The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times. Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” (Matthew 18:21-35 ESV).

 

Mercy and forgiveness are things that definitely tend to fall into the category of easier to receive than give.  It seems to be part of our human nature that when we offend someone, we hope for quick resolution, and if possible, to be let off lightly as far as punishment or retribution goes.  Often when the tables are turned though, and we are the ones who are offended, we demand justice, or maybe even vengeance, to some degree.  The parable we’ll be looking today is about exactly that, the importance of being able to forgive, just as we have been forgiven.

 

There is a bit of history and cultural significance here.  The rabbis would teach that a person is to forgive a person up to three times for committing the same offense against them.  So, for Peter to suggest seven times here would be going well beyond what was considered normal, or even appropriate, considering this was not just talking about forgiving in general but forgiving the same thing over, and over again. Jesus’ answer, however, went even further than Peter’s suggestion.  Depending on the translation being used, he either said to forgive seventy times, or seventy times seven.  Thankfully, the interpretation as to what the number should be isn’t that important, the bigger idea is that the number is far higher than what would be taught, even suggesting that there is no limit, we are to forgive every time a person offends us.

 

Sometimes, that doesn’t make sense, why should we keep allowing ourselves to be hurt by the same person, without any call for justice or retribution?  There are a few answers to that.  One, it’s what we desire for ourselves, and two, the desire is that the other person will recognize the grace they are receiving and be moved to change, even to extend the same grace to others. Third, it is the example of god’s forgiveness toward us for the greatest debt anyone could owe. I’ve heard well said like this: “Jesus paid the debt I could never pay; and died the death that I deserved.” Truth indeed.

 

Take care to be a forgiving servant!