“The Unmerciful Servant”

Thursday, June 08, 2017

This parable, like several others, is found only in Matthew’s gospel (chapter 18, verses 21-35).

The entire chapter provides the context for this parable. Chapter 18 begins with Jesus telling His disciples that one must be humble and trusting, like a little child, to enter the kingdom. Their question had been in the opposite direction, as they wondered who would be the greatest in the kingdom. The Lord tells them their thinking is incorrect and humility is far greater than pride and prominence.

After some other teaching about how to treat others, including a reminder of God’s great love for sinners (verses 11-14), Christ speaks of how to deal with a personal offense between two Christians. Verse 15 starts off with, “Moreover if your brother sins against you…” He tells them how to handle such difficult circumstances.

Peter, meditating on what Jesus has said about sinning against a brother, asks “How often do I have to forgive one who sins against me? Up to seven times?” No doubt, Peter felt he was being quite generous in his attitude. The Lord then delivers the news, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”  Jesus always challenges our thinking and our attitude, doesn’t He?

Christ follows that statement with this parable about a man who owes a king ten thousand talents, a sum that would frankly be beyond anyone’s ability to repay.  It would amount to several million dollars. When the servant begs for mercy, the kind king removes the entire amount from the man’s account.

Forgiven of a debt he could never repay (that’s a picture of God’s mercy, by the way), the man goes out and demands payment from a fellow servant for a comparatively small and insignificant amount of money, approximately $18. Unable to pay it, the first servant has the second man thrown into prison.

When the king hears of this situation, he is incensed and delivers the initial servant “to the torturers” until he pays the entire amount. Verse 35 concludes the parable by reminding all of us that we must forgive others if we desire God’s forgiveness.

No excuses, no rationalizing, no exceptions. We must forgive others. How are you doing with that?

--Roger Hillis

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