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163. The Parable of The Unmerciful Servant


Matthew 18:21-35
Key Verse: "This is how My Heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother, or sister, from your heart."
Matthew 18:35

"Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors." "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." (Matt. 6:12 & 14-15)

Jesus is consistent here on His teaching about forgiveness. It's what He came to make a way to do and He expects no less from His followers.

God bless Peter with his inquisitive nature. We learn so much because of his outspokenness. "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me?" One has to wonder, was Peter looking for a loop hole here? Was there continuing trouble among the ranks of disciples that Peter was having trouble enduring? We have to think that something happened to provoke this question. Also, I have to admit that, were I Peter, I might not find Jesus' answer exactly satisfying. I think that there is something within most of us that wants to cry, "Enough! That’s the last straw!" when we feel that we've reached the end of our rope of tolerance. "Surely God, you can relieve us now!  Haven't we endured enough?"

While Jesus' parable here focuses on money issues the lesson is not lost on relationship issues as well. Forgiveness is hard work and while we appreciate being forgiven, we often fail at extending our forgiveness toward others.

This is another parable about the Kingdom of God, so, of course, we begin with a king, representing God Himself. He's doing His finances and comes across the account of a servant who owes a debt that he can never repay. Sound familiar? He brings in the man and orders him to pay up, which, of course, he cannot do. The debtor pleads for mercy and the king takes pity on him, grants his request and cancels the debt. Good for him!

Now enters his equal, another servant just like himself. This time, however, the original debtor is the one with the power, for this servant owes him. However, instead of showing forgiveness in turn, the first servant demands justice, which he has a right to do. In mercy, he could have set his rights aside and extended grace, as he himself was given, but he had learned nothing from his encounter with the king and ordered this second servant to "Pay up." Fortunately, this troubled the onlookers, who reported all this to the king. The king in turn, invoked his rights, and revoked his forgiveness as well.

In the Kingdom of God, forgiveness reigns supreme. Those who do not practice it are not part of His Kingdom. He has instructed us to pray about it.  He has taught us how to practice it and He has set the example by doing it. What are the petty sins of your fellow man against you compared to your sins against a Holy God? Do you appreciate what you have been given? Do you extend this gift to others?

"I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." (Matt.18:22) Or in other words, "always be ready to forgive."

Hymn: "Forgiveness"

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