Christ Conversation www.christconversation.com Jesus Stories: Matthew 18:21-35 This parable follows Jesus’s teaching on interpersonal conflict resolution and church discipline. This is extremely important to remember. From that teaching, Peter asks the question we all ask: “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Peter is being very gracious by the standards of his day: which were you forgave someone three times – then no more. Taken from the prophet Amos: “For three sins of ______, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath . . .” (see Amos 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 13; 2:1, 4, 6) the Rabbi’s surmised: “He who begs forgiveness from his neighbor must not do so more than three times.” (Rabbi Jose ben Hanina) and “If a man commits an offense once, they forgive him; if he commits an offence a second time, they forgive him; if he commits an offence a third time, they forgive him; the fourth time they do not forgive.” (Rabbi Jose ben Jehuda). Peter goes past the three times – even a fourth time, and adds three more. This is exceedingly generous and shows that Peter has wrestled through to a point where he goes much further than we would consider. “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.”
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Debt amount – 10,000 Talents Denarius = one day-laborer’s working wage. Average work weeks in a year = 50 (Sabbath/festivals) 20 years’ labor = 6,000 denarii = 1 talent Repay time = 200,000 years.1
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Consider that the total revenue of the province containing Idumaea, Judaea and Samaria was 600 talents! And in richer Galilee – 300 talents. 2
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Who are these servants?
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What is both right and what is absurd about the servant’s vow to pay back in full?
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Why does Jesus use such fantastic differences in the debts owed?
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Why would the servant be so demanding on the one who was indebted to him?
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1
http://chimes.biola.edu/story/2010/oct/27/parable-twodebtors/
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2
William Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 2
The following is an outline by R.C. Sproul on the topic of forgiveness:
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Forgiveness and the Christian Life
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1. Christians often say that the Bible requires unilateral forgiveness. a. This would mean that Christians must forgive all who sin against them, whether they repent or not. b. Christians have the right to forgive others unilaterally without requiring repentance. c. This is what Jesus did when He asked the Father to forgive His tormenters when they did not realize the severity of their sinful actions. 2. We may extend this kind of unilateral forgiveness if we choose, but it is technically not required. a. The Bible typically mentions repentance as a prerequisite to forgiveness. b. Scripture does not actually demand forgiveness where repentance is absent. c. If Christians were required to forgive the unrepentant, the process of discipline in Matthew 18:15-20 would be irrelevant. 3. What God does require is complete forgiveness of those who have repented of their sins. a. If one Christian confronts another about his sin, and if he repents, the one who has been wronged must extend forgiveness to the repentant offender. b. We must stand willing and ready to forgive any insult or offense that anyone has ever committed against us if that person repents of the sin. 4. God calls His people to demonstrate a forgiving spirit. a. Holding grudges or harboring bitterness can be extremely destructive. b. Jesus urged His followers to ask God to forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors. c. Unless we are willing to forgive those who sin against us, we should not expect God to forgive us when we sin against Him. d. Since God’s extravagant forgiveness toward us is at the heart of the Christian faith, we should be known as a forgiving people.
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Returning to the questions: In verse 35 Jesus refers back to His disciples: “So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” Does this mean we will be handed over to the torturer’s forever if we do not forgive? If not – what?
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