“Paul says that we should both forbear and forgive. He writes in Colossians, “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience, forbearing one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive” (Colossians 3:13)….“forbearing” one another means “tolerating” them, that is, passing over their faults…forgiveness is the pardon of the wrongs done against us. Forbearance overlooks the faults and failings of others and prevents impatience, condescension, and frustration of the strong against the weak. Forgiveness heals the offenses that we commit against each other. It prevents resentment, retaliation, and ill will and promotes reconciliation. Both actions working together ensure that the members of the Body of Christ worship, live, and serve the Lord in harmony as they encourage and support each other in their walk with the Lord.” (Fr. Basil)
“When we live in a close community, it is easy to notice the failings of others in their Christian life. We should not be too hard on them, but be mindful of Saint Paul’s advice: we should remember that we are human too and easily fail. These are opportunities for us to be forbearing and forgiving and gentle, above all by looking to Christ, Who loved us, forgave us, and gave Himself up for us even while we were sinners. This is how we should also “bear one another’s burdens.” (Metropolitan Tikhon)
“So the Lord Jesus Christ teaches us the great lesson of tolerance and forgiveness. What does tolerance really mean?. It means being patient and forbearing towards the wrongs others do to us. It also means a genuine disposition not to regurgitate these wrongs and not to seek revenge for them. Instead we want to forgive those who’ve injured us and to repay evil with good…What distinguishes us as Christians is love and knowing how to forgive. If we want to be real Christians, true people, rather than just claiming to be so, we should always follow the blessed path of love, forgiveness and tolerance. It’s the path of salvation, the path of glory.” (Hierodeacon Rafael Misiaoulis)
“The spirit that binds us together as a people finds its deepest roots in the home where the tenderest values of human existence, love, compassion, forbearance and mutual helpfulness thrive in abundance.” (Archbishop Iakovos)
“Forbearance is a virtue of a generous and noble soul. It’s founded on love for your neighbor. It’s magnanimity, high-mindedness and is a friend of meekness. Forbearance is testimony to a soul well trained and expresses itself as sympathy, philanthropy, modesty and justice.” (Saint Nectarios of Pentapolis)
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