Seventy Times Seven

Peter came up to him and said, “Lord, how many times will my brother sin against me and I will forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven!
Matthew 18:21-22 (LEB)

Understanding forgiveness is the real key to successful Christianity – because it is by entrusting judgment to God that we free ourselves from all anxieties associated with injustice where justice is outside our own power.

In this verse, Peter comes up to Jesus with a question that we might feel too embarrassed to ask, but nonetheless, it shows how much times have changed that Peter had heard of Jesus’ message of forgiveness and had thought that it would be generous to limit his forgiveness.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, do not resist the evildoer, but whoever strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him also.
Jesus Christ, Matthew 5:38-39 (LEB)

Even today, after the doctrines of Christianity have been discussed, ratified, challenged and reformed, this is a difficult concept to grasp, almost as if it were unnatural – and even though it is part of the most famous of Jesus’ teachings! It is one of those questions that even an experienced Evangelist might find themselves asking.

We see there is an everlasting need to remain childlike, in humility acknowledging that despite our own status, whatever we have achieved, we have a High Priest who is holy and who always lives to intercede for the transgressors. In fact, I don’t know of a more beautiful reality than this one thing alone that Christianity offers: The Holy Spirit is always able to speak in our presence, whether it be to our comfort in our affliction or to humble us by conviction.

Consequently, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Who will bring charges against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies. Who is the one who condemns? Christ is the one who died, and more than that, who was raised, who is also at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.
St. Paul, Romans 8:1,33-34 (LEB)

Somebody mentioned to me a few days ago that he doesn’t believe any form of government can produce a righteous society – except if it is a theocracy with Jesus as the king. Such a statement is robust because the only way we can all trust in each other is if we are doing right to each other – and the Christian literature is meant to teach us those precepts (2 Timothy 3:16-17). But we also need sound judgment whenever disagreements are found, in order to prove where the one has deviated from the precepts of God’s ways (Matthew 22:16).

Jesus says in Matthew 12:25 that the strength of a house, turned against itself, will exert its power in a self-destructive way – and that is exactly what we see in the world’s way of politics (Mark 10:42).

Christians need to be different than that, because if Christianity does not operate within God’s expectations, He is unable to rule in their favour. That is precisely why Jesus laid down His life: in order to take up His position as High Priest and shepherd for as long as it takes to complete His Messianic duty (Hebrews 7:23-24).

Who is the one who condemns?
St. Paul, Romans 8:1,34 (LEB)

If you forgive people their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.But if you do not forgive people, neither will your Father forgive your sins.
Jesus Christ, Matthew 6:14-15 (LEB)

.. so it is Our Heavenly Father who condemns, and if Jesus Christ is the one who intercedes for us at the right hand of God, then who exactly is the one bringing charges against the elect?

The thief comes only so that he can steal and kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
Jesus Christ, John 10:10 (LEB)

Jesus says it is a thief, and although He has come that we may have life in abundance, there is a thief who has come to steal, to kill and to destroy.

St. John wrote of that thief coming in the Christian era, naming the spirit as the antichrist. He said “every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God, and this is the spirit of the antichrist” (1 John 4:3).

Now, the most heartbreaking thing about Christianity is the unwillingness of Christians to admit that their brother is right. That is the whole underlying reason why this theocracy that God has intended, just isn’t happening. They say they believe in Jesus, but when He speaks to them, they do not see Him. Who are they looking at?

Everyone who acknowledges me before people, I also will acknowledge him before my Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies me before people, I also will deny him before my Father who is in heaven.
Jesus Christ, Matthew 10:32-33

We have to wonder how a person can even consider themselves Christian at all in light of such powerful words of conviction. Jesus has said plainly “wherever there are two or three gathered in my name, I am in the midst of them” – and we see Christians arguing with each other all the time! .. how can this be?

