Sunday School lesson
January 30
Lesson 9 (KJV)
Justice and the Marginalized
Devotional Reading: Deuteronomy 24:10–21
Background Scripture: Deuteronomy 24:10–21
Deuteronomy 24:10–21
10. When thou dost lend thy brother any thing, thou shalt not go into his house to fetch his pledge.
11. Thou shalt stand abroad, and the man to whom thou dost lend shall bring out the pledge abroad unto thee.
12. And if the man be poor, thou shalt not sleep with his pledge:
13. In any case thou shalt deliver him the pledge again when the sun goeth down, that he may sleep in his own raiment, and bless thee: and it shall be righteousness unto thee before the Lord thy God.
14. Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates:
15. At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the Lord, and it be sin unto thee.
16. The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.
17. Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow’s raiment to pledge:
18. But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed thee thence: therefore I command thee to do this thing.
19. When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands.
20. When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.
21. When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.
Key Text
Thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed thee thence: therefore I command thee to do this thing.—Deuteronomy 24:18
Lesson Aims
After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:
1. Describe ways Israel showed justice toward the marginalized.
2. Explain the importance of Israel’s remembrance of God’s redemption.
3. Suggest one practical way he or she can help a marginalized individual or family.
HOW TO SAY IT
Babylonian Bab-ih-low-nee-un.
Boaz Bo-az.
Hammurabi Ham-muh-rah-bee.
Malachi Mal-uh-kye.
Mediterranean Med-uh-tuh-ray-nee-un.
Torah (Hebrew) Tor-uh.
Zechariah Zek-uh-rye-uh.
Introduction
A. Ignorance and Want
In Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, the Ghost of Christmas Present guides Ebenezer Scrooge on a tour of various scenes around London. Some scenes highlight holiday celebrations, while others show poverty-stricken individuals, including Scrooge’s own employee, Bob Cratchit.
Toward the end of the tour, the ghost reveals two destitute children beneath the folds of his robe, a boy named Ignorance and a girl named Want. The ghost warns Scrooge, “Beware them both … but most of all beware this boy.”
Through these characters, Dickens drew his readers’ attention to issues of ignorance and want regarding the economic challenges of his day, which was mid-nineteenth-century England. Many people of that time and place experienced want and neglect and were otherwise marginalized. Those who were better off often adopted a stance of willful ignorance toward the situation. Scrooge’s next words aptly describe that attitude: “Cover [the children Ignorance and Want]; I do not wish to see them.” Unfortunately, many still react this way, avoiding issues of economic justice by looking the other way. Deuteronomy 24:10–21 has important things to say in this regard.
B. Lesson Context
Previous lessons from this quarter focused on other aspects of God’s law: His covenant with Israel (lesson 1), which served as the foundation for the law, and those individuals tasked with ruling on God’s law (lesson 8). This lesson turns to the details of God’s law for Israel. These laws make up the bulk of Deuteronomy’s content and are a central theme of the Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament. The Hebrew word torah can mean “teaching” or “law,” specifically God’s laws for ancient Israel. These laws depicted how the Israelites were to live rightly with each other, with their neighboring peoples, and with their God.
Today’s Scripture text comes from Moses’ second address in Deuteronomy to the people of Israel, with the detailed covenant stipulations that God required for His people (Deuteronomy 12:1–26:19). Moses’ address began with a detailed description of proper worship of God (12:1–16:17) and continued with descriptions of proper justice in law (16:18–20; 17:8–13), regulations regarding the handling of violent acts (19:1–21:23), and issues of marriage (22:13–30), among other things, as God provided an ordered description of a new society.
For Israel, part of being God’s covenant people was the just and proper treatment of poor and otherwise marginalized individuals. Previously, Moses had reminded the Israelites that poor people would always be part of the population (Deuteronomy 15:11; compare John 12:18). As a result, Moses commanded an openhanded policy toward these individuals, requiring generous giving without resentment (Deuteronomy 15:10). Today’s Scripture expands on this theme.
