Give What You Receive
“How many times must we forgive another?” Peter asked Jesus. It is interesting that he asks the question after Jesus told us how to deal with someone who sins against another in the church (verses 15-20). Originally these two events were probably not connected and Matthew has joined them because of their common theme. We do know that Peter is being generous here with his suggestion of seven times. The Jewish principles at that time suggested one could forgive another up to three times but not four. Peter, thinking he has mastered Jesus’ teaching, has expanded that to seven and learns that he has not understood Jesus’ teaching at all. Jesus tells Peter not seven but seventy-seven times. Now the Greek here is ambiguous. It can be translated seventy-seven or Seven times seventy. Which one it is does not matter. Jesus is not giving an exact amount. By using seven and seventy he is telling the disciples that they are called to forgive each and every time someone sins against them. To emphasize he tells a parable.
As all parables, this is not an account of a true event. We do not need to figure out how this person got into such a great debt. Ten thousand talents would be 50 million denarii. Since a denarii was about a days wage it would have been impossible for the slave to have paid back the sum he owed. Even being forgiven of this astronomical sum he was still adamant that the one who owed him a hundred denarii (500,000 times less than what he owed) pay him back. Bankers do not worry, Jesus is not talking about money and paying back loans. Jesus is talking about sin. Our sin. Our own most grievous sin. Jesus is reminding us of how much we owe God because of our sin and how great God’s forgiveness has been in our lives. We are the first slave who has been forgiven so much. The question is, “have you forgiven those who have sinned against you?” Look carefully at your own words and deeds, it seems that your forgiveness may depend on how you have (or have not) forgiven others.
Jesus ends this parable with a warning, “So my heavenly Father will also do to everyone of you if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” This should not surprise you, we pray that we be forgiven as we forgive when we pray our Lord’s prayer. How we treat others is a priority of Jesus. We are to be examples of God’s forgiveness. It is not an, “If I have wronged you,” or some cursory forgiveness, that is required. Jesus calls for true forgiveness from the heart. A forgiveness that also forgets the wrong and treats the one who has sinned against you as a sister or brother no matter what the original sin was – no matter how many times they have sinned against you. Remember the great debt you have been forgiven from the heart of Jesus. Forgive those who have sinned against you out of the gratitude of God’s grace and shower them with the love you have been showered with. Joyfully from your heart forgive others as God has forgiven you.