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Gospel of Matthew Theme of Compassion and Forgiveness

If there's one thing Jesus can do—wait, scratch that. Jesus can do pretty much anything. But he might just be best at forgiveness. Pretty much everyone in Matthew's Gospel turns their back on the guy (Peter, his main man, does it thrice!), and he forgives all of 'em. Of course, Jesus isn't just forgiving these folks for everyday flubs. He's forgiving them of their sins. Remember that paralytic guy whom Jesus heals in Chapter 9? How's that for a one-two punch of compassion and forgiveness? In Matthew, the two seem to go hand in hand.

Questions About Compassion and Forgiveness

  1. Is there anyone in Matthew whom Jesus doesn't forgive? 
  2. Is Jesus overly compassionate? Is it possible that he'd make more of an impact if he laid down the law a bit more harshly?
  3. Do any of Jesus's gazilli—ahem, twenty-four parables touch on compassion or forgiveness?