I. Just Lending
(Deuteronomy 24:10–13)
A. Respecting the Person (vv. 10–11)
10–11. When thou dost lend thy brother any thing, thou shalt not go into his house to fetch his pledge. Thou shalt stand abroad, and the man to whom thou dost lend shall bring out the pledge abroad unto thee.
Moses described a situation in which a brother—a fellow Israelite—needed a loan. Elsewhere, the law forbade Israelites from charging interest on loans made to other Israelites (Exodus 22:25; Deuteronomy 23:19–20).
However, lenders were allowed to receive collateral, or a pledge, as security for a loan. Even then, certain restrictions remained for what lenders could take as a pledge; taking as a pledge a person’s method of livelihood was forbidden (Deuteronomy 24:6; compare Job 24:3), as was taking a widow’s clothing (Deuteronomy 24:17; see commentary below).
To maintain the borrower’s dignity, the lender was not permitted to enter the borrower’s house. Instead, the lender was required to stay outside (abroad) the borrower’s dwelling, allowing the borrower to bring out the pledge himself. In this situation, the borrower controlled what was offered as pledge, with dignity and respect maintained.
As Old Testament history unfolded, the dangers of putting up security, or collateral, came to be recognized (see Proverbs 17:18; 20:16; 22:26; 27:13).
B. Respecting the Pledge (vv. 12–13)
12. And if the man be poor, thou shalt not sleep with his pledge.
The law added extra clarification for loans made to poor individuals. Such lending stipulations were required because of the extra vulnerability poor individuals may have faced. Furthermore, the law specifically prohibited lenders from charging interest on loans in these situations (Exodus 22:25; Leviticus 25:35–37).
13. In any case thou shalt deliver him the pledge again when the sun goeth down, that he may sleep in his own raiment, and bless thee: and it shall be righteousness unto thee before the Lord thy God.
Additionally, lenders were limited on what could be done with a pledge of a borrower’s clothing (raiment). If that’s all a poor individual could provide as a pledge, then the lender was prohibited from keeping it overnight (compare Leviticus 19:13); the clothing had to be returned by sundown. This limitation protected the borrower’s health during the night (Exodus 22:26). Lenders were to be gracious in their lending practices because God is gracious (22:27; Psalm 116:5).
The lender’s act resulted in two outcomes. First, the borrower would bless the lender. One can picture the borrower, preparing for a good night’s sleep, offering a prayer of thanksgiving to God for the lender’s kindness.
Second, the lender’s gesture would be judged by the Lord and deemed as righteousness. Such acts were considered right standing in God’s eyes and conformed to the demands of God’s law and covenant (see Genesis 15:6; Deuteronomy 6:25; Isaiah 56:1; compare Luke 1:6). God desired His people to live in this manner because His own nature is one of righteousness and justice (see Psalms 9:8; 11:7; 33:5; 36:6; 103:6; Isaiah 33:15; Jeremiah 9:24; compare 1 John 3:7). Lending practices as prescribed by the law served as an example of the just and equitable actions the Lord wants His people to pursue, especially toward the marginalized.
What Do You Think?
Is the respect you offer to people poorer than you different from what you offer to those who are wealthier? If so, how?
Digging Deeper
Consider Matthew 25:40, 45. Does this add importance to how you treat the poor? Why or why not?
II. Just Labor
(Deuteronomy 24:14–15)
A. Oppression Forbidden (v. 14)
14a. Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy.
The concern for justice among the poor and needy extended to hired hands. After their experience of slavery in Egypt, Israelites were not permitted to be sold as slaves (Leviticus 25:42). However, an Israelite who experienced economic difficulty to the point of losing everything might serve other Israelites as an hired servant, or “sojourner” (25:35), with the expectation of eventually receiving freedom (25:40; see also Exodus 21:2; Deuteronomy 15:12). The status of such a person is sometimes known as indentured servant.