If we or an angel from heaven should proclaim a gospel to you contrary to what we proclaimed to you, let him be accursed!
St. Paul, Galatians 1:8 (LEB)

That’s a very strong statement for a Christian to make, isn’t it? .. a man who no doubt understood what Jesus had said in Matthew 5:43-44. But look, he immediately repeats it in verse 9:

As we said before, and now I say again, if anyone is proclaiming a gospel to you contrary to what you have received, let him be accursed!
St. Paul, Galatians 1:9 (LEB)

.. and what else? He says he has said it before. So this is a very grim warning for anybody who thinks they have a right to call themselves Christian, and yet they are not preaching the same gospel as St. Paul preached. It should not be surprising to see that if they are preaching a contrary gospel, they are preaching the message of the thief, the antichrist.

Why are they accursed, we have to ask. What would make a person, of all people in the world, a person who calls themself a Christian, liable to be cursed in the name of Jesus by a man of such stature as Paul?

I am astonished that you are turning away so quickly from the one who called you by the grace of Christ
St. Paul, Galatians 1:6 (LEB)

They were turning away from the one who called them by the grace of Christ. That’s a significant reason for the curse upon the one who is luring them with a false gospel: Paul says that the gospel they had received in the first place was the one and only gospel leading to salvation! .. who is the one that he says they were turning away from? His letter is riddled with hints:

you know that because of an illness of the flesh I proclaimed the gospel to you ~~the first time~~ previously.And you did not despise or disdain what was a trial for you in my flesh, but you welcomed me like an angel of God, like Christ Jesus.So where is your blessing? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me!
St. Paul, Galatians 4:13-15 (LEB, adapted)

Here, he is clearly emphasising that the gospel he brought to them the first time he visited them, was the gospel they had received (although it seems they had first heard it from other missionaries).

So there is a common spirit in the authentic Christian gospel, and he identifies that specifically in saying that they had received him as though they were receiving Christ Jesus Himself.

Therefore does the one who gives you the Spirit and who works miracles among you do so by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
St. Paul, Galatians 3:5 (LEB)

Pay close attention to the words in this expression here. St. Paul is not speaking about any human being, but God Himself. Look at this:

Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, the Son can do nothing from himself except what he sees the Father doing. For whatever that one does, these things also the Son does likewise.
John 5:19 (LEB)

Here is the truth found in the authentic gospel of Jesus Christ: “Christ lives in me, and that life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God” (Galatians 2:20 (LEB)).

This is why the false teachers are so severely accursed. Not only do they deny the Word of God who speaks in our midst, but they bewitch our brethren to follow in the path to misrepresent the gospel of salvation.

If that seems only to be consequential and unfortunate in your reckoning, you have fine sense of justice, because it truly wouldn’t come upon them if it weren’t for the temptation of the deceiver. But because it has happened, we are forced to respect the judgment of the heavenly father in subjecting them to the deceiver (1 Timothy 1:20). Afterall, they did chose to follow him didn’t they?

[sic: The coming of the lawless one] is in accordance with the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with every unrighteous deception against those who are perishing, in place of which they did not accept the love of the truth, so that they would be saved. And because of this, God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie,in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth, but delighted in unrighteousness.
St. Paul, 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12

Right there is the key to understanding the reason that they did not receive a pardon: they did not believe the truth, but delighted in unrighteousness.

Do not speak evil of one another, brothers. The one who speaks evil of a brother or judges his brother speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of the law.There is one lawgiver and judge who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
St. James, James 4:11-12

A rhetorical question with a fairly simple answer: the one who judges his brother is one who is not content with the Lord’s judgment. He is one who puts his own wrath in place of purity, that his voice is heard in place of the voice of our Lord.

Let us read on from Matthew 18:24, where Jesus tells a parable to St. Peter about a man who was pardoned by the king for a debt he owed to the king and that he was unable to pay. When he was free, he began to choke a man who was indebted to him, and despite the man begging for mercy, he did not relent. This is given to explain to St. Peter the reason why He had said we must forgive our brethren seven times seventy times. There is a significance in that number, much more important than defining a limit. Jesus has directed Peter to consider a reference to a scripture in Genesis:

Lamech said to his wives,
“Adah and Zillah, listen to my voice;
    O wives of Lamech, hear my words.
I have killed a man for wounding me,
    Even a young man for injuring me.
If Cain is avenged sevenfold,
    Then Lamech will be avenged seventy and seven times.
Genesis 4:23-24

This man, Lamech, was expecting greater vengeance from God for having killed a man for a reason he perceived as far more just than Cain’s.

