Reading: Matthew 18: 21-35

Verse 33: “Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you”?

Today’s parable in about forgiveness. It begins with Peter asking Jesus how many times he needs to forgive a brother who sins against him. Peter suggests seven as the limit. That would have been a generous number – far beyond the expectations of the day. This number remains far beyond the norm today as well. For one of us to forgive a fellow believer even more than a few times would be considered extreme in today’s world.

Jesus’ response must have shocked Peter so much that Jesus has to tell a parable to explain his answer of 77 times. In the parable a king is owed 10,000 talents – millions of dollars in today’s economy. The servant is unable to repay the debt so the king prepares to sell the man and his whole family into slavery to repay the debt. This action is well within the letter of the law and was expected is such cases. The servant begs for mercy. In an act of great kindness, the king takes pity on the man and forgives the debt.

To this point the parable reflects our relationship with God. We rack up sin after sin in our lives. For example, I am often guilty of pride or wanting to be in control. The Holy Spirit makes me aware of my sin and I confess and repent. But these sins pop up over and over again. If seven times were God’s limit, I would have been condemned to hell long ago. In fact, even at 77, my condemnation would have been sealed long ago. But it is not. God’s love and mercy and grace are boundless, limitless, endless. That is Jesus’ point here: our forgiveness of others should reflect God’s grace with us.

To illustrate the cost of an unforgiving heart, the parable continues in verse 28. Fresh off being forgiven millions, the servant finds a fellow servant who owes him 100 denarii – a few dollars. Unable to repay him immediately, the second servant is thrown into prison. Fellow servants see this injustice and report it to the king. He calls the first servant, now called “the wicked servant”, back in. He asks, “Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you”? Because of his lack of pity and mercy and forgiveness, the king’s pity and mercy and forgiveness is withdrawn and the servant is sent to prison to be “tortured” until he can repay the huge debt. Perhaps the debt is not just the 10,000 talents.

Our parable closes with a sober reminder: this is how God will treat us too if we do not “forgive your brother from the heart”. As we ponder this lesson, may we seek to forgive as we are forgiven, modeling the love of God.

Prayer: Lord God, when I am a little reluctant to forgive another, remind me of this story. Remind me again and again of your great love. Help me to forgive others as you forgive me – over and over and over and… Thank you, Lord. Amen.