A GREAT DEBT LIFTED

Passage: Matthew 18:21-35

Key verse: 27

NIV

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me?(A) Up to seven times?”(B)

22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[a](C)

23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like(D) a king who wanted to settle accounts(E) with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold[b] was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay,(F) the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold(G) to repay the debt.

26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him.(H) ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.[c] He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’

30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.

32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”(I)

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Footnotes
  1. Matthew 18:22 Or seventy times seven
  2. Matthew 18:24 Greek ten thousand talents; a talent was worth about 20 years of a day laborer’s wages.
  3. Matthew 18:28 Greek a hundred denarii; a denarius was the usual daily wage of a day laborer (see 20:2).
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often (A)will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? (B)As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished (C)to settle accounts with his servants.[a] 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him (D)ten thousand (E)talents.[b] 25 (F)And since he could not pay, his master ordered him (G)to be sold, with his wife and (H)children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant[c] (I)fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and (J)forgave him the debt. 28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred (K)denarii,[d] and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 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. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 (L)And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 (M)And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers,[e] (N)until he should pay all his debt. 35 (O)So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother (P)from your heart.”

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Footnotes
  1. Matthew 18:23 Or bondservants; also verses 28, 31
  2. Matthew 18:24 A talent was a monetary unit worth about twenty years' wages for a laborer
  3. Matthew 18:26 Or bondservant; also verses 27, 28, 29, 32, 33
  4. Matthew 18:28 A denarius was a day's wage for a laborer
  5. Matthew 18:34 Greek torturers
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

Forgiveness may not come naturally to us, but it can come from our hearts when we reflect on God’s great mercy on us. God is the king who forgave his servant (me) 1

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bags of gold. This was a debt I would have to work every day of my life to earn less than even a small fraction of the total. Canceling a debt of this magnitude is amazing grace! What a relief! This gives us the awesome freedom to live and enjoy life in a relationship of love and gratitude with God, our King. Jesus came to reveal to us that, indeed, this debt of ours is paid in full.

God desires mercy, not sacrifice. Life is not meant to be an endless proving ground of our worthiness, but to live in appreciation of the life given to us. We must accept this grace and extend this mercy to our brothers and sisters. Forgiveness may seem counterintuitive at first, but as Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” Forgiveness, when it comes from our heart, has the power to heal and give life. We should never cease to have mercy on our brothers and sisters.

Prayer: Lord, I once thought of you as a demanding king, but in Jesus I see your love and mercy has given me true freedom and life. May I live my life in gratitude and extend forgiveness and mercy to my brothers and sisters.

One Word: Forgive from your heart