Daily Bread 2010
Matthew 18
The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant
21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"
22Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
23"Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25Since 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"The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' 27The 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 denarii. 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 you back.'
30"But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed 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. 33Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' 34In anger his master turned 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 from your heart."
As we listen to the teachings of Jesus, He shows us not only how to get right with God and live a life which advances His kingdom here on earth, He also teaches us how to get right in our relationships here on earth. In the first half of the chapter, he lifts up the value of children. He uplifts their simple faith, as a model we should emulate. Then he warns of leading these little ones astray as a result of the implicit faith they put in us.
Then in the second half of the chapter Jesus shows us how to “do relationships”. He gives us a model for resolution of conflict that if applied would eliminate much of the pain and hurtful feelings that un-reconciled relationships bring. Jesus advocates first going to the person who has offended you and if you can’t work it out, then going to the church for resolution. First with two or three others, and then with the whole church, so that the right resolution might be established objectively.
In the passage for today, Jesus teaches us about the most valuable tool for any relationship, forgiveness. Oftentimes we might think we are justified in holding something against someone else. Although we would like a very tolerant policy for the forgiveness of our sins, we might be tempted to hold more scrutiny to those who have offended us. Jesus likens this to getting a man who had a huge debt relieved going to a person who owed him a few pennies and demanding payment. That is what it is like when we, whose debt (of all of the many sins we commit) has been completely wiped out, are unforgiving of someone else.
Who do you need to forgive today? If you are having trouble, remind yourself of how much God has forgiven you over your lifetime and into the future, and you might find yourself in a more merciful mood.
Prayer: Jesus, we thank you for the countless sins that you have forgiven us (70 times 7 is a metaphor for an infinite amount). As we have been offended by others may we show them the same mercy we count on from You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant
21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"
22Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
23"Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25Since 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"The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' 27The 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 denarii. 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 you back.'
30"But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed 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. 33Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' 34In anger his master turned 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 from your heart."
As we listen to the teachings of Jesus, He shows us not only how to get right with God and live a life which advances His kingdom here on earth, He also teaches us how to get right in our relationships here on earth. In the first half of the chapter, he lifts up the value of children. He uplifts their simple faith, as a model we should emulate. Then he warns of leading these little ones astray as a result of the implicit faith they put in us.
Then in the second half of the chapter Jesus shows us how to “do relationships”. He gives us a model for resolution of conflict that if applied would eliminate much of the pain and hurtful feelings that un-reconciled relationships bring. Jesus advocates first going to the person who has offended you and if you can’t work it out, then going to the church for resolution. First with two or three others, and then with the whole church, so that the right resolution might be established objectively.
In the passage for today, Jesus teaches us about the most valuable tool for any relationship, forgiveness. Oftentimes we might think we are justified in holding something against someone else. Although we would like a very tolerant policy for the forgiveness of our sins, we might be tempted to hold more scrutiny to those who have offended us. Jesus likens this to getting a man who had a huge debt relieved going to a person who owed him a few pennies and demanding payment. That is what it is like when we, whose debt (of all of the many sins we commit) has been completely wiped out, are unforgiving of someone else.
Who do you need to forgive today? If you are having trouble, remind yourself of how much God has forgiven you over your lifetime and into the future, and you might find yourself in a more merciful mood.
Prayer: Jesus, we thank you for the countless sins that you have forgiven us (70 times 7 is a metaphor for an infinite amount). As we have been offended by others may we show them the same mercy we count on from You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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