Take heed to yourselves The following lesson of forgiveness is added because the hard repellent spirit of aggressive Pharisaism and spiritual pride was of all others the most likely to cause offences. It broke up the bruised reed, and stamped on the smoking flax.

If thy brother trespass against thee Rather, If he sin, omitting "against thee."Comp. Matthew 18:15-17; Matthew 18:21-22.

rebuke him...forgive him The former duty had been fully recognised in the old dispensation (Leviticus 19:17; Proverbs 17:10); the latter far more distinctly and emphatically in the new (Matthew 18:15). The former is only intended as a help to the latter, 1 Thessalonians 5:14.

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