Daily Devotions
Matthew
Interaction With Jesus
Text: Matthew 18 : 15 - 35
The disciples knew that they had much more to learn before they could think of discharging their responsibilities as apostles in time to come. There were many things to digest. One question bothered Peter and he felt that he had to raise up a question on the subject of forgiveness.
“Then Peter came to Him and said,
‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me,
and I forgive him? Up to seven times?'”
MATTHEW 18:21
As Peter grappled with what Jesus taught, he feared that His system lent itself to great abuse. Thus he raised a question that seemed to point out a possible weakness in Jesus’ system of reasoning.
1. Would there not be a problem of abusing the concept of forgiveness?
Jesus had instructed His disciples to be courteous and gracious in their regard for people in general. They were to regard “little ones” as “elect brethren”. What if these people were to abuse this privilege? What if they were to deliberately sin against them many times?
2. Would there not be a limit as to how much forgiveness may be extended?
Peter offered what he must have considered a good limit. Surely, if one is forgiven seven times, that would be great! How much can one tolerate people who take advantage of people’s kindness? How would Jesus reply? Peter was in for a surprise at the answer Jesus gave!
“Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times,
but up to seventy times seven.'”
MATTHEW 18:22
What did Jesus say? Up to seventy times seven? That meant that forgiveness was to be extended all the time! There were “no limits”! How could anyone live up to such a teaching?
THE PARABLE OF THE UNFORGIVING SERVANT
Interestingly, Jesus chose a parable to speak to Peter and the other disciples! The intention was obvious! He was going to make them think through this long and elaborate parable. They would also remember this parable well if they were able to fully fathom the meanings hidden in the parable.
Understanding of this parable may be greatly assisted if we divide the story into the following segments. (The story line is easy enough to follow).
1. Royal Forgiveness of a Great Debt
In the parable, Jesus spoke about a man who owed his master “ten thousand talents” (Matthew 18:24). How he ran up such an enormous debt was not discussed. If a talent is the equivalent of 6000 denarii, then this man owed his master 60,000,000 denarii. (The daily wage of casual labourer is only one denarius)! The kind master forgave him of a debt that he could never ever dream of repaying!
2. Refusal to forgive a Small Debt
In the same parable, Jesus described how the man who had been forgiven of his huge debt refused to forgive a friend a debt of just 100 denarii. If we were to compare the size of the debts to be forgiven, we will understand just how small this debt really was. The man could not overlook the debt that was just 0.0000016 of what he owed to his master!
3. Report of the misdeed to the king
The cruelty of this wicked man did not escape notice! News that the man who had been forgiven of so much had put his friend in jail soon came to the ears of the king! Imagine putting a friend to jail for a paltry 100 denarii!
4. Rebuke of the king – the punch line
The king decided to review the case of the man he had forgiven of his debts. Let us take time to read what he said.
“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 18:31-35
A LESSON THAT MUST BE LEARNED WELL
The lesson about forgiveness is not learned by calculating the number of times one plans to forgive a brother. This approach underlies a solemn and grim problem! The basics have not been fathomed at all!
Forgiving others starts with appreciation of just how much we have been forgiven of? To the degree that we are able to fathom and appreciate just how much we have been forgiven, to that extent we will be able to forgive others!
Jesus reinforced this teaching by adding a word concerning how the Father would be really upset if we do not forgive others when we have been forgiven of so much!