How many times should I forgive?
Mat 18:21 At this point Peter came to Him with the question, "Master, how often shall my brother act wrongly towards me and I forgive him? seven times?"
Mat 18:22 "I do not say seven times," answered Jesus, "but seventy times seven times.
Mat 18:23 "For this reason the Kingdom of the Heavens may be compared to a king who determined to have a settlement of accounts with his servants.
Mat 18:24 But as soon as he began the settlement, one was brought before him who owed 10,000 talents,
Mat 18:25 and was unable to pay. So his master ordered that he and his wife and children and everything that he had should be sold, and payment be made.
Mat 18:26 The servant therefore falling down, prostrated himself at his feet and entreated him. "'Only give me time,' he said, 'and I will pay you the whole.'
Mat 18:27 "Whereupon his master, touched with compassion, set him free and forgave him the debt.
Mat 18:28 But no sooner had that servant gone out, than he met with one of his fellow servants who owed him 100 shillings; and seizing him by the throat and nearly strangling him he exclaimed, "'Pay me all you owe.'
Mat 18:29 "His fellow servant therefore fell at his feet and entreated him, "'Only give me time,' he said, 'and I will pay you.'
Mat 18:30 "He would not, however, but went and threw him into prison until he should pay what was due.
Mat 18:31 His fellow servants, therefore, seeing what had happened, were exceedingly angry; and they came and told their master without reserve all that had happened.
Mat 18:32 At once his master called him and said, "'Wicked servant, I forgave you all that debt, because you entreated me:
Mat 18:33 ought not you also to have had pity on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?'
Mat 18:34 "So his master, greatly incensed, handed him over to the jailers until he should pay all he owed him.
Mat 18:35 "In the same way my Heavenly Father will deal with you, if you do not all of you forgive one another from your hearts."
Introduction
In answer to Peter's question about forgiveness and how many times should we forgive someone who sins against us Jesus tells the Parable below of the Unmerciful Servant. He explains that retaliation is not the right path for a disciple; rather, forgiveness is the quality to be prized. This is what Peter learnt from Jesus that day.
Comments
Mat 18:21 At this point Peter came to Him with the question, "Master, how often shall my brother act wrongly towards me and I forgive him? seven times?"
Notes
Then came Peter ... - The mention of the duty Mat_18:15 of seeing a brother when he had offended us, implying that it was a duty to forgive him, led Peter to ask how often this was to be done.
Forgive him - To forgive is to treat as though the offence was not committed - to declare that we will not harbor malice or treat unkindly, but that the matter shall be buried and forgotten. Barnes Notes on the NT
Mat 18:22 "I do not say seven times," answered Jesus, "but seventy times seven times.
Notes:
Jesus is not concerned about petty forgiveness that calculates how many offenses can be disregarded before retaliation becomes acceptable. For Jesus Forgiveness is whole -hearted and CONSTANT. Leon Morris P.471
For Peter's " Seven times" Jesus counters strongly with "seventy-seven times or seventy times seven" Jesus is saying to His Followers that Forgiveness is unlimited... it is a way of Life. Because we have been forgiven we cannot withhold forgiveness from any who sin against us.
Not Jesus explains His teaching with a Parable. These stories are excellent for applying the message in a very practical and imaginative way.
The Parable told....
Mat 18:23 "For this reason the Kingdom of the Heavens may be compared to a king who determined to have a settlement of accounts with his servants.
Notes:
"For this reason the Kingdom of the Heavens may be compared to......
This Parable is only found here in Matthew.
For this reason brings out the implication from the previous two verses. Forgiveness is so important in this world were all people are sinners, In the first place because we are all sinners then we all need to be forgiven, and second, because people keep on sinning against us so we are constantly confronted with situations in we as followers of Jesus need to forgive.
Because of this teaching on forgiveness the Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to have a day of reckoning. A king would have many officials who handled the many department of state.L.M. p. 472
to have a settlement of accounts with his servants.
The word here for the servants is really slaves. It was commonly used for those who served the King and as such they would be his officials.
Mat 18:24 But as soon as he began the settlement, one was brought before him who owed 10,000 talents,
Notes.
one was brought before him who owed 10,000 talents,
He had to be brought before the king. This indicates some UNWILLINGNESS to appear before the accounts tribunal.
A talent was actually a large sum of money and was actually a measure of weight,, and the largest measure of weight among the Jews possibly 26 to 38 kg. in different periods In NT times it was equal to about 6,000 drachmas. It could have been gold or silver the parable does not tell us which.
10,000 talents, was a huge sum and ran into millions . NEB This must have been an important official to have handled such a huge sum of money.
Mat 18:25 and was unable to pay. So his master ordered that he and his wife and children and everything that he had should be sold, and payment be made.
Notes
The man was unable to pay. His Master commanded him to be sold ... - By the laws of the Hebrews they were permitted to sell debtors, with their wives and children, into servitude for a time sufficient to pay a debt. See 2Ki_4:1; Lev_25:39-46; Amo_8:6.Barnes notes
It was not likely that they could work off this debt as the amount was so huge which he owed.
Mat 18:26 The servant therefore falling down, prostrated himself at his feet and entreated him. "'Only give me time,' he said, 'and I will pay you the whole.'
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| The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant - (after) Pieter Coecke Van Aelst |
Notes
The servant therefore falling down, prostrated himself at his feet and entreated him.