14b. Whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates.
Prescriptions to protect hired hands were enacted to maintain the economic livelihood, dignity, and ability of impoverished individuals, brethren or not, to continue to live among the people of God (Leviticus 25:35–36).
Most requirements also extended to strangers that are in thy land, foreigners living among God’s covenant people; qualifying this with “most” admits the exception found in Leviticus 25:44–46a. Without just treatment, these workers could become further marginalized.
God’s people, however, were not to mistreat these individuals. Even in (or especially in) hiring and working practices, God’s people were to practice justice. The most obvious way to do so was through the timely deliverance of wages (next verse).
B. Opportune Wages (v. 15)
15a. At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it.
Workers were paid for their labors at the end of an agreed time of work. However, the hired worker who was poor was to receive their agreed upon wages at the end of each day, before the sun go down. This worker, perhaps living a hand-to-mouth existence, depended on such timely pay to provide for daily necessities (see Leviticus 19:13; Matthew 20:8).
What Do You Think?
What aid does your congregation offer the poor, which would be missed if that support vanished?
Digging Deeper
How do you contribute to that ministry?
15b. Lest he cry against thee unto the Lord, and it be sin unto thee.
If workers were treated unjustly, it would be within their power to cry out unto the Lord for help and justice (Exodus 22:22–23; James 5:4). As failing to return a poor person’s pledge at the end of the day would be considered unrighteous (see commentary on Deuteronomy 24:13, above), withholding pay from a poor person at the end of the day would be considered a sin.
Centuries later, the prophet Malachi warned Israel that God would “come near to you in judgment … against those that oppress the hireling in his wages” (Malachi 3:5). God would deal decisively and swiftly with those who did not show justice to their workers.
Beware of Opportunism!
During the coronavirus pandemic of 2020, an enterprising but unscrupulous couple used the demand for hand sanitizer for their own profit. They traveled to nearby towns and purchased all the hand sanitizer they could find, storing up cases of the in-demand product. They advertised their newly acquired product at vastly inflated prices. While hand sanitizer shortages were prevalent, the couple charged several times the suggested retail! People readily purchased the hand sanitizer at the grossly inflated price. Eventually, the government intervened and redistributed the product to those in need.
During a crisis that necessitated a compassionate response, this couple exploited others for profit and caused an inequitable situation. God requires His people to not take advantage of others. While many people see crises as an opportunity for personal gain, God requires fairness. What can you do to ensure that you are part of the solution rather than part of the problem?
—C. R. B.
III. Just Community
(Deuteronomy 24:16–18)
A. Commanding Punishment (v. 16)
16. The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.
The principle described here stands in contrast to other law codes of the ancient world. The Babylonian law code of Hammurabi prescribed that if a builder built a house that collapsed, causing the death of the homeowner’s son, the builder’s son was to be put to death.
In contrast, Hebrew law required certain parameters to allow for just treatment of innocent family members who were vulnerable to harm because of the actions of a relative. The given stipulation would prevent a potentially endless chain of revenge.
However, this principle does not contradict what is found elsewhere regarding God’s “visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me” (Deuteronomy 5:9). While each person will surely experience the consequences of their sin, the repercussions of those sins are often experienced by others. We may think of a parent today who is justly sent to prison for a crime, with side effects of their family suffering destabilization in their relationships and finances.
What Do You Think?
What encouragement can you offer to Christian parents, based on this verse?
Digging Deeper
How would your encouragement change when offered to children of unbelieving parents?
B. Caring for the Needy (v. 17)
17. Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow’s raiment to pledge.
All Israelites were tasked with looking out for the marginalized and the defenseless among them. The Hebrew words translated stranger, fatherless, and widow occur together in triads in 11 verses in the book of Deuteronomy, emphasizing God’s concern for these vulnerable people (see also Psalms 94:6; 146:9; Jeremiah 7:6; 22:3; Ezekiel 22:7; Zechariah 7:10; Malachi 3:5).
