July 1- Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

Sunday School Lesson

July 1

Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

Devotional Reading: Colossians 3:12-17

Background Scripture: Matthew 18:21-35

Matthew 18:21-35

²¹ Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

²² Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

²³ Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.

²⁴ And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.

²⁵ But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

²⁶ The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

²⁷ Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

²⁸ But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.

²⁹ And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

³⁰ And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.

³¹ So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.

³² Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:

³³ Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?

³⁴ And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

³⁵ So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

Key Verse

Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?—Matthew 18:33

Lesson Aims

After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:

1. Summarize Jesus’ parable of the unforgiving servant.
2. Compare and contrast Jesus’ viewpoint on forgiveness with viewpoints of today’s culture.
3. Express forgiveness to one person in the week ahead.

Introduction

1. No Limits

Many car insurance companies include “accident forgiveness” in their policies. The specifics of how this concept works vary, but the foundational idea is that the insurance company will “forgive” a policyholder’s first accident by not increasing his or her premiums. Some companies offer accident forgiveness as a reward for anyone who chooses to be insured by them. Some offer it to customers who have been with them for a certain length of time, etc.

At the same time, there are limits to this kind of forgiveness. Just because an insurance company forgives your at-fault accident does not mean that the points added to your driving record are removed. That part of your driving record is separate from what the insurance company can promise to do for you. Accident forgiveness does have its limitations.

In today’s text, Peter asks Jesus a question about limits on forgiveness. The gist of Jesus’ initial response is that there should be none. The master teacher then proceeds to tell a parable that challenges Peter (and us) to think not only of forgiving others but also of how much we have been forgiven by our heavenly Father. The measure of the latter should affect our perspective on the former.

1. Lesson Background

The parable of the unforgiving servant, which Matthew alone records, was spoken during the third year of Jesus’ earthly ministry. By that time He had become much more direct in speaking to His disciples of His coming death and resurrection (Matthew 16:21; 17:12, 22, 23).

Such predictions led to Peter’s ill-advised rebuke of Jesus’ intentions (Matthew 16:22), a glimmer of understanding (17:13), and great sorrow (17:22, 23). Into this mix was a debate among the Twelve as to who would be the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven (18:1-5; compare Mark 9:34-37).

Immediately preceding the parable of the unforgiving servant (today’s text) is Jesus’ teaching about how to deal with a brother who sins against you. Jesus outlined the steps to be taken, then climaxed His teaching on this subject by highlighting the power of prayer when even two or three are gathered in His name (Matthew 18:19, 20).

Peter appears to have been especially attentive to Jesus’ counsel on confronting another who has sinned. Perhaps Peter was thinking of the recent argument regarding “who should be the greatest” (Mark 9:34). One commentator speculates that Peter desires clarification about how much forgivness Jesus expects because Peter has taken offense at one of the Twelve who has challenged Peter’s worthiness to receive the “keys of the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 16:19). This theory is indeed speculative; no evidence exists to support it.

1. Posing a Problem

                                                               (Matthew 18:21, 22)

1. Peter’s Question (v. 21)
2. Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

Peter tends to be the most vocal of the Twelve, whether it’s a matter of desiring to walk on the water (Matthew 14:28-31) or objecting to Jesus’ more candid description of what the future holds (16:21, 22). The question he raises with Jesus sounds almost pharisaical in nature, challenging Jesus to explain a portion of His teaching.

But Peter’s motivation is different from that of the Pharisees. He is not trying to embarrass Jesus or find grounds for accusing Him of something. Peter simply wants to know the extent to which he is expected to forgive another, should that person continue to sin against him.

In posing the question, Peter may have in mind the Jewish teaching that states forgiveness should be granted to someone three times. If so, then Peter’s question to Jesus doubles the requirement, then adds one more perhaps for good measure.

Also worth noting is how Peter phrases his question. He does not say, “If I sin against someone, how often should that person be expected to forgive me?” Forgiveness is usually a more comfortable subject to discuss if approached from the point of view of the offended person rather than that of the person who has caused the offense.

Despite any good intentions on the part of Peter, there’s an element of scorekeeping here that must be dealt with.

What Do You Think?

