Forgive Early and Often - Matthew 18:21-35 - September 7, 2008

Sunday School Lesson – Forgive Early and Often – September 7, 2008

This begins a new series of study entitled “Short Stories and Tall Orders.”Our scripture for the month will be taken from Matthew Chapters 18, 22, and 25.

Our scripture for this lesson is Matthew 18:21-35.

The Gospel of Matthew was written by Matthew one of JESUS’ disciples between 60 and 65 A. D. Matthew was a Jewish tax collector before he became a follower of JESUS. Matthew’s gospel was written to the Jews connecting the Old Testament prophecy and how CHRIST fulfills that prophecy. Therefore, when you compare Matthew’s gospel to the other gospels you can see the areas the HOLY SPIRIT led him to focus upon.

Our subject is forgiveness. It is easy to tell someone to forgive another for a wrong done to him or her; however, when we are the ones wronged, it seems to be another matter. It depends upon the extent of the wrong we have encountered as to how easy it may be to forgive.

A spouse being betrayed and everyone knowing about it, except the betrayed spouse, is major and an understandable tragedy in a person’s life. To forgive and rebuild a betrayed relationship takes agape love. When that happens, to me, the betrayed spouse shows the love that GOD shows to us sinners who are saved by HIS grace. It is a forgiveness that cannot be paid by contrition. Does that mean the betrayed spouse forgets? No. But it does mean that the forgiven spouse must never betray that trust again in order to continue the rebuilding process.

There are many other examples such as when someone trusts another with secrets and that person betrays that confidence by telling someone else, handling finances in a dishonest manner, borrowing money with the promise that it will be paid back promptly and it is not, a trusted person who abuses a loved one and the list goes on.
JESUS is a master story teller. HE used ordinary examples in everyday life to impart spiritual truth. HE spoke in parables, which are earthly stories with a heavenly message. GOD speaks to us today, through parables, to teach us spiritual truth. When we have a question and ask the LORD to help us understand it, often, HE does so through things we observe during daily life. To me it is awesome when HE reveals truth through earthly examples.

Let’s read Matthew 18:21-27:

21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how many times could my brother sin against me and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 “I tell you, not as many as seven,” Jesus said to him, “but 70 times seven.[19] Or but 77 times 23 For this reason, the kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who wanted to settle accounts with his • slaves. 24 When he began to settle accounts, one who owed 10,000 talents[20] A huge sum of money that could never be repaid by a slave; a talent = 6,000 denarii was brought before him. 25 Since he had no way to pay it back, his master commanded that he, his wife, his children, and everything he had be sold to pay the debt. 26 “At this, the • slave fell facedown before him and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you everything!’ 27 Then the master of that • slave had compassion, released him, and forgave him the loan.

The Apostle Peter asked JESUS a question. Peter had been raised going to the Jewish temple and he knew the Jewish law. He knew that the law required a person offended by another to forgive that person up to three (3) times. After forgiving the offending Jew three (3) times a practicing Jew did not have to forgive the offending Jew any longer. Peter asked JESUS a question regarding forgiveness. Peter could have been looking for an at-a-boy from JESUS. His question gives us insight into the very heart of forgiveness for believers.

Peter doubled the required three (3) by the Jewish religion, added one additional time for good measure as to the number of times a fellow brother should be forgiven. Peter could have been focused on the number seven (7) as the number Jews considered the number for completion. I tend to think Peter thought of seven (7) as the number for completion.

JESUS responded with numbers for completion, seventy times seven along with a parable.

JESUS said there was a king who took an inventory of his assets in order to settle accounts. During this inventory it was discovered that the slave (or servant), over a certain territory for the king, owed him 10,000 talents. Scholars try to place a value on what 10,000 talents would be the equivalent of today. Some suggest it would be like our national debt. Ten thousand (10,000) is the largest written number in the Greek language. It is a huge amount of money plus being a slave it was impossible for him to pay back. Since the salve could not even think of repaying the debt, the king decided to liquidate everything the slave had which was his wife, children, himself and all his possessions.

The slave pleaded with the king. Notice the words the slave uttered because they will be important as the story continues. The slave said, “Be patient with me, and I will pay you everything!” This plea softened the king’s heart and he showed compassion, released the slave and forgave his debt. So far so good but JESUS continued the story.
Let’s read Matthew 18:28-30:

28 “But that • slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him 100 • denarii.[21] A small sum compared to 10,000 talents He grabbed him, started choking him, and said, ‘Pay what you owe!’ 29 “At this, his fellow • slave fell down[22] Other mss add at his feet and began begging him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ 30 But he wasn’t willing. On the contrary, he went and threw him into prison until he could pay what was owed.

JESUS continued the parable. The forgiven slave immediately went to find a fellow slave who owed him 100 denarrii. One (1) denarrii was one (1) days wage. So the fellow slave owed the forgiven slave 100 days worth of wages, which is peanuts compared to what the forgiven slave owed the king. The difference between the amounts owed is huge like the national debt versus $100 - One doable and the other impossible.

The forgiven slave grabbed his fellow slave and began choking him while demanding the fellow slave to pay him. The fellow slave pleaded with the forgiven slave using close to the same words the forgiven slave had used with his master – “Be patient with me, I will pay you back.” The forgiven slave in essence said, Oh, no! Off to the clinker you go until you pay me what you owe.

Those hearing the story likely realize that JESUS was about to add the final touch, as only HE can do so well.

Let’s read Matthew 18:31-35:

31 When the other slaves saw what had taken place, they were deeply distressed and went and reported to their master everything that had happened. 32 “Then, after he had summoned him, his master said to him, ‘You wicked • slave! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And his master got angry and handed him over to the jailers[23] Or torturers until he could pay everything that was owed. 35 So My heavenly Father will also do to you if each of you does not forgive his brother[24] Other mss add his trespasses from his[25] Lit your heart.”

The other slaves (responsible servants) knew the whole story and were distressed about what had happened. So they reported the matter to the king. The king summoned the forgiven slave. The first words, the forgiven slave heard were “You wicked slave!” I can see the blood drain from the slave’s head. He knew he was in deep trouble. The king reminded the slave that he had begged and he was forgiven. And asked him if he shouldn’t have also extended the same forgiveness to his fellow slave? The king was angry because the one shown grace did not extend grace.
JESUS made the spiritual application to answer Peter’s question. It was not the number of times a person forgave another; it is a matter of the heart. We all have to realize that GOD has forgiven us of a debt we cannot pay. HE has forgiven us and extended grace to us. Grace is unmerited favor. There is nothing a person can do to earn grace; it is a gift from GOD. When we realize what GOD has done for us, we have to do the same.

The king can be thought of as GOD and we are the slaves or servants that owe a debt that we cannot pay. GOD sent JESUS WHO gave HIS life to pay in full our sin debt. When we come to JESUS and ask HIM to forgive us of our sins, HE does. Our sin debt has been paid in full and continues to be paid in full because of GOD’S grace extended to all believers. As we have been forgiven and continue to be forgiven, GOD expects HIS children to also forgive others. It is a matter of the heart. Un-forgiveness shows that HIS child has a heart problem and it is tune-up time. In the parable JESUS tells us tune-up time can be severe.

JESUS ties forgiveness to the heart. It is not a numerical figure but a matter of the heart.

Again, like our other lessons, it is a matter of our relationship with CHRIST. Forgiveness in our own strength is impossible but in CHRIST all things are possible. When GOD forgives, HE forgets but that is often very hard for us to do. Only the grace of GOD can help us on a daily basis deal with our memory. Our relationship with HIM keeps our hearts and minds focused upon HIM and bring healing to our broken hearts.