A close look at the text shows us that Lamech had been set upon by a young man who had meant to do harm to him. In fact he was injured and the young man had intended to harm him. We are talking about premeditated assault.

Lamech had reasoned that because God had pledged protection for Cain after he had murdered his righteous brother Abel, that for his having killed a young man who had attacked him with malice, he should deserve more than multiples of the same protection.

Jesus tells Peter a parable to make him think about where his question is coming from. He essentially tells Peter that he has no protection from God for thinking that he has a right to condemn his brother, because the debt that his brother owed to him was ultimately owed to God.

This story is meant to help us appreciate the real quality of salvation through forgiveness, that only Christianity can give. When we realise that our debt has been canceled and our life is free by that fact alone, then we realise that we are no worse to have debtors who refuse to pay their dues, because ultimately, any debt that is owed to us, we owe to the king who pardoned us.

If you consider the situation if the king had not pardoned him, then he would have had valid cause to demand his debtor pay the 100 denarii, because he was being threatened by the king with jail on account of it. This is what infuriated the king, because the king had been so generous to him and he had been so greedy as a result.

There’s an extra dimension in Christianity too, whereby Matthew 25:31-46 shows us that the king himself is bringing charges against those who do sin against us. In that way we have the responsibility to let go of the grievance and let God do the talking. It is difficult for Jesus to be seen in us when we are letting the flesh control our person. If we truly let go of the resentment of our hurting, then we are able to give others the pure love and service they need, and He can do His work in that spirit, to bring them back to salvation (James 5:19-20).

If we truly do love our brethren who have sinned against us, we will realise that it is far more serious that we deny such service to them, because it is already evident that their soul is ensnared by the thief. Love does no harm to a neighbour, therefore our duty to them is to forgive that Jesus may preach His divine message through the opportunity He has, as king, and as being in a position to demand the debt they owe to Him.

Somewhere in the scriptures, St. Paul has said “do not be like Cain, who murdered his brother because his deeds were righteous”, and here we see that Jesus is saying “do not be like Lamech who thought God should have pardoned him seventy times more”.

Genesis 4:23-24 (LEB)

ThenOr “And” Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, listen to my voice; O wives of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding me, Even a young man for injuring me.23ThenOr “And” Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, listen to my voice; O wives of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding me, Even a young man for injuring me.24If Cain is avenged sevenfold, Then Lamech will be avenged seventy and seven times.24If Cain is avenged sevenfold, Then Lamech will be avenged seventy and seven times.

1 John 4:3 (LEB)

and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God, and this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.3and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God, and this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.

Matthew 18:21-22 (LEB)

The Parable of the Unforgiving SlaveThen Peter came up to him andHere “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“came up”) has been translated as a finite verb said,Some manuscripts have “Then Peter came up and said to him” “Lord, how many times will my brother sin against me and I will forgive him? Up to seven times?”21The Parable of the Unforgiving SlaveThen Peter came up to him andHere “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“came up”) has been translated as a finite verb said,Some manuscripts have “Then Peter came up and said to him” “Lord, how many times will my brother sin against me and I will forgive him? Up to seven times?”22Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven!Or “seventy-seven times”22Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven!Or “seventy-seven times”

Matthew 10:32-33 (LEB)

“Therefore everyone who acknowledges me before people, I also will acknowledge him before my Father who is in heaven.32“Therefore everyone who acknowledges me before people, I also will acknowledge him before my Father who is in heaven.33But whoever denies me before people, I also will deny him before my Father who is in heaven.33But whoever denies me before people, I also will deny him before my Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 25:31-46 (LEB)