What steps can we take to resist keeping score when it comes to extending forgiveness?

Points for Your Discussion

When wronged by a family member

When wronged by someone at church

When wronged by a stranger

Other

1. Jesus’ Answer (v. 22)
2. Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Jesus’ answer must leave Peter stunned and speechless (which is quite something for him!). The phrase seventy times seven conveys the idea that forgiveness is to be extended without limits. The number is purposely stated extremely high so that the “how oft” of Peter’s question (previous verse) becomes irrelevant.

What Do You Think?

As we become willing to forgive without limits, how do we protect ourselves from being taken advantage of?

Points for Your Discussion

By family members

By coworkers

By strangers

Other

1. Presenting a Parable

                                                              (Matthew 18:23-35)

1. Servant’s Crisis (vv. 23-25)
2. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.

Aware of what is in others’ hearts, Jesus knows that more needs to be said on the subject at hand. There is another side to forgiveness that Peter seems to have overlooked (and that we sometimes do too).

As before, Jesus teaches by means of a parable. This teaching format requires work on the part of the listener. The challenge for comprehension is to match images in the parable with things and people in the real world. The Twelve usually seem not very good at doing so (see Matthew 13:36; 15:15, 16; 16:6-12).

The servants of this parable are unlikely to be slaves, who work for no compensation. They are probably better described as stewards or managers who have been commissioned by the king to invest his wealth in profitable ventures. Now the time has come for the king to take account of how well these individuals have done their assigned tasks. The Greek behind the translation “take account” occurs only three times in the New Testament: here, in the verse that follows (translated “reckon”), and in Matthew 25:19 (translated “reckoneth” in the parable of the talents).

The imagery of a king auditing the books should bring to mind what will happen on the Day of Judgment. That will be when “the dead, small and great, stand before God” to be “judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works” (Revelation 20:12; compare Matthew 12:36; Romans 2:5; 14:12; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 4:1-5).

24. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.

This day of reckoning bodes ill for one particular servant. Having been brought before the king, the audit reveals that the servant owes a debt of ten thousand talents! A talent should not be thought of in the modern sense of gifts or abilities. In Old Testament times, a talent seems to have been a unit of weight (examples: 2 Samuel 12:30; 1 Kings 10:14). In Jesus’ day, a talent is also a monetary unit, one talent being roughly equivalent to 6,000 denarii (or drachmas). A denarius is the equivalent of one day’s wages (compare Matthew 20:10, where the Greek word denarius is translated “penny”; also 18:28, below). This servant’s debt thus amounts to the pay for 6,000 workdays—times 10,000!

How to Say It

ColossiansKuh-losh-unz.

denariidih-nair-ee or dih-nair-eye.

denariusdih-nair-ee-us.

EphesiansEe-fee-zhunz.

pharisaicalfair-ih-say-ih-kul.

PhariseesFair-ih-seez.

Nothing is said about how this servant has amassed such a debt. The point is that this is a staggering amount to owe anyone, and it is readily understood by Peter as a debt virtually impossible to pay off.

25. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

Jesus does not comment on the rightness or wrongness of the procedure used to satisfy the debt. What He describes is a typical way for a situation like this one to be handled at the time. There is no option to declare chapter 7 or chapter 13 bankruptcy. Instead, the servant, his family, and all their possessions are to be sold so payment can be made.

This suggests that all the members of the family will become slaves to someone; any income their labor generates will automatically go toward payment of the debt. For a debt of this magnitude, it is very unlikely that the king can ever fully recoup his losses. He will, however, get a portion back.

1. King’s Compassion (vv. 26, 27)
2. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

Faced with such a dire future, the servant does the only thing he can do: he begs for mercy. His promise to pay . . . all he owes is undoubtedly sincere in intent, but next to impossible in practicality, given the size of the debt.

27. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

The king’s sense of compassion for this desperate servant overrules the stark requirements of justice. He forgives the man this unpayable debt.

What Do You Think?

What can you do to stay mindful of how much God has forgiven you?

