Parables - Teaching 18
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 (or seventy times seven) .
“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?’ Matthew 18:21-33
Once again we see Jesus telling a story (a parable) to answer a question. This one from Peter who is most probably the most outspoken of His followers, the most unpredictable, the most impulsive and most conflicting -- well the one that is most like us.
Question
Now when asked a question, Jesus normally in response would tell a story when He is out teaching to a large group of people -- most times, there are religious leaders, skeptics, stalkers, bashers and fault-finders in attendance.
Grace
In this story, Jesus is illustrating Our Heavenly Father's great love for us -- His tender mercies and anazing grace -- foreshadowing (when we were still sinners) Christ His own Son will die in our place.
He is illustrating how He will forgive our sin debt, how big it is that we couldn't pay it, so He will pay it for us.
We, in turn should be of the same mind, same heart and same Spirit that we are able to supernaturally pay it forward to others who couldn't pay us the comparatively smaller obligations they have towards us.
Ephesians
This is why the Apostle Paul wrote to the early believers in Ephesus to be in unity and be loving towards one another. In his letter, Paul told them:
"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." Ephesians 4:2-6
Father's Love
Paul also wrote two letters to Timothy, who was the young leader in Ephesian church at that time. He gave him fatherly advise and instructions on how to conduct himself and deal with his daily concerns.
One thing that Paul keeps reminding him is to not give up and continue with what he had started.
Last Letter
Paul's second letter to Timothy would be the last letter Paul will write before he was martryed, in it Paul was writing to Timothy as a father would write to a son.
Today, Our Father in heaven continues to write in our hearts that He loves us so and that the whole world will know of that love, only through the same love, the same heart and the same Spirit that we will show to them.
If the scared, stubborn, hard-headed, impulsive, unpredictable Peter can do it, then truly, supernaturally nothing is impossible.
And like Peter, all of us is a work in progress. We will make mistakes, we will stumble and even fall flat on our face. We will struggle. But like Peter, we will learn, we will mature, we will get it. And we will make it through and surprise others, even ourselves.
Let those who have ears to hear, hear and those who have eyes to read, see.
"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 (or seventy times seven) .
“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?’ Matthew 18:21-33
Once again we see Jesus telling a story (a parable) to answer a question. This one from Peter who is most probably the most outspoken of His followers, the most unpredictable, the most impulsive and most conflicting -- well the one that is most like us.
Question
Now when asked a question, Jesus normally in response would tell a story when He is out teaching to a large group of people -- most times, there are religious leaders, skeptics, stalkers, bashers and fault-finders in attendance.
Grace
In this story, Jesus is illustrating Our Heavenly Father's great love for us -- His tender mercies and anazing grace -- foreshadowing (when we were still sinners) Christ His own Son will die in our place.
He is illustrating how He will forgive our sin debt, how big it is that we couldn't pay it, so He will pay it for us.
We, in turn should be of the same mind, same heart and same Spirit that we are able to supernaturally pay it forward to others who couldn't pay us the comparatively smaller obligations they have towards us.
Ephesians
This is why the Apostle Paul wrote to the early believers in Ephesus to be in unity and be loving towards one another. In his letter, Paul told them:
"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." Ephesians 4:2-6
Father's Love
Paul also wrote two letters to Timothy, who was the young leader in Ephesian church at that time. He gave him fatherly advise and instructions on how to conduct himself and deal with his daily concerns.
One thing that Paul keeps reminding him is to not give up and continue with what he had started.
Last Letter
Paul's second letter to Timothy would be the last letter Paul will write before he was martryed, in it Paul was writing to Timothy as a father would write to a son.
Today, Our Father in heaven continues to write in our hearts that He loves us so and that the whole world will know of that love, only through the same love, the same heart and the same Spirit that we will show to them.
If the scared, stubborn, hard-headed, impulsive, unpredictable Peter can do it, then truly, supernaturally nothing is impossible.
And like Peter, all of us is a work in progress. We will make mistakes, we will stumble and even fall flat on our face. We will struggle. But like Peter, we will learn, we will mature, we will get it. And we will make it through and surprise others, even ourselves.
Let those who have ears to hear, hear and those who have eyes to read, see.
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