Matthew 18:28-35: a reflection

28“But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him one hundred denarii, and he grabbed him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ 29“So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay you!’ 30He would not, but went and cast him into prison until he should pay back that which was due. 31So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told their lord all that was done. 32Then his lord called him in and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?’ 34His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors until he should pay all that was due to him. 35So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don’t each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds.”

In the parable of the unforgiving servant, one who had been forgiven an enormous debt refuses to forgive his fellow servant a small one, and Jesus draws the lesson: we who have been forgiven so much must forgive others. Shouldn't you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, the master asks the unforgiving servant, even as I had mercy on you? And Jesus applies it: so my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don't each forgive your brother from your hearts. The servant had been forgiven a debt he could never have repaid; and yet he seized his fellow servant by the throat over a tiny debt, refusing the mercy he had himself received. The lesson is clear: we who have been forgiven so great a debt by God must forgive others their far smaller debts to us. This shows that we who have been forgiven much by God must forgive others. Forgive others, as you have been forgiven much by God. The forgiven must forgive; we have received great mercy. Our debt forgiven should make us forgive others' small debts. Do not refuse others the mercy you have received from God.

Notice the striking contrast in the parable, and its lesson. The servant had been forgiven an enormous debt, one he could never have repaid, out of his master's sheer mercy; his whole vast debt was simply cancelled. And then, immediately after receiving such mercy, he went out and seized a fellow servant who owed him a tiny sum, refusing to forgive, throwing him into prison. The contrast is stark: forgiven so much, he would not forgive so little. And Jesus draws the direct application to us: we are like that servant, forgiven by God an immense debt of sin that we could never repay; and God calls us, having received such mercy, to forgive others the far smaller debts they owe us, the wrongs they have done us. To refuse to forgive others, when we have been forgiven so much by God, is to be like the unforgiving servant, and Jesus warns that it is a serious thing. The mercy we have received should overflow into mercy toward others. Whatever others owe us, whatever wrongs they have done us, is small compared to the vast debt God has forgiven us. We do well, then, to forgive others from the heart, as we have been forgiven, letting the mercy we have received make us merciful. Forgive others from the heart, as God has forgiven you much. Our debt to God, forgiven, dwarfs what others owe us. Let the mercy you have received make you merciful. Do not be like the servant forgiven much who would not forgive little.

That is worth taking to heart, for we who have been forgiven an immense debt by God must forgive others their far smaller debts to us, as the servant forgiven much was condemned for refusing to forgive little. We can hold onto others' wrongs against us, refusing to forgive; but we have been forgiven by God a debt we could never repay, and Jesus calls us to forgive others as we have been forgiven. The forgiven must forgive. Do not refuse others the mercy you have received; forgive them from your heart, letting God's great mercy to you make you merciful. Forgive others from your heart their far smaller debts to you, as you have been forgiven an immense debt by God, letting the mercy you have received make you merciful, as in the parable of the unforgiving servant one who had been forgiven an enormous debt he could never repay refused to forgive his fellow servant a tiny one, seizing him by the throat, and Jesus drew the lesson, shouldn't you also have had mercy on your fellow servant even as I had mercy on you, applying it that his heavenly Father would also do so to us if we do not each forgive our brother from our hearts; for the contrast is stark, that forgiven so much the servant would not forgive so little, and Jesus draws the direct application to us, that we are like that servant, forgiven by God an immense debt of sin we could never repay, so that God calls us, having received such mercy, to forgive others the far smaller debts they owe us and the wrongs they have done us, since to refuse to forgive others when we have been forgiven so much is to be like the unforgiving servant, and the mercy we have received should overflow into mercy toward others, whatever others owe us being small compared to the vast debt God has forgiven us, so that we do well to forgive others from the heart, letting the mercy we have received make us merciful.

Lord Jesus, in the parable of the unforgiving servant, one who had been forgiven an enormous debt refuses to forgive his fellow servant a small one, and you draw the lesson: we who have been forgiven so much must forgive others. Shouldn't you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, the master asks the unforgiving servant, even as I had mercy on you? And you apply it: so my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don't each forgive your brother from your hearts. The servant had been forgiven a debt he could never have repaid; and yet he seized his fellow servant over a tiny debt, refusing the mercy he had himself received. The lesson is clear: we who have been forgiven so great a debt by God must forgive others their far smaller debts to us. Show me the striking contrast in the parable, and its lesson. The servant had been forgiven an enormous debt, out of his master's sheer mercy; and then, immediately after receiving such mercy, he refused to forgive a fellow servant a tiny sum. Forgiven so much, he would not forgive so little. And you draw the direct application to me: I am like that servant, forgiven by you an immense debt of sin that I could never repay; and you call me, having received such mercy, to forgive others the far smaller debts they owe me, the wrongs they have done me. To refuse to forgive others, when I have been forgiven so much, is to be like the unforgiving servant. The mercy I have received should overflow into mercy toward others. Whatever others owe me is small compared to the vast debt you have forgiven me. Take that to my heart, for I who have been forgiven much by you must forgive others. Keep me from holding onto others' wrongs against me, refusing to forgive; help me forgive others from my heart, Lord, as you have forgiven me an immense debt, letting your great mercy to me make me merciful toward the far smaller debts others owe me.