those who have done them wrong have refused to ask pardon. I mean, I've
SERMON 211 131
There are persons of humble status in terms of this world's classes, who start putting on airs if you ask their pardon. This is what I mean: sometimes a master sins against his slave—because even though one's a master, the other a slave, still they are both the slaves of a third party, because both have been bought by the blood of Christ. Still, it seems hard that I should give this command, this injunction, that if a master happens to wrong his slave, by unjustly picking on him, unjustly beating him, he should say, "Forgive me, please grant me pardon." Not that he ought not to do it, but in case the other should start getting proud. So what then? In the presence of God he must be sorry, in God's eyes he must punish his heart, and if he can't say to his slave, because it isn't fitting, "Please grant me pardon," he must speak to him in a friendly way.6 A friendly approach is a way of asking pardon.
If you are ready to forgive, you have already forgiven
5. It remains for me to address those who have been wronged by others, and those who have done them wrong have refused to ask pardon. I mean, I've already spoken to those who have refused to grant pardon to the brothers or sisters who ask for it. So now, when I'm addressing all of you about not letting your quarrels continue, because these are holy days, I expect there are some of you who have been thinking to yourselves, that you know you have some quarrels with your brothers or sisters, and you are quite certain that it isn't you that have done them wrong, but they that have wronged you. Even if you aren't talking to me now, because it's my job to speak in this place, and yours to keep quiet and listen, still, perhaps you are talking in your thoughts, and saying to yourselves, "I want to make it up, but he did me harm, he sinned against me, and won't ask my pardon."
So what now? Am I going to say, "You go to him and ask pardon"? Certainly not. I don't want you to lie, I don't want you to say, "Please grant me pardon," when you know perfectly well you didn't sin against your brother. I mean, what good does it do you, when you accuse yourself like that? Why ask to be forgiven by someone you haven't done any harm to, or haven't sinned against? It doesn't do you any good, I don't want you to do it. You're well aware, are you, you've been over it all thoroughly, you're certain that he sinned against you, not you against him? "I'm certain," he says. Then let this certainty of yours be your decision; don't come to this brother of yours who sinned against you, and ask his pardon for nothing. There ought to be third party peace makers between you, who can scold him into first asking pardon from you. All you must do is be ready to forgive, totally ready to forgive him from the heart.
If you are ready to forgive, you have already forgiven. You still have something to pray for; pray for him that he may ask your pardon; because you know it is bad for him if he doesn't ask for it, pray for him that he may ask. Say to the Lord in your prayer, "Lord, you know I didn't sin against that brother of mine, but that he rather sinned against me, and that it does him no good that he sinned against me, if he doesn't ask my pardon; I am asking you, in all sincerity, to forgive him."