ABSTRACT
The teaching of forgiveness is central to the Christian message. The New Testament Jesus of Nazareth stands as the perfect embodiment of goodwill in his new injunction to love even one's enemies, in his claim that the old Torah and the Prophets 'hung' on deep love (verb ::10~), 1 in his ministry of care, and above all in his act of self-giving on the cross (especially Matt 5:44, 22:40; John 15:13). Jesus the Christ forgave sins, preached patient forebearance of others' faults, encouraged self-criticism and mercy before blame, and even asked God to forgive his crucifiers (especially Mark 2:5; Matt 7:1-5; 18:21-22; Luke 23:34). His disciples were expected to 'take up their own crosses' of non-violent activism, recognizing that his charge to 'love one's neighbour as oneself entailed eschewing revenge (cf., e.g., Mark 8:34; James 2:8; 4:1-12; 1 Pet 3:9; Rom 12:19; 13:8, 10). The new faith meant practising deeper-than-ordinary friendship and rejecting social partialities; it called for a spirit of reconciliation and loving-kindness, even a willingness not to judge one's persecutors (John 15:14-15; James 2:1-7; 2 Cor 5:18, 21; Col 3:5-17; Eph 4:32; Acts 7:60).2