The Judgment of the Sheep and the GoatsNow when the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.31The Judgment of the Sheep and the GoatsNow when the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.32And all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them from one another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.32And all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them from one another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.33And he will place the sheep on his right and the goats on the left.33And he will place the sheep on his right and the goats on the left.34Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world!34Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world!35For I was hungry and you gave me somethingsupplied from English context to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me somethingsupplied from English context to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me as a guest,35For I was hungry and you gave me somethingsupplied from English context to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me somethingsupplied from English context to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me as a guest,36I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you cared for me, I was in prison and you came to me.’36I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you cared for me, I was in prison and you came to me.’37Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,*supplied from English context or thirsty and give you somethingsupplied from English context to drink?37Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,*supplied from English context or thirsty and give you somethingsupplied from English context to drink?38And when did we see you a stranger and welcome yousupplied from English context as a guest, or naked and clothe you?*supplied from English context38And when did we see you a stranger and welcome yousupplied from English context as a guest, or naked and clothe you?*supplied from English context39And when did we see you sick or in prison and come to you?’39And when did we see you sick or in prison and come to you?’40And the king will answer andHere “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“will answer”) has been translated as a finite verb say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, in as much as you did itsupplied from English context to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did itsupplied from English context to me.’40And the king will answer andHere “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“will answer”) has been translated as a finite verb say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, in as much as you did itsupplied from English context to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did itsupplied from English context to me.’41Then he will also say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed ones, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels!41Then he will also say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed ones, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels!42For I was hungry and you did not give me anythingsupplied from English context to eat, I was thirsty and you did not give me anythingsupplied from English context to drink,42For I was hungry and you did not give me anythingsupplied from English context to eat, I was thirsty and you did not give me anythingsupplied from English context to drink,43I was a stranger and you did not welcome me as a guest, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not care for me.’43I was a stranger and you did not welcome me as a guest, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not care for me.’44Then they will also answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and not serve you?’44Then they will also answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and not serve you?’45Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly I say to you, in as much as you did not do itsupplied from English context to one of the least of these, you did not do itsupplied from English context to me.’45Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly I say to you, in as much as you did not do itsupplied from English context to one of the least of these, you did not do itsupplied from English context to me.’46And these will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”46And these will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Matthew 5:38-39 (LEB)

The Sermon on the Mount: Retaliation“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’from Exod 21:24; Lev 24:2038The Sermon on the Mount: Retaliation“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’from Exod 21:24; Lev 24:2039But I say to you, do not resist the evildoer, but whoever strikes you on the right cheek,Some manuscripts have “your right cheek” turn the other to him also.39But I say to you, do not resist the evildoer, but whoever strikes you on the right cheek,Some manuscripts have “your right cheek” turn the other to him also.

Matthew 6:14-15 (LEB)

For if you forgive people their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.14For if you forgive people their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.15But if you do not forgive people, neither will your Father forgive your sins.15But if you do not forgive people, neither will your Father forgive your sins.

Matthew 5:43-44 (LEB)

The Sermon on the Mount: Love for Enemies“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’from Lev 19:18 and ‘Hate your enemy.’An allusion to Deut 23:3–643The Sermon on the Mount: Love for Enemies“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’from Lev 19:18 and ‘Hate your enemy.’An allusion to Deut 23:3–644But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,44But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

Matthew 22:16 (LEB)

And they sent their disciples to him with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and you do not care what anyone thinks,“it is not a care to you concerning anyone” because you do not regard the opinion of people.“because you do not look at the face of men”16And they sent their disciples to him with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and you do not care what anyone thinks,“it is not a care to you concerning anyone” because you do not regard the opinion of people.“because you do not look at the face of men”

Matthew 12:25 (LEB)

But knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.25But knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.

Matthew 18:24 (LEB)

And whenHere “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“began”) he began to settle them,*supplied from English context someone was brought to him who owed ten thousand talents.24And whenHere “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“began”) he began to settle them,*supplied from English context someone was brought to him who owed ten thousand talents.

Mark 10:42 (LEB)

And Jesus called them to himself andHere “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“called … to himself”) has been translated as a finite verb said to them, “You know that those who are considered to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their people in high positions exercise authority over them.42And Jesus called them to himself andHere “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“called … to himself”) has been translated as a finite verb said to them, “You know that those who are considered to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their people in high positions exercise authority over them.

John 10:10 (LEB)

The thief comes only“does not come except” so that he can steal and kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, and have itsupplied from English context abundantly.10The thief comes only“does not come except” so that he can steal and kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, and have itsupplied from English context abundantly.

