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Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
"Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts for his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!' So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."
- Matthew 18:21-35
Yesterday, we read that Jesus continued His teaching on humility and the "little ones," which we began reading on Wednesday (see Whoever humbles himself as this little child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven). He taught, “Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." My study bible explains that "seventy times seven" is symbolic of an unlimited amount. Seven is a number of fulfillment; therefore "seventy times seven" is analogous to a complete lack of limitation. The parable that follows illustrates the need for unlimited forgiveness.
"Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts for his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!' So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt." According to my study bible, ten thousand talents is an impossible sum in the context of the times. It was more than a laborer could earn in several lifetimes. So, this parable becomes illustrative of something Jesus teaches elsewhere, in the Sermon on the Mount, when He tells us to remove the plank in our own eye, before we can help someone else remove a speck in theirs. The sum of a hundred denarii, my study bible says, is a significant amount from an earthly perspective -- about three month's wages at the time, but it's a pittance if we compare it to the debt owed to the king. It notes, "God not only stays the punishment we deserve, but forgives us the entire debt as well [as did the king in this parable]. Because God forgives us, we in turn are required to grant the gift of forgiveness of others."
So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses." Earlier in the parable, before being asked for forgiveness, the king commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. My study bible explains that some Church Fathers give a spiritual interpretation to that early command: the man represents the soul, the wife the body, and the children a person's deeds. Thus, it says, the body and the deeds are given over to slavery, that is, to Satan, so that the soul might possibly be saved (see 1 Corinthians 5:5). Here, at the end of the parable, we find the effects of the abuse of mercy.
Although forgiveness is unlimited, it also awaits from us a change of mind on our part, and understanding and growth. What I find remarkable about today's lesson in this parable is the way it illustrates something noted in yesterday's reading (which is why I find it essential to study verses in sequence, as written). We note again the centrality of human beings in this scheme. The king, who symbolizes God, has no need to learn about forgiveness. But this servant certainly does. And it's not enough only that the king grants forgiveness; this lesson is for the one who needs it and who failed in this parable to learn, to grow, to adopt the ways of the king -- the same grace given to the servant. We note also the reflection of discipline within the body of the followers of the king. It's the fellow servants here who are very grieved, and who report what has been done. In some sense, this is reflective of the teachings of Jesus (again, in yesterday's reading) about Church discipline. This body is one that works for the growth of each. There is not a static sense of creation here. The kingdom is for growth and understanding in the ways of God, not for contentment with abuse and mistreatment. In this sense, it is important that we understand forgiveness and our central role in the practice of God's teachings. Moreover there is repentance at work here. In particular it takes the form of not only compassion but also something beyond self-centeredness, a kind of way of behaving toward one another that uplifts each. It's in this context that we can also look at Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount regarding removing the speck from another's eye, having failed to remove the plank in ours. Positive discipline within the body of Christ certainly does take on the important aspect of helping one another to grow, to really see beyond our own obstacles. But there's no substitute for repentance, and the growth that comes at the position in which we find ourselves when we are asked to reflect the grace that God gives us out into the world. It again emphasizes this central place that Jesus so graciously puts us into; that is, we for whom the angels toil and minister (and who need the efforts of the Physician). In that context, in particular, we remember that even -- perhaps especially -- the heavenly angels of the little ones always behold the face of God in heaven. In the end, "hell" is the place where there is no growth at all; torture the place where we are only static and cannot see beyond ourselves.
Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." My study bible explains that "seventy times seven" is symbolic of an unlimited amount. Seven is a number of fulfillment; therefore "seventy times seven" is analogous to a complete lack of limitation. The parable that follows illustrates the need for unlimited forgiveness.
"Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts for his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!' So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt." According to my study bible, ten thousand talents is an impossible sum in the context of the times. It was more than a laborer could earn in several lifetimes. So, this parable becomes illustrative of something Jesus teaches elsewhere, in the Sermon on the Mount, when He tells us to remove the plank in our own eye, before we can help someone else remove a speck in theirs. The sum of a hundred denarii, my study bible says, is a significant amount from an earthly perspective -- about three month's wages at the time, but it's a pittance if we compare it to the debt owed to the king. It notes, "God not only stays the punishment we deserve, but forgives us the entire debt as well [as did the king in this parable]. Because God forgives us, we in turn are required to grant the gift of forgiveness of others."
So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses." Earlier in the parable, before being asked for forgiveness, the king commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. My study bible explains that some Church Fathers give a spiritual interpretation to that early command: the man represents the soul, the wife the body, and the children a person's deeds. Thus, it says, the body and the deeds are given over to slavery, that is, to Satan, so that the soul might possibly be saved (see 1 Corinthians 5:5). Here, at the end of the parable, we find the effects of the abuse of mercy.
Although forgiveness is unlimited, it also awaits from us a change of mind on our part, and understanding and growth. What I find remarkable about today's lesson in this parable is the way it illustrates something noted in yesterday's reading (which is why I find it essential to study verses in sequence, as written). We note again the centrality of human beings in this scheme. The king, who symbolizes God, has no need to learn about forgiveness. But this servant certainly does. And it's not enough only that the king grants forgiveness; this lesson is for the one who needs it and who failed in this parable to learn, to grow, to adopt the ways of the king -- the same grace given to the servant. We note also the reflection of discipline within the body of the followers of the king. It's the fellow servants here who are very grieved, and who report what has been done. In some sense, this is reflective of the teachings of Jesus (again, in yesterday's reading) about Church discipline. This body is one that works for the growth of each. There is not a static sense of creation here. The kingdom is for growth and understanding in the ways of God, not for contentment with abuse and mistreatment. In this sense, it is important that we understand forgiveness and our central role in the practice of God's teachings. Moreover there is repentance at work here. In particular it takes the form of not only compassion but also something beyond self-centeredness, a kind of way of behaving toward one another that uplifts each. It's in this context that we can also look at Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount regarding removing the speck from another's eye, having failed to remove the plank in ours. Positive discipline within the body of Christ certainly does take on the important aspect of helping one another to grow, to really see beyond our own obstacles. But there's no substitute for repentance, and the growth that comes at the position in which we find ourselves when we are asked to reflect the grace that God gives us out into the world. It again emphasizes this central place that Jesus so graciously puts us into; that is, we for whom the angels toil and minister (and who need the efforts of the Physician). In that context, in particular, we remember that even -- perhaps especially -- the heavenly angels of the little ones always behold the face of God in heaven. In the end, "hell" is the place where there is no growth at all; torture the place where we are only static and cannot see beyond ourselves.