To take a widow’s raiment to pledge is in the same category as taking the garment of a poor man—forbidden (Deuteronomy 24:12–13, above). Furthermore, lenders who had wrongly taken such garments in pledge sometimes worsened the offense by taking those items to pagan worship (see Amos 2:8).
The law provided numerous reminders to God’s people to uphold justice for those who needed it most (Exodus 23:6, 9; Leviticus 19:33–34; Proverbs 22:22). Concern for these three groups extends into the New Testament as well (see Matthew 25:35–36; Acts 6:1–5; 1 Timothy 5:3, 16; Hebrews 13:2; James 1:27).
God desires justice for needy individuals and His people are to desire the same. Following God’s commands for just living requires extra attention to vulnerable people.
18. But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed thee thence: therefore I command thee to do this thing.
Moses reminded the second generation of Israelites of their history as slaves in the land of Egypt. That along with God’s redemptive act served as the foundation for Israel’s identity (see Deuteronomy 5:15; 7:8; 9:26; 13:5; 15:15; 16:12; 24:22).
The corporate memory of that bondage and their following redemption was to motivate the Israelites to compassionate treatment of the marginalized. That would happen as the Israelites remembered their own suffering and marginalization as slaves in Egypt. To treat others as they had been treated by God was the watchword (compare Matthew 18:23–35). They were to remember that God redeemed them from that situation and provided justice where injustice reigned.
The Power of Memory
A young family, expecting their first child, recently moved in next door. One day the young husband caught my attention and hesitantly asked, “Do you have a battery charger I could borrow?” I said, “Of course,” retrieving the charger from my garage. I told him to keep it as long as needed.
A week later, he brought back the charger and asked why I didn’t hesitate lending it to him. I answered him with a story: “When my wife and I were newly married and had our first son, we were living paycheck to paycheck. My car battery was dying, and I was desperate to get back and forth to work. I asked my neighbor, Harvey, if I could borrow his battery charger. He did not hesitate. I used the charger every night. I wanted to treat you the same way Harvey treated me. That’s why I didn’t hesitate.”
On hearing the story, the young man replied, “That was exactly my situation! Maybe I can help my neighbor someday. Thanks!”
One’s memory serves as a powerful tool for inviting action. For the people of Israel, memory of God’s redemptive acts—especially from bondage in Egypt—served to remind them of how to treat others. How do memories of God’s work in your life shape your behavior?
—C. R. B.
What Do You Think?
What do you remember that helps you keep the Lord’s commands?
Digging Deeper
What can you do to strengthen your memory in preparation for particularly trying times?
IV. Just Harvest
(Deuteronomy 24:19–21)
A. Regarding Grain (v. 19)
19a. When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.
In addition to justice in lending practices, justice to the vulnerable was also to be seen in agrarian practices at harvest time. Often the poorer Israelites would work in the fields during the annual harvest time (compare 2 Kings 25:12). The work of harvesting was completed with a hand sickle, cutting bundles of grain and binding each into a sheaf. Written in terms of what the landowner hast forgot should have encouraged the underprivileged to boldness in retrieving the grain accidentally left behind. There should have been no worry that the landowner would later demand it back.
Furthermore, the law made clear that the corners of the fields be left unharvested and only a single harvest occur so that “the poor and stranger” might harvest from the fields for their own sustenance (Leviticus 19:9–10; 23:22). This legislation is seen enacted in the narrative of Ruth, a foreign widow who gleaned the leftover grain from the fields of her Hebrew relative, Boaz (Ruth 1:22–2:3).
19b. That the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands.
The phrase that the Lord thy God may bless thee occurs three times in the book of Deuteronomy: here and in 14:29 and 23:20. In all three cases, God’s blessing is contingent on meeting the needs of others. The Lord will bless those who honor His laws and treat the marginalized with respect and compassion (see Proverbs 19:17).
