Anyone hearing Peter's question and his suggestion that forgiving his brothers seven times would probably have thought he was being very reasonable, even quite heroic and forbearing. Peter asked his question within the framework of the Old Testament. Jesus, however, responds within the framework of the New Testament. He does not look down upon the standard of the Old Testament for it was the word of God and the religion that it nourished was already a wonderful grace of God. Jesus, however, is engaged in a totally new work of God, establishing a new covenant in which God's ways are not our ways. Through growth in faith, this truth and its inherent challenge will become clearer to us and so be more operative in our lives.

Already in chapter 5-7, Matthew has presented us with the picture of Jesus on the mountain, like a new Moses, giving us the word of God - not now the word of God as it was written in the Old Testament but the word of God that Jesus, by his own divine authority reinterprets to make greater moral and religious demands on those who wish to seek first the Kingdom of God in their lives.