In the Model Prayer, Jesus includes a request for forgiveness, emphasizing its importance with additional commentary. He states that if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. This instruction underscores the plea to forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors, highlighting the severe implications of seeking forgiveness while withholding it from those who have wronged us. As God freely forgives despite grievous sins against Him, He expects His elect to show mercy to others. The verb tenses in this request indicate that one asks God to forgive as they have already forgiven others, suggesting that ongoing forgiveness carries a condition: if we fail to reciprocate forgiveness, God may withhold His mercy from us. The Greek word for forgive, aphiēmi, carries various meanings such as to send off, release, let go, or let be. In Scripture, it often implies leaving or setting aside, and in both secular and religious contexts, it means to remit or pardon, describing a release from obligation. When God forgives, the debt is wholly removed, never to be revisited; it is laid aside, left behind, let go, and left alone. This same complete release should characterize human forgiveness. Jesus phrases the request to forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors, emphasizing the personal aspect of forgiveness. It is not merely a legal transaction but a means to reconciliation. While remitting a debt on a business level is real, it lacks impact on the relationship. God desires not just forgiveness but the restoration of peaceful, harmonious interactions, as He has reconciled us to Him through Christ's blood. Jesus further illustrates forgiveness in the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, teaching that there is no limit to how often we should forgive a brother for trespasses against us. He insists on boundless compassion, mirroring the Father's forgiveness of our many sins. If one refuses to forgive even a small debt, they face severe consequences, as God will do likewise to those who do not forgive from their heart. Forgiving one another is a necessary step to restoring relationships and living in peace, reflecting God's outgoing concern toward us.

In the Parable of the Two Debtors, set in the house of Simon the Pharisee, a creditor forgives two debtors—one owing 500 denarii and the other 50—mirroring the real-life interactions between Jesus Christ, Simon, and a woman known as a sinner. The forgiving creditor represents Jesus Christ, while the debtor owing 50 denarii reflects Simon's self-righteous attitude, and the debtor owing 500 denarii embodies the woman's deep sinfulness and repentance. The parable centers on the theme of forgiveness of debt, illustrating how the extent of forgiveness influences the depth of love and gratitude toward the forgiver. Simon, complacent and self-absorbed, displays a lack of concern for Jesus Christ by neglecting customary courtesies, revealing his spiritual bankruptcy despite his outward righteousness. In contrast, the woman, aware of her sins, expresses profound repentance by weeping, washing Jesus' feet with her tears, drying them with her hair, and anointing them with costly oil, showing abundant love and appreciation for the forgiveness offered to her. The question, "Which of them will love Him the more?" highlights that the one forgiven a greater debt feels more obligated and thus loves more, as Simon himself admits, unwittingly judging his own lack of love compared to the woman's lavish response to forgiveness. Another question, "Do you see this woman?" emphasizes the necessity of a loving and faithful attitude for forgiveness, as Jesus Christ contrasts Simon's harsh judgment of her past with her genuine repentance and desire to live according to God's way. Finally, the question, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" underscores the astonishment of Simon's guests at Jesus Christ taking on the authority to forgive, affirming that it is the woman's faith, not her actions alone, that secures her forgiveness. Jesus Christ declares that all are debtors to a just Creditor, and through His willingness to take on this debt, forgiveness is granted to those who truly repent and turn to Him in faith, urging a life of holiness and loving service in gratitude.