Anchor My Faith

The Forgiven Must Forgive Others

Scripture: Matthew 18:28-35

We ended the previous lesson with the master forgiving his servant an amount so large that he would never have been able to pay it back. The question, that will be looked at in this lesson, is how did the servant respond to his master’s kindness?

^{Mt 18:28} “But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’”

What is convicting about this verse is how like this servant we can be at times. Having been forgiven such a large debt by God, how difficult we find it is to forgive others. As Jesus hung dying on the cross, he forgave those who put him there. Our brothers and sisters living under persecution are reaching out with love and forgiveness to those who are causing them to suffer. How are we doing in offering forgiveness?

The one hundred denarii was still a large amount (equivalent to about 20 weeks of common labor) to be paid back, but when compared to the amount originally forgiven it is small; some say it was a ratio of maybe $12,000 to $6 billion (Footnote, p. 1859, ESV Study Bible, Copyright © 2008 by Crossway Bibles). This great difference is to suggest the disproportion of our neighbor’s offence against us and those which we are guilty of towards God and thus how small is the forgiveness to be made by us as compared to the forgiveness of our debt by God.

In the previous lesson it was said that the servant, in polite reverence, prostrates himself before the master and implores him to have patience with him and he would repay, but when we consider how that servant physically takes hold of a fellow servant and demands payment, we have a much better understanding of the nature of his heart.

^{Mt 18:29} “So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’” This is exactly what the servant did before his master and he was forgiven, so it would be expected that he would reciprocate in the same manner as the master did and offer forgiveness, but did he?

^{Mt 18:30} “He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt.” It is clear that the forgiveness of his master did little to transform his heart.

^{Mt 18:31} “When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place.” What might be the purpose of this verse beyond advancing the narrative? Are we to go to God and tell him about people who are sinning? No, God knows who is doing wrong. The verse simply indicates that unjust behavior on the part of the servant affected fellow servants causing them to want justice.

^{Mt 18:32} “Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. ³³ And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ ³⁴ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt.” The master’s response brings to mind Matthew 7:2 ESV: “For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” What the servant did to his fellow servant the master now does to the servant.

Conclusion

As we end this lesson and section, Jesus instructs us to consider how we treat those who offend us because it affects how our heavenly Father responds to us: “So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart” (Matthew 18:35 ESV). Forgiveness is a very important element in the believer’s life!