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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 with 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 Jesus' further teaching to His disciples about care, service, and authority in His Church. This follows Jesus' answer to the question, "Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" (See Thursday's reading.) "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 or 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." Seventy times seven is a kind of figure symbolic of an unlimited amount. Seven is symbolic of completion; seventy simply magnifies its significance. It's important that we remember from yesterday's reading, above, that Jesus has just given the disciples a formula for correction in the Church, when one member sins against another. So Peter's question comes within this context.
"Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with 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." My study bible tells us that ten thousand talents is an impossible sum. It's more than a laborer could earn in several lifetimes. There's also a spiritual interpretation that has been given by certain Fathers regarding the punishment of being sold along with wife and children (and possessions). The man represents the soul, the wife the body, and the children a person's deeds. This would mean that the body and the deeds are given over to slavery -- Satan, so that the soul might possibly be saved (see 1 Corinthians 5:5). Jesus has taught that those who sin are slaves to sin (John 8:34); but we remember that it is often the experience of a "slavish" life that wakes people up to the need for a different choice, the better alternative.
"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." This amount, a hundred denarii, is a significant amount (about three month's wages), but a pittance compared to the 10,000 talents owed to the king.
"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." The example of the king's forgiveness teaches that God not only stays the punishment we deserve, but forgives us the entire debt. This example teaches that we are in turn required to grant the gift of forgiveness to others. But the wicked servant fails, although his debtor has recognized his debt and asked for forgiveness. Thereby the wicked servant's own debt remains.
In the context of the teaching by Jesus of discipline in the Church, we understand this parable to be complementary to the discipline. In Friday's reading, Jesus taught a procedure to be followed should one member sin against another. It involves dialogue first in private and then in public, and compassion, and also repentance on the part of the offender. Otherwise, he or she is to be "as a heathen and a tax collector" to the Church. But this parable in today's reading tells us also our responsibility for forgiveness. It's to be so expandable as to be virtually unlimited, and fully given. Our failure to do so results in a failure to receive forgiveness for our own debts. Considering all the things we don't know about how we might need more teaching in God's sight for what we do, and therefore all the things for which we're always forgiven, this is quite an important teaching! What Jesus teaches is about community: how we preserve it, how we teach it. I think forgiveness is an important concept to think about. It's certainly widely mentioned in the gospels, and there is no doubt how much emphasis Jesus puts on it. There's both the aspect of our own mercy given, and mercy received. But it breaks down into more than we usually consider. There are two parts to this process: one given in yesterday's reading and one in today's. For some reason, we often find ourselves following one or the other, but not both. Forgiveness isn't just about an automatic giving up of everything in the sense that we don't take note of egregious behavior. Too often people want to say that sweeping something under the rug is akin to this forgiveness that Jesus teaches. But Jesus really teaches us to note the sin, respectfully and privately confront it, and then bring it to higher recognition if necessary (that was in yesterday's reading). All of this is a process. And the one who fails to recognize his or her offense is to be considered akin to "a heathen and a tax collector" as a result; an outsider. So what do we do then? How does forgiveness work? Forgiveness can always be practiced if we consider it to be a letting to go God for judgment. Reconciliation is the counterpart to acknowledgement of offense and restoration of relationship. But forgiveness is always available to practice in terms of our understanding that how we handle offenses is always up to God. This is part and parcel of the fact that it's Christ who really creates community. I think these are important steps to understand and to acknowledge. In that context we can always forgive and maintain a prayerful life with respect to even those who offend without acknowledging the offense, if we remember all the steps Jesus has mentioned here. The truth will always be crucial to how we conduct our lives. We're not to conceal if from ourselves, and in Jesus' steps of discipline and correction, we don't hide it from others. But so is forgiveness ("letting go") always a part of this process if we understand that Christ is the judge, and community is made by Him. Christ is regulator and mediator. In His good "regulation," the process is endless, "up to seventy times seven." It's important also to remember that today's parable of the wicked servant is told to those who will be authorities in the Church. We should take note of the much larger sum with which such a person is entrusted -- and therefore potentially a much larger debt. So much depends on how we treat the "littler ones."
