What Forgiveness Requires
TRANSLATION
(21) Then Peter approached him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive my brother if he sins against me? As many as seven times?” (22) Jesus said to him, “I tell you not just seven times but seventy-seven times.
(23) “Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. (24) And when the procedure began, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. (25) Since he could not repay (the debt), his lord commanded that both he and his wife as well as his children and all that he had be sold and restitution be made (from the proceeds). (26) Then the servant fell on his knees and begged (the master), ‘Lord, be patient with me, and I will repay you everything.’ (27) And the master of that servant was moved with compassion and released him, forgiving him the debt (outright). (28) When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him demanding, ‘Pay me back what you owe!’ (29) Then this fellow-servant fell on his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you.’ (30) But he refused and went and had him thrown into prison until he could repay the debt. (31) When his fellow-servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and came and told their master all that had taken place. (32) Then the master summoned him and said, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave your debt because you begged me (for mercy). (33) Should you not have shown mercy to your fellow servant, just as I showed mercy to you?’ (34) And his master was incensed and handed him over to the jailers until he could pay all he owed. (35) In this way will my heavenly Father treat every one of you if you do not forgive your brother from your hearts.”
OBSERVATIONS
“Forgive/forgave” by frequency of repetition and distribution throughout the passage stood out as the theme of this segment (vss. 21, 27, 32, & 35). Other repeated words included “brother” (vss. 21 & 35), “seven times/seventy-seven times” (vss. 21 & 22), “servant(s)” (eight times in vss. 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32, & 33), “master” (five times in vss. 25, 27, 31, 32, & 34), “settle” (twice in vss. 23 & 24), “owe(d)” (three times in vss. 24 & 28), “pay/payment” (four times in vss. 25, 26, & 29), “fell” and “have patience with me” (both twice in vss. 26 & 29), “debt” (three times in vss. 30, 32, & 34), and “mercy” (twice in vs. 33).
OUTLINE
I. Jesus answered Peter’s question regarding how many times we should forgive sins. (21 & 22)
II. Jesus supported his answer with the convicting parable of the unforgiving servant. (23-33)
IDEA STATEMENT
Those who would follow Jesus as his disciples must commit themselves to forgive others as he has forgiven us.
APPLICATION
Peter had been focusing on the difficulty of dealing with a sinning brother when he asked Jesus how many times disciples were required to forgive those who had offended them. Peter thought he had been generous by offering to forgive an offender up to seven times since the rabbis required only three. Jesus’ answer indicated that he and the other disciples listening in on their conversation had been asking the wrong question and required a change of perspective.
The parable which Jesus gave shifted their focus from the sinning brother to our own desperate need for God’s constantly forgiving the innumerable offenses which we regularly commit. His point was clear and straightforward. If we keep in mind the abundant mercy God has shown us in forgiving all we have done to offend him, we should never hesitate to forgive a brother whose minor offenses have done comparatively little to harm us. The magnitude of the gratitude we owe to God for his undeserved favor should far outweigh any sense of outrage we might harbor toward a brother because he may have offended us multiple times. As Jesus’ disciples, we are obligated to forgive all sins committed against us, whoever has committed them and however they may have taken place.