John 5:19 (LEB)

The Authority of the SonSo Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, the Son can do nothing from himself except what he sees the Father doing. For whatever that one does, these things also the Son does likewise.19The Authority of the SonSo Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, the Son can do nothing from himself except what he sees the Father doing. For whatever that one does, these things also the Son does likewise.

Romans 8:1 (LEB)

Set Free from the Law of Sin and DeathConsequently, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.Set Free from the Law of Sin and DeathConsequently, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 4:13-15 (LEB)

Paul’s Personal AppealBut you know that because of an illness of the flesh I proclaimed the gospel to you the first time.13Paul’s Personal AppealBut you know that because of an illness of the flesh I proclaimed the gospel to you the first time.14And you did not despise or disdain what was a trial for you in my flesh, but you welcomed me like an angel of God, like Christ Jesus.14And you did not despise or disdain what was a trial for you in my flesh, but you welcomed me like an angel of God, like Christ Jesus.15So where is your blessing? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me!15So where is your blessing? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me!

Galatians 2:20 (LEB)

and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me, and that life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.20and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me, and that life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 1:8 (LEB)

But even if we or an angel from heaven should proclaim a gospel to you contrary to what we proclaimed to you, let him be accursed!8But even if we or an angel from heaven should proclaim a gospel to you contrary to what we proclaimed to you, let him be accursed!

Galatians 1:9 (LEB)

As we said before, and now I say again, if anyone is proclaiming a gospel to you contrary to what you have received, let him be accursed!9As we said before, and now I say again, if anyone is proclaiming a gospel to you contrary to what you have received, let him be accursed!

Galatians 1:6 (LEB)

A Different GospelI am astonished that you are turning away so quickly from the one who called you by the grace of Christ to a different gospel,6A Different GospelI am astonished that you are turning away so quickly from the one who called you by the grace of Christ to a different gospel,

Galatians 3:5 (LEB)

Therefore does the one who gives you the Spirit and who works miracles among you do so by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?5Therefore does the one who gives you the Spirit and who works miracles among you do so by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 (LEB)

whose coming is in accordance with the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders,9whose coming is in accordance with the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders,10and with every unrighteous deception against those who are perishing, in place of which they did not accept the love of the truth, so that they would be saved.10and with every unrighteous deception against those who are perishing, in place of which they did not accept the love of the truth, so that they would be saved.11And because of this, God sends them a powerful delusion“a working of deceit” so that they will believe the lie,11And because of this, God sends them a powerful delusion“a working of deceit” so that they will believe the lie,12in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth, but delighted in unrighteousness.12in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth, but delighted in unrighteousness.

1 Timothy 1:20 (LEB)

among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, in order that they may be taught not to blaspheme.20among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, in order that they may be taught not to blaspheme.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (LEB)

All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness,16All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness,17in order that the person of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.17in order that the person of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

Hebrews 7:23-24 (LEB)

And indeed many have become“are having become” priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office,23And indeed many have become“are having become” priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office,24but he, because he continues forever“for the age”, holds the priesthood permanently.24but he, because he continues forever“for the age”, holds the priesthood permanently.

James 4:11-12 (LEB)

Do not speak evil of one another, brothers. The one who speaks evil of a brother or judges his brother speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of the law.The words “of the law” are not in the Greek text, but are an understood repetition from the previous clause11Do not speak evil of one another, brothers. The one who speaks evil of a brother or judges his brother speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of the law.The words “of the law” are not in the Greek text, but are an understood repetition from the previous clause12There is one lawgiver and judge who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your“the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun neighbor?12There is one lawgiver and judge who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your“the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun neighbor?

James 5:19-20 (LEB)

My brothers, if anyone among you should wander away from the truth and someone turns him back,19My brothers, if anyone among you should wander away from the truth and someone turns him back,20he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from the error of his way will save that person’s“his,” but in context this refers to the sinner, not the person who turns the sinner back soul from death, and will cover over a great number of sins.20he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from the error of his way will save that person’s“his,” but in context this refers to the sinner, not the person who turns the sinner back soul from death, and will cover over a great number of sins.