Verse 13. Forbearing one another. See Barnes "Eph 4:2". And forgiving one another. See Barnes "Mt 6:12, See Barnes "Mt 6:14". If any man have a quarrel against any. Marg., "or complaint." The word here used momfh occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It means, fault found, blame, censure; and here denotes occasion of complaint. The idea is, that if another one has given us just occasion of complaint, we are to forgive him; that is, we are (1.) to harbour no malice against him; (2.) we are to be ready to do him good as if he had not given us occasion of complaint; (3.) we are to be willing to declare that we forgive him when he asks it; and (4.) we are always afterwards to treat him as kindly as if he had not injured us -- - a God treats us when he forgives us. See Barnes "Mt 18:21". Even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. Learn here that Christ has power to forgive sin. Comp. See Barnes "Mt 9:6"; See Barnes "Ac 5:31". Christ forgave us (1.) freely -- -he did not hesitate or delay when we asked him; (2.) entirely -- he pardoned all our offences; (3.)for ever -- -he did it so as to remember our sins no more, and to treat us ever onward as if we had not sinned. So we should forgive an offending brother. {g} "Forbearing" Mr 11:25; Eph 4:2,32 {h} "forgiving" Mt 6:14,15 {1} "quarrel" "complaint" |