Points for Your Discussion

When a confrontation is imminent

When alone in prayer

Taking into account your own temperament

Other

1. Servant’s Cruelty (vv. 28-31)
2. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.

One would think that this servant would rejoice and celebrate at receiving such wonderful news, as do other characters in Jesus’ parables (compare Luke 15:5, 9, 32). But the parable takes an unexpected and disappointing turn.

One gets the impression that not too much time passes until the first servant comes upon one of his coworkers. The difference between the amount the first servant owed the king and the amount this second servant owes the first is just as staggering as the enormity of the first man’s debt. An hundred pence is literally 100 denarii (see comments on verse 24, above). The second servant’s debt to the first servant is practically nothing in comparison with what the first servant owed the king.

Equally as staggering is the difference between the king’s treatment of the first servant and the same servant’s behavior toward his fellow servant. He says nothing about requesting repayment until he first grabs the man by the throat—something the king did not do.

29. And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

The response of the fellowservant mirrors that of the first servant’s when the latter pleaded for mercy from the king (verse 26, above). One would think that when the first servant hears the plea that he himself had used, a merciful response would result.

30. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.

Instead, the first servant’s reaction is the very opposite of how he was treated by the king. There is no compassion whatsoever in the heart of this servant, in spite of the mercy recently granted to him. The king had planned to arrange for some of his debt from the first servant to be repaid by selling him, along with his family and possessions. But the forgiven servant simply has his fellow servant thrown into prison.

That action puts the man in an obviously difficult position: How can he pay what he owes if he is confined to prison? Perhaps his only recourse is to hope that family members or friends will come to his aid.

What Do You Think?

What lessons have you learned from times you were unwilling to forgive?

Points for Your Discussion

Regarding impact on physical health

Regarding impact on spiritual health

Regarding impact on relationships

Other

Forgiving a Father

On Father’s Day in 2015, actor Oliver Hudson posted on social media a picture of himself, his sister (actress Kate Hudson), and their father with the caption “Happy Abandonment Day.” Though Oliver said he was just trying to be funny, the father lashed out at his two adult children in response. But not long after that, the incident actually helped open up renewed communication between father and son, who had been estranged for 12 years.

About a year later, Kate stated that she had forgiven her father for abandoning her and her brother as children. Recognizing that her father has to live with his own issues, Kate said to the radio host who was interviewing her, “That must be painful for him. So I forgive him.” She added that forgiveness is “the greatest tool” for moving forward.

Failing to extend the grace that has been given to us is one of the most spiritually damaging things we can do to ourselves. When Kate Hudson was able to enter into the heart of her father’s pain, she found the ability to forgive him.

Over the course of a lifetime, we will also be presented with many opportunities either to forgive or demand restitution of some kind. We won’t go wrong if we choose mercy.

—D. S.

31. So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.

The fellowservants can’t keep quiet about what they have just seen. The one to hold the first servant accountable is the king, so it is to him they report what has happened.

1. King’s Condemnation (vv. 32-34)

^{32, 33.} Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?

The unforgiving servant finds himself facing the searing anger of the king, who addresses him as a wicked servant. The king presents the simple logic that should have guided the servant’s attitude toward his companion: since the first servant had been forgiven all that debt, shouldn’t he have shown similar compassion on his fellow debtor? Anyone who has been forgiven (especially such a large debt) should demonstrate a forgiving heart to another.

34. And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

The king’s anger results in this servant’s being placed in a position similar to the one in which he himself had placed the second servant. Only now the unforgiving servant’s position is far worse; he is given over to be tormented or tortured until his debt is paid.

The torment is presumably done to force the servant to confess where he may have any hidden resources needed to reduce his debt. One is led to believe that the man will never know freedom again, given the size of his debt. His condition may well be a way for Jesus to portray the eternal torment of Hell (Matthew 25:41, 46; Mark 9:43-48).

Receiving Mercy, Extending Mercy

When a drug deal went bad, Bob’s brother was killed by a guy named Harvey, whom Bob and his brother had known well. Vowing revenge, Bob went on the hunt for Harvey but lost track of him. Then Bob himself got into trouble with the law and went to jail. Lo and behold, Harvey ended up in the same prison.

