT (Revised Geneva Translation)? Because if you look in your NIV, ESV, CJB, and NET Bibles you will not find verse 26. A few will have a note pointing to Matthew 6:15, saying some manuscripts have words similar to those there.
Using the RGT let’s see how similar they are.
26 “For if you will not forgive, your Father Who is in Heaven will not pardon you your trespasses.”
15 “But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, no more will your Father forgive you your trespasses.
They are indeed very similar, but what are we being told by these two verses told in very different circumstances? In Mark prior to the two verses for today, Jesus is speaking to His disciples about the power of prayer stating in the preceding verse 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever you desire when you pray, believe that you shall have it and it shall be done to you.
This along with the two verses above leads to the Believer’s Bible Commentary comment on this, An unforgiving spirit in a believer breaks fellowship with the Father in heaven and hinders the flow of blessings.
Matthew 6:14-15 verses immediately follow the Lord’s prayer, after the Amen. 14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 “But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, no more will your Father forgive you your trespasses. These verses seem to leave no ‘wiggle’ room at all and they seem intended to emphasize and strengthen verse twelve in the Lord’s prayer, 12 “And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.
Tomorrow we will go further, but it is clear to anyone reading what Jesus is saying and emphasizing, Christians are to be known for their forgiving.
Bottom Line: Jesus has made it clear we are, as Christians, are to be able to forgive those who are indebted to us or have trespassed against us or have sinned against us. Let us remember this every day.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, For Your own reasons You have instructed us to forgive as You have forgiven us for so much. Please help us to look into our hearts and forgive even when we do not wish to do so. – In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
RileyD, nwJ
Riley D. Driver – Pastor
Calvary Chapel of Dayton
in Beavercreek