With such a huge debt hanging over his head and with all his assets lost to him there was no chance of his ever being free again. Everything was lost. Justice was no use to him so He went for mercy. L.M. p.474
He prostrated himself at his feet and entreated him.
This man's case was extremely desperate. The Imperfect tense indicates that he kept on pleading and entreating his master.
Have patience with me. Be long tempered not short tempered. "'Only give me time,' he said, 'and I will pay you the whole.'
Mat 18:27 "Whereupon his master, touched with compassion, set him free and forgave him the debt.
Notes
his master, touched with compassion, Jesus used a verb here to indicate that the master was deeply moved with compassion. THIS PITY AND COMPASSION MOTIVATED THE MASTER TO FORGIVE THE MAN.
He released him, set him free and forgave him completely. The King set no conditions. The man asked for patience and he volunteered to pay the debt even though it was so huge that there was no way of ever doing so. This was an act of pure grace to forgive the servant like this.
Mat 18:28 But no sooner had that servant gone out, then he met with one of his fellow servants who owed him 100 shillings; and seizing him by the throat and nearly strangling him he exclaimed, "'Pay me all you owe.'
Notes
But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants which owed him an hundred pence - Greek, δεναριον denarion; Latin, denarius; a Roman silver coin in common use. When Greece became subject to the Romans, and especially under the emperors, the denarius was regarded as of equal value with the Attic drachma - about 7 1/2 d. sterling, or 15 cents (circa 1880’s); consequently, this debt was about 15 dollars - a very small sum compared with what had been forgiven to the first servant. Perhaps our Saviour, by this, meant to teach that the offences which our fellow-men commit against us are very small and insignificant compared with our offences against God. Since God has forgiven us so much we ought to forgive each other the small offences which are committed.
Took him by the throat - Took him in a violent and rough manner - half choked or throttled him. This was the more criminal and base, as he had himself been so kindly treated and dealt so mildly with by his lord.
Besought - Entreated, pled with him. Barnes
Mat 18:29 "His fellow servant therefore fell at his feet and entreated him, "'Only give me time,' he said, 'and I will pay you.'
Notes
The servant took the lowly place down on his knees as the previous servant had done in verse 26.
This man promised to pay all. This was certainly possible to do as it was only a relatively small sum of 100 pence.
Mat 18:30 "He would not, however, but went and threw him into prison until he should pay what was due.
Notes
Whereas the situations were similar the responses were completely different. But is the adversative it introduces a matter contrary to what we might expect. He would not, however,
Imperfect tense an action of his will. He continued in his opposition to the pleading of the second servant. The man kept pleading with him but he violently refused to forgive.
He went off and threw the man into Prison where he would no opportunity to earn the money to pay his debt.
Jesus here depicted for us a horrible example of an unforgiving, though forgiven, man.
This is the Height of Ingratitude and injustice.
Mat 18:31 His fellow servants, therefore, seeing what had happened, were exceedingly angry; and they came and told their master without reserve all that had happened.
Notes
When his fellow servants heard what had happened they were very angry and sorry for their friend who had been thrown into prison. They felt a deep feeling of Grief and loss. They went to their Master and explained to him all that had happened. They gave a full explanation of all that had happened.
Mat 18:32 At once his master called him and said, "'Wicked servant, I forgave you all that debt, because you entreated me:
Mat 18:33 ought not you also to have had pity on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?'
Notes
You wicked Servant
Wicked : πονηρός ponēros Thayer Definition: 1) full of labours, annoyances, hardships 1a) pressed and harassed by labours 1b) bringing toils, annoyances, perils; of a time full of peril to Christian faith and steadfastness; causing pain and trouble
2) bad, of a bad nature or condition
2a) in a physical sense: diseased or blind
2b) in an ethical sense: evil wicked, bad
Part of Speech: adjective
THOSE WHO RECEIVE EXTRAORDINARY GRACE SHOULD ACT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GRACE THEY HAVE RECEIVED.
The King asks whether the servant out not to have shown mercy to his fellow servant. The Kings seems to be saying that it was necessary that the forgiven man act like a forgiven man by forgiving others. ‘ought not you also to have had pity on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?'
The mercy that he had received should have guided his thinking and the his actions
just as I had pity on you? Just as I, even I, for may part have forgiven you.
Mat 18:34 "So his master, greatly incensed, handed him over to the tormentors; the jailers until he should pay all he owed him.
Notes
Delivered him to the tormentors - The word “tormentors” here probably means keepers of the prisons. Torments were inflicted on criminals, not on debtors. They were inflicted by stretching the limbs, or pinching the flesh, or putting out the eyes, or taking off the skin while alive, etc. It is not probable that anything of this kind is intended, but only that the servant was punished by imprisonment until the debt should be paid.
Mat 18:35 "In the same way my Heavenly Father will deal with you, if you do not all of you forgive one another from your hearts."
Notes
Jesus does not always give an application to the truths taught in his parables but here he does.
"In the same way my Heavenly Father will deal with you,... The Point here is that the man deserved no more grace. What an unforgiving sinner gets when He refuses to forgive is inviting God to withhold forgiveness from him. It is certain that in the LAST jUDGEMENT God will do to the unforgiving as they have done to others.
Remember in the Lord’s Prayer: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us”.
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