The Limits of Forgiveness, Part 2
Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, "Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything." And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. Matt. 18:23-27, RSV.
Jesus knew that Peter would not get the point of the 490 forgivenesses from a mere statement on the topic. As a result, part 2 of His reply to the apostle's question is a story that illustrates the point.
The parable of the unmerciful servant (Matt. 18:23-35) has three main characters: the king (God), and servant forgiven an unbelievably large debt (you and I), and a servant (our neighbor, wife, husband, children, fellow church member) who owes the first servant (you and I) a manageable debt.
The parable has three scenes. In scene number one the first servant is in the king's audience chamber, where the ruler forgives him a large debt. It was not merely large--it was a stupendous amount, a debt that could never be paid.
Ten thousand talents doesn't mean much to me because I don't think in those terms. But the figure begins to be understandable when I realize that the combined annual budget for Idumea, Judea, and Samaria was only 600 talents. And the budget for the relatively prosperous Galilee was 300 talents.
Thus when Jesus notes that "he could not pay," He was uttering a plain truth. No way an individual could even begin to pay such a 10,000-talent debt.
At that point the parable moves into human logic--give the debtor what he deserves. But in the face of that just punishment the servant falls on his knees, praying for the king to allow him time and he would repay everything, an impossibility that must have been evident even to him.
At that point in the parable divine logic takes over. The king forgives the penitent petitioner. Here is grace: giving people what they don't deserve, giving them what they need.
We Peters have no problem with the story thus far. After all, we love God's grace when bestowed upon us. Sleeping better in the light of grace, we praise God every day for that special gift. And we should.
Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, "Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything." And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. Matt. 18:23-27, RSV.
Jesus knew that Peter would not get the point of the 490 forgivenesses from a mere statement on the topic. As a result, part 2 of His reply to the apostle's question is a story that illustrates the point.
The parable of the unmerciful servant (Matt. 18:23-35) has three main characters: the king (God), and servant forgiven an unbelievably large debt (you and I), and a servant (our neighbor, wife, husband, children, fellow church member) who owes the first servant (you and I) a manageable debt.
The parable has three scenes. In scene number one the first servant is in the king's audience chamber, where the ruler forgives him a large debt. It was not merely large--it was a stupendous amount, a debt that could never be paid.
Ten thousand talents doesn't mean much to me because I don't think in those terms. But the figure begins to be understandable when I realize that the combined annual budget for Idumea, Judea, and Samaria was only 600 talents. And the budget for the relatively prosperous Galilee was 300 talents.
Thus when Jesus notes that "he could not pay," He was uttering a plain truth. No way an individual could even begin to pay such a 10,000-talent debt.
At that point the parable moves into human logic--give the debtor what he deserves. But in the face of that just punishment the servant falls on his knees, praying for the king to allow him time and he would repay everything, an impossibility that must have been evident even to him.
At that point in the parable divine logic takes over. The king forgives the penitent petitioner. Here is grace: giving people what they don't deserve, giving them what they need.
We Peters have no problem with the story thus far. After all, we love God's grace when bestowed upon us. Sleeping better in the light of grace, we praise God every day for that special gift. And we should.
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