Matthew 18:21-23 (King James Version)

 

 21Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

 

 22Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

 

 23Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.

 

*** 

 

Jesus and James the Less sat at the edge of the big lake and watched as the fishermen made their way to shore with their catch. As they barely reached the shore, Peter threw his brother Andrew out of the boat and caught hold of him by the upper arm and fairly marched him over to the Rabbi.

 

“I’ve had it with this guy!” cried Peter, presenting him to Jesus. Both men barely acknowledged when James cried out in delight, “Hi, Peter! Hi, Andrew!”

 

Andrew hung his head and wouldn’t look at Jesus.

 

“What’s going on?” asked Jesus.

 

“This son-of-a… this… person!” spat Peter, “keeps bothering me for no reason! He sins against me! I forgive him and he does it again!”

 

Andrew just looked at the ground and smirked.

 

“I’m not sure that I understand,” said the Rabbi, “what exactly does he do, er, or say?”

 

“He says something that I don’t like,” said Peter, slightly defensively. Andrew smirked just a little louder now, or let’s say, more openly. Peter’s back stiffened some and he pulled in his chin.

 

Jesus gave the palms up shrug and shook his head non comprende, compadre.

 

Peter scrunched one side of his jaw and spoke small-ly down to the ground, “He keeps saying, ‘Peter’s a dick.’”

 

This made Andrew chuckle audibly, pleased with himself to have placed a burr so deeply under his brother’s saddle.

 

But then Jesus looked up at him in a way that Andrew couldn’t avoid and now Andrew felt quite juvenile.   He hung his head even lower, becoming slightly disgusted with himself, more for goading Peter to the point of appealing to the Rabbi.

 

Jesus, feigning uncertainty, said, “Let’s see if I remember: you’re brothers, right?”

 

Peter and Andrew now were beginning to feel petty and childish. But Peter, trying to recover some dignity while putting the blame on Andrew, demanded, “How many times do I have to forgive my brother when he sins against me? Seven times?”

 

But before Jesus could answer, James spoke up loudly, saying, “Seven times seventy! Seven times seventy!”

 

A look of horror passed over Peter’s face and he exclaimed, “Seven times seventy?! D’ya mean four hundred forty times??!!”

 

Jesus turned to look at James and clapped him on the back and said, “James, when you speak you get right to the point.” Then he turned to Peter and Andrew and said, “Boys.” And he paused for a long time before continuing and he looked both men deeply in the eyes, first Andrew and then Peter. They both felt thoroughly shamed and Jesus said, “A man’s enemies shall be of his own house! Never, never, never stop forgiving.”

 

Peter finally released his grip on Andrew’s arm and said, “Sorry for bothering you, Rabbi.” 

 

“Why is it that brothers treat each other this way?” asked Jesus.

 

Andrew shrugged and said, “Yeah, I’m sorry for bothering you, too, Rabbi,” mumbled Andrew.

 

And James spoke again saying, “I wish I had a brother.”

 

The brothers were now mortified at their childish behavior, embarrassed, but glad that it hadn’t been in front of a larger group.

 

“Why don’t you guys come with me and become fishers of men?”

 

“What about our boats? Our nets?” they asked.

 

“Just leave them! Come!”

 

And, yes, they left everything to follow Jesus and Peter, shaking his head, muttered, “four hundred sixty seventy times more.”