Note.—The teacher can emphasize the teachings of this lesson by using the following texts, which bear upon the question of the forgiveness of one another: Matt. 6:12, 14, 15; Mark 11:25, 26; Luke 17:3, 4; Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:13; 1 Peter 3:9. The following scriptures treat especially of the forgiveness of one’s enemies: Matt. 5:43–46; Luke 6:35–37; Rom. 12:14–21; Luke 23:34; Acts 7:60. Compare also the parable of the two debtors. Luke 7:35–50. The lesson of forgiveness is one of the most important lessons for the Christian to learn. “The aim of forgiveness is the deliverance of ourselves and others from sin. The forgiving spirit does this by keeping revenge, hate, and anger from our own hearts, and giving us the victory over ourselves; by influencing others to repent and forsake their sin. Hate inflames hate, but love kindles love. We learn from God’s forgiveness of our sins how we also should forgive.”—Peloubet.
21 “Then came Peter, and said to Him, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? until seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times; 23 but, Until seventy times seven. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would make a 24 reckoning with his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But forasmuch as he had not wherewith to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children 26 and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down and worshiped him, saying, Lord, have 27 patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And the lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and 28 forgave him the debt. But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, which owed him a hundred pence; and he laid hold on him, and took him by the throat, saying, 29 Pay what thou owest. So his fellow-servant fell down and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay 30 thee. And he would not; but went and cast him into prison, 31 till he should pay that which was due. So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were exceeding sorry, and 32 came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord called him unto him, and saith to