Articles
Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
The nature of Jesus’ parables allows them to easily be committed to memory and, for the most part, to take away the essence of Jesus’ practical application if one maintains a humble heart.
Matthew uniquely records what may be entitled, “The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant” (18:23-35). The application of this parable stands fairly distinct through the simple message and context of the teaching. Peter had just asked that infamous question, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” (18:21) Jesus first offered a simple answer to this question – “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven” (18:22) – and then offered a parable to overwhelmingly demonstrate the divine principle of merciful forgiveness.
Jesus begins by drawing the connection between the parable and the “kingdom of heaven.” In other words, in order to be and maintain citizenship in that kingdom, one must exhibit the positive characteristics of the parable. Jesus literally identifies the king as a “man-king” (anthropo basilei) and sets this in distinction with the “heavenly Father” (ho pater ho epouranios) at the end of the parable. If the story is true of earthly kings, how much more of heavenly kings?
The story breaks up into two sections. In the first, a high-ranking steward is indebted to the king for 10,000 talents (60,000,000 days wages!). The astronomical debt is mercifully forgiven after the intense pleading of the servant and his “conversion” to obedient service. In the second section, the forgiven steward approaches a lower-ranking servant and demands the servant to repay a debt of 100 denarii (100 days wages). Despite the exact same pleading for time to repay, no mercy is shown and the servant is dragged by the throat before the courts and thrown into the debtor’s prison. Of note, the higher servant owed 600,000x as much as the lower servant and should have easily overlooked the debt in light of his master’s mercy. Mortified by the action, fellow servants approach the “man-king” and report on the servant’s unforgiving actions and the king is enraged. He seizes the steward and hands him over to the tormentors to repay the initial debt (which would ultimately be un-payable).
After reading this parable, we are amazed at the Father’s compassion on us. We realize that divine forgiveness is predicated on our forgiveness of others (compare 6:14-15). We learn that our Father forgives us an extraordinary debt because of the blood of His only Son (cf. Ps. 49:6-8; 1Pet. 1:17-19). We come to perceive how we often find ourselves despising the forbearance of the Lord when we fail to forgive even the most heinous sins against us (Rom. 2:4). Are you the unforgiving servant? If so, you have set yourself in opposition to God and His forgiveness will be rescinded. Won’t you forgive your brother in light of God’s forgiving you?
