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The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant
b.Matthew 18:15 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a fellow disciple, whether man or woman; also in verses 21 and 35.
c.Matthew 18:15 Some manuscripts sins against you
d.Matthew 18:16 Deut. 19:15
e.Matthew 18:18 Or will have been
f.Matthew 18:18 Or will have been
g.Matthew 18:22 Or seventy times seven
h.Matthew 18:24 Greek ten thousand talents; a talent was worth about 20 years of a day laborer’s wages.
i.Matthew 18:28 Greek a hundred denarii; a denarius was the usual daily wage of a day laborer (see 20:2).
I think this has been the toughest message for me to learn.
There was a person in my life that I absolutely positively would not forgive. This person did something to my children and me that really made me hard. Every single time I thought of him, deep hatred welled up inside of me. My hated for this person consumed me.
One night, I guess it was 15 years ago or so.... I finally learned that Jesus wanted me to forgive this person. I didn't have to forget what this person had done to my children or me, but I had to forgive him. The minute I did. The very minute I told the Lord that I forgave this person, it felt like a 100 pound weight had been lifted from me.
I never have told that person that I forgive him. I don't see him. As a matter of fact I think I've seen him 3 times over the last 15 years and bringing up the subject would have been inappropriate. I told Jesus though. That did the trick.
So... that's my feeling on forgiveness. Jesus forgave me.... as a matter of fact He continues to forgive me because I have a real hard time being perfect for even a few minutes.... and He wants me to forgive others.... and when I do.... the freedom it brings allows life to get so much easier....
Matthew 18:21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[g]
23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold[h] was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘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. 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.”
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[g]
23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold[h] was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘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. 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.”
b.Matthew 18:15 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a fellow disciple, whether man or woman; also in verses 21 and 35.
c.Matthew 18:15 Some manuscripts sins against you
d.Matthew 18:16 Deut. 19:15
e.Matthew 18:18 Or will have been
f.Matthew 18:18 Or will have been
g.Matthew 18:22 Or seventy times seven
h.Matthew 18:24 Greek ten thousand talents; a talent was worth about 20 years of a day laborer’s wages.
i.Matthew 18:28 Greek a hundred denarii; a denarius was the usual daily wage of a day laborer (see 20:2).
I think this has been the toughest message for me to learn.
There was a person in my life that I absolutely positively would not forgive. This person did something to my children and me that really made me hard. Every single time I thought of him, deep hatred welled up inside of me. My hated for this person consumed me.
One night, I guess it was 15 years ago or so.... I finally learned that Jesus wanted me to forgive this person. I didn't have to forget what this person had done to my children or me, but I had to forgive him. The minute I did. The very minute I told the Lord that I forgave this person, it felt like a 100 pound weight had been lifted from me.
I never have told that person that I forgive him. I don't see him. As a matter of fact I think I've seen him 3 times over the last 15 years and bringing up the subject would have been inappropriate. I told Jesus though. That did the trick.
So... that's my feeling on forgiveness. Jesus forgave me.... as a matter of fact He continues to forgive me because I have a real hard time being perfect for even a few minutes.... and He wants me to forgive others.... and when I do.... the freedom it brings allows life to get so much easier....