In Matthew 18, Peter asks Jesus how many times he must forgive his brother. The rabbis say that you should not ask forgiveness more than three times. Peter, attempting generosity, suggests forgiving seven times. But Jesus replies, ‘up to seventy times seven’. He describes the kingdom of heaven, the essence of forgiveness, in a parable. 

A king is settling accounts with his servants, and brings one in who owes him ten thousand talents of gold. This amount’s beyond absurd, a debt that he can never hope to repay. The king orders the servant, and his family, and everything they own be sold against the debt.

The servant begs for more time, he promises the impossible – to repay everything. But the king’s heart is touched, and he forgives the servant the debt in an outstanding act of generosity. 

“But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’” (Matthew 18:28-29)

A hundred denarii, or a hundred days wages. A large amount, but something that could feasibly be repaid. But the forgiven servant refuses to extend forgiveness to someone else. He assaults the servant who owes him and has him thrown into prison out of spite. But the other servants witness this injustice, and they inform the king.

“Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.

“So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”” (Matthew 18:32-35)

The king was willing to forgive the issue of money, but not of a cruel and wicked spirit. The unmerciful servant was unable to conceive the mercy he had received.

We live entirely on mercy and forgiveness. God forgives each of us an impossible debt of sin, one that we can never repay. And every time we do not forgive our fellow humans, we are just as ungrateful and hypocritical as that servant. God forgives us for what we can’t atone for, but we aren’t willing to forgive injuries that can be atoned for?

Art: Jim Padgett via Sweet Publishing / FreeBibleimages.org