Although by then Bob had come to Christ and let go of his vow of revenge, he still could not fully forgive. One day, in a common area for inmates, Harvey timidly asked Bob for mercy. Bob, now a forgiven man in Christ, was finally able to extend that mercy to his brother’s killer.

Imagine our heavenly king’s delight when Bob forgave his brother’s penitent killer. These days, Bob and Harvey attend worship service together every week. Even in the most difficult of circumstances, through the power of the Holy Spirit we can find the ability to forgive our offenders—to extend the same mercy to them that God generously offered to us.

—D. S.

1. Jesus’ Challenge (v. 35)
2. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not everyone his brother their trespasses.

Here Jesus states the application of the parable. Obviously much more than money is being pictured by the master teacher. Ultimately Jesus wants His audience (then and now) to get a picture of the enormity of our debt of sin before God, our heavenly king.

We, God’s servants, are in a position similar to the first servant in this parable. There is no way we can repay the debt represented by our sin. Justice requires punishment; our only recourse is to beg for mercy from our king—as did the first servant of the parable.

Forgiveness is thus not merely a matter of how we treat those who have offended us. It is also a matter of how God has chosen to treat us who have offended Him. Perhaps we are taken aback by the enormity of times we must forgive. But have we considered the enormous debt of which God has forgiven us?

The importance of forgiveness is repeated elsewhere in the New Testament. In Ephesians 4:31, 32 and Colossians 3:12, 13, Christians are exhorted to forgive others based on how Christ has forgiven them. How would our daily conduct (our thoughts, our words, our actions) be affected if we kept that point of view in mind?

We must also note how Jesus instructs us to forgive from our hearts. Forgiveness is not forgiveness if it is offered insincerely. If we tell someone “I forgive you” while continuing to harbor anger and resentment, then, in a manner of speaking, we still have our hands on the throat of the person we refuse to forgive.

What Do You Think?

Without giving advice, how would you counsel a friend who is hesitant to forgive someone?

Points for Your Discussion

Considering the nature of the wrong

Considering the nature of the relationship between the two individuals

Considering the difference between forgiveness and consequences

Considering the extent of forgiveness your friend has received from Jesus

Considering repentance or lack thereof

Conclusion

1. From Parable to Real Life

Because Peter was the one who raised the question about forgiveness, it is interesting to follow up on what happened later to him concerning forgiveness. After Peter had denied Jesus three times, in spite of his bold claims that this could never happen, he wept bitter tears (Matthew 26:69-75). It is hard for us to fathom the measure of remorse Peter felt at that moment and throughout the course of that day when Jesus was crucified. Perhaps Peter resigned himself to being confined to the “prison” of his failure for the rest of his life.

But three days later the startling news began to circulate that Jesus was alive. The message was first conveyed by the women who had come to Jesus’ tomb to pay their respects, only to find no corpse there. Then came the words of an angel with a message for the women to pass along: “Go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you” (Mark 16:7).

This specific reference to Peter was not accidental. It was Jesus’ way of letting him know that forgiveness was more than a topic to be discussed in a parable. It was real. Jesus, the king of life and death, was declaring Peter forgiven. He did not have to remain bound in the prison of failure and defeat, because Jesus did not remain bound in the prison of the grave. The King had forgiven His servant of his debt. Peter was free to go.

1. Prayer

Father, through Jesus’ death and resurrection we have been released from a debt so large that no human could have paid it. Only by Your putting on flesh and blood to dwell among us and die in our place could the price be paid. And it has been! Thank You for setting us free—free from sin and now free to serve You. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

1. Thought to Remember

The master teacher is also the master forgiver.

 

KID’S CORNER

Justice Served

July 1, 2018

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 teaching 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

July 1, 2018

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

July 1, 2018

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

 

Questions for 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

July 1, 2018

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

July 1, 2018

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

Matthew 18:21-35

1. True
2. True
3. False
4. False
5. True
6. True
7. False
8. False
9. True

10.True

 

Prayer

Father, through Jesus’ death and resurrection we have been released from a debt so large that no human could have paid it. Only by Your putting on flesh and blood to dwell among us and die in our place could the price be paid. And it has been! Thank You for setting us free—free from sin and now free to serve You. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.