B. Regarding Produce (vv. 20–21)
20–21. When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.
Grape and olive crops were often planted together using a method called polyculture, the practice of growing several crops side by side, which was made popular in the Mediterranean region. Each crop contributed to the health and well-being of the other.
Harvesting olives required that a harvester beat the boughs of an olive tree with a long stick. Most ripe olives would fall to the ground; and any olives remaining on the branches were to be left for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. The same generous harvesting principle was applied to the gathering of grapes. What remained following the first harvest was to be left for the needy. The people of God should cultivate not only their crops but also the same kind of generous spirit that the Lord had shown to them.
What Do You Think?
What characteristics of offering your “leftovers” to others make it a respectful act?
Digging Deeper
What should you avoid so that such offerings do not become demeaning?
Conclusion
A. Ignorance and Want, Today
The physical needs of others confront us daily. Applying God’s principles for an ancient culture, where 98 percent of people lived on farms, to our modern culture, where only 2 percent do, is a challenge. But a common-ground starting point is that people of God in all times should live in such a way as to respect the dignity of those in need. Granted, it may take some challenging conversations and creative thinking on our part to apply these principles in specific and helpful ways. This lesson’s Scripture text provides principles of justice that each and every follower of God should model and help enact.
Ignorance and want continue to manifest themselves today. Unlike Scrooge, we should not desire that injustice be hidden from our eyes. Our heavenly Father has made it clear that His heart and His compassion are with those in need. Are ours?
What Do You Think?
What practical help can your congregation offer vulnerable people in your community?
Digging Deeper
What role can you play in either starting or continuing such efforts?
B. Prayer
Father, we pray that You will help us always to see our neighbors as You see them, especially those who are often ignored or treated with contempt. Help us to treat them justly, with the mercy that You have shown us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
C. Thought to Remember
Remembering how God has treated us should always govern how we treat others.
KID’S CORNER
Justice Served
Sunday, January 30, 2022
Matthew 18:21-35
Matthew 18:21-35
(Matthew 18:21) Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”
Jesus told the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (below) after Peter asked his question. His question may have been prompted by Jesus’ previous eaching on what to do when you see a fellow Christian commit a sin; most probably, a sin against you (Matthew 18:15-17). Peter’s question implies that the one who has sinned against him has repented and asked him to forgive him. In such a case, Peter wants to know how many times he should forgive someone who repeatedly sins against him, repents, and asks him to forgive him. The rabbis of the day said a person needed to forgive three times; so, Peter may have thought that seven (the perfect number or the number meaning completeness) should be the goal of Jesus’ followers. As we learn from Jesus’ parable, Jesus has a larger number of times in mind.
(Matthew 18:22) Jesus *said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
The KJV and the NASB translate the Greek numbers to mean “seventy times seven” and the ESV, the NIV, and the NRSV translate the Greek numbers to mean “seventy-seven times.” In either case, Jesus means that His followers should not keep count of the number of times they forgive someone; instead, they should forgive every time someone repents and asks them to forgive them. Jesus’ answer probably surprised His disciples. Jesus’ answer may remind us of Lamech, whose ways were the opposite of the compassion and mercy that Jesus expects of His followers. In Genesis 4:23, 24, we read, “Lamech said to his wives, ‘Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me. If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times.’”
(Matthew 18:23) “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.
To illustrate His meaning and show how serious it can be for one who will not forgive, Jesus told another kingdom parable. Jesus and His Father reign in the kingdom of heaven, a kingdom that visibly came to earth when Jesus came and began to preach and work miracles as the Messiah and Son of God. The “king” in the parable should remind us of the king in the kingdom of heaven: “Jesus the King” or “God the king,” as Jesus will indicate as the lesson from the parable. To “settle accounts” means to pay your employees what you owe them for their labors and to collect what your employees might have borrowed from you; then, everyone is even, and a new beginning can be made. The king generously loaned money to help his servants when they asked. Some of his servants obviously took advantage of the king’s generosity and borrowed well beyond their ability to ever repay their loan.
(Matthew 18:24) “When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.
A “talent of gold” weighed about 75 pounds or 33 kilograms. Therefore, a man owed the king ten thousand talents or ten thousand very large bags of gold. As of this writing, a pound of gold is worth $1,413,355.19: an incredible amount of money to be loaned by a generous and incredibly wealthy king. We learn something of the character of the man when we think about how much he borrowed from his king, and we also might wonder why he would ever borrow so much. What were his real needs?
(Matthew 18:25) “But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made.
Probably having squandered this immense wealth, the servant could not repay his master 750,000 pounds of gold (according to my calculations today, more than 1 trillion dollars). Therefore, in compliance with both Old Testament law and Roman law, the master resolved to sell as slaves the man and his family and his property to repay the debt. It is unlikely that the master would ever recover his immense losses from the sale.
(Matthew 18:26) “So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’
The servant begged his master for patience; and owing so much this may not have been the first time the servant had asked the master for a little more time to repay him and for a little more money. The servant made a foolish promise when he said he would pay back everything. They both knew that the servant could never repay him so much money.
(Matthew 18:27) “And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt.
But the master, the king (representing our gracious Lord and Savior), was a merciful king, so he showed compassion to the servant and his family by doing far more than the servant requested. He cancelled the debt, which was the same as telling the servant, “Your debt is paid in full. I have paid your debt to me out of my own treasury. What you could not do, I can do, and I will do. I will pay the 750,000 pounds of gold that you owe me out of my own treasury.” Then, the king let him go his way.
(Matthew 18:28) “But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’
The servant did not learn compassion and mercy from the king’s example. Instead, his angry, violent, greedy, selfish, and unforgiving spirit moved him to grab and choke a fellow servant who owed him very little by comparison to what he had owed his master and what his master had cancelled when he forgave him the debt he owed him. He refused to grant his fellow servant the same mercy their master had shown him. He did not sow the same compassion and forgiveness that he had reaped from his king.
(Matthew 18:29) “So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’
Just as he had done when he had asked the king for patience, his fellow servant asked him for patience with the exact same words, but the forgiven servant did not have the virtues of patience, compassion, generosity, or forgiveness. The servant could have eventually paid the little that he owed, and unless the forgiven servant had totally squandered his 750,000 pounds of gold, he could have easily canceled the debt of his fellow servant, but he was greedy and wicked. As the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” The forgiven servant obviously loved money, which led him to take undue advantage of his generous and compassionate king and violently attack a fellow servant who owed him so little and who would have greatly benefitted from his compassion and mercy. As Paul wrote to Timothy, because of his love of money, the forgiven servant would soon be pierced “with many griefs.”
(Matthew 18:30) “But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed.
The forgiven servant did worse than what his king chose not to do to him when he asked for patience. The king had resolved to sell the man and his family into slavery, which would not be as bad as sending him to prison. The king had the right to do either, for he was his king and master. The forgiven man thought he could use his legal prerogatives and throw the man into prison, where the man could not serve his master or work to repay his debt. The burden of repaying the debt would fall on his now even more impoverished family. However, the forgiven servant made a big mistake when he threw a servant of the king into prison; thereby depriving the king of his service. As the man would soon learn, loving money more than loving God always leads to some unreasonable decisions and some painful experiences and some eternal consequences.
(Matthew 18:31) “So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened.
The forgiven servant had either broadcast his good fortune of forgiveness to his master’s other servants or they saw or quickly learned about the gracious response of their master when his servant had asked to be forgiven his huge and unrepayable debt. They became outraged when they saw how the forgiven servant had shamefully treated his fellow servant, physically abusing him and throwing him into prison for such a small amount rather than show him the patience that he himself had received from their master, so they told their master all that had happened.
(Matthew 18:32) “Then summoning him, his lord *said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.
For the first time we hear of the servant being called wicked. He was wicked to have borrowed so much money without the hope of ever being able to repay his generous master all that he had borrowed, but he was even more wicked for attacking his fellow servant and choking him, and for not showing the same compassion and forgiveness that he himself had just received. He was wicked because he would not forgive his fellow servant his debt or patiently give him more time to repay his debt (they both had the same gracious master). He was wicked to treat his fellow servant the exact opposite of the way he had been treated. The generous king had done far more for the forgiven servant than he had requested when he cancelled the debt and marked it paid in full. The king rightfully expected his forgiven servant to do for others what he had done for him and forgive others even as he had been forgiven.
(Matthew 18:33) ‘Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’
If we were to total all our sins against God and others as debts, we could never make restitution for all the pain and suffering we have inflicted because of our sins. Our only hope is the merciful forgiveness of God, and when Jesus suffered and died in our place, by grace through faith in Jesus, God has cancelled our debt and has marked it paid in full by Jesus. Therefore, shouldn’t we have mercy on our fellow Christians; indeed, forgiveness toward all when they come to us, repent of their sins against us, and ask us to forgive them? We can be examples of compassion and mercy and forgiveness even as the king in Jesus’ parable is an example of compassion and mercy and forgiveness.
(Matthew 18:34) “And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him.
The master or king expressed justifiable anger against the wicked, unforgiving servant who had shown his wickedness by the way he had treated his fellow servant. He was sent to prison, not just to sit in a jail cell, but to be tortured until he repaid 750,000 pounds of gold. Because of his wickedness, he now had a debt he could never repay, even as he had put his fellow servant in prison with a debt he could never work to repay in prison. He reaped what he had sown. When Jesus preached his Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 6:24, he said, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” By all his actions throughout the parable, money was the true master of the wicked servant: he loved money and was devoted to serving money more than serving his king; so, when he borrowed 750,000 pounds of gold, he did so because he hated and despised his master and never thought about repaying such a generous king. He became an example of the truth of Jesus’ preaching in the Sermon on the Mount. Since he loved money supremely, he abused and despised others; otherwise, he would have treated his master differently and would have shown compassion to his fellow servant. After all his master had generously done for him, he did not turn from his love of money to loving his master and his fellow servants.
(Matthew 18:35) “My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”
In conclusion, Jesus told Peter and all those listening the importance of forgiveness. He explained that this is the way His heavenly Father would treat them if they refused to forgive repentant brothers and sisters who came to them and begged them to forgive them. To refuse to forgive a repentant brother or sister shows an unloving spirit and a lack of compassion and grace, a lack of openness to obeying Jesus as Lord. An unforgiving spirit indicates that a person is not a true child of their heavenly Father, who loves, forgives, and restores those who come to Him with repentant hearts.
Justice Served
Sunday, January 30, 2022
Matthew 18:21-35
“Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?” (Matthew 18:33).
Jesus told a parable about a rich king who loaned in today’s dollars more than a trillion dollars to one of his servants. When the servant could not repay him, in accordance with the law the king resolved to sell him and his family into slavery. When his servant asked for patience and promised to repay him, the king showed him grace, forgave him, and canceled his debt. Then, the servant refused to forgive one of his fellow servants who owed him a pittance (100 silver coins). Instead, the foolish servant choked him and threw him into prison; thereby further impoverishing his family and depriving the king his services. When the king heard this, he called his servant “wicked” for not graciously doing for others what he had done for him. The king expected him to follow his good example and show compassion, forgiveness, and grace to others. However, the servant remained wicked because he loved money instead of God. In Matthew 6:24, Jesus preached, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” In 1 Timothy 6:10, Paul warned, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” As Paul warned, because the servant remained wicked, his king threw him into prison. In Matthew 18:35, Jesus concluded, “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
Thinking Further
Justice Served
Sunday, January 30, 2022
Matthew 18:21-35
Name _________________________________
1.How many times did Peter think was the most someone needed to forgive someone? What was Jesus’ answer?
2. How much did the men borrow in Jesus’ parable?
3. What did the king do to the man who could not repay the gold he had borrowed?
4. Why did the king throw the man who had been forgiven his debt into prison?
5. How important is it for someone to forgive others instead of being unforgiving?
Discussion and Thinking Further
1. How many times did Peter think was the most someone needed to forgive someone? What was Jesus’ answer?
Seven times. Seventy-seven times or seventy-times-seven times, but we should not even be counting, just keep on forgiving.
2. How much did the men borrow in Jesus’ parable?
More than they could easily repay. 10,000 talents or 10,000 bags of gold for the one and 100 silver coins for the other.
3. What did the king do to the man who could not repay the gold he had borrowed?
He resolved to sell the man, his family, and his property to reclaim his losses. Then, he canceled his debt. Then he threw the man into prison.
4. Why did the king throw the man who had been forgiven his debt into prison?
When the man had begged for patience and time to repay the debt, the king canceled his debt. When a man owed this man a mere, by comparison, 100 silver coins, he choked him, refused to show him patience or give him more time to repay him, and threw his fellow servant into prison. Therefore, the king threw the wicked man into prison as he deserved.
5. How important is it for someone to forgive others instead of being unforgiving?
It can make an eternal difference.
Word Search
Justice Served
Sunday, January 30, 2022
Matthew 18:21-35
Name _________________________________
F L F U J W H F U I N K S Y V
Z N D C A N C E L E D B Z C B
P D D E R U T R O T Z L R N E
M R F W B K B V W K R X F S F
C O A M R T C S I N S P J O Q
J L I H J U G Y C G I Y R X V
I W V E N K P Q K J A G J M T
A O S A L I X V E S I V E C N
R U T V U N B L D V M Y S P A
S F A E R G J V E F D J U A V
A O K N N D C M L R Q W S T R
C N S T E O W H E W E L F I E
O Q C Z V M Z T D B F V R E S
S I F B E O E B L T Q A M N G
C H Q M S P Y T N E V E S T S
Peter
Jesus
Lord
Forgive
Sins
Seventy
Seven
Kingdom
Heaven
Patient
Canceled
Debt
Wicked
Servant
Tortured
True and False Test
Justice Served
Sunday, January 30, 2022
Matthew 18:21-35
Name ________________________________
Circle the true or false answers. Correct the false statements by restating them.
1. Peter was probably shocked when Jesus said he was supposed to forgive someone who sinned against him more than seven times. True or False
2. Jesus illustrated what He meant by why we should forgive so often when He told Peter a parable about the kingdom of heaven. True or False
3. When Jesus told His parable, He began with a man who had borrowed what he could easily repay if he really wanted to. True or False
4. Jesus said the man who could not repay the king had squandered what he had borrowed rather than investing his talents wisely. True or False
5. Both debtors asked their lenders for patience and promised to repay what they owed them. True or False
6. Both debtors were servants of the same master. True or False
7. Both lenders took pity of their debtors, cancelled their debts, and let them go free. True or False
8. We should count the number of times we forgive someone and make sure we have forgiven them at least seventy times before we stop forgiving them. True or False
9. Since God has forgiven us so much, we should be willing to forgive others without counting how often we have forgiven them. True or False
10. The servant who had been forgiven much was wicked to refuse to show mercy to his fellow servant who asked for patience and promised to repay. True or False
True and False Test Answers
- True
- True
- False
- False
- True
- True
- False
- False
- True
- True
Prayer
Father, we pray that You will help us always to see our neighbors as You see them, especially those who are often ignored or treated with contempt. Help us to treat them justly, with the mercy that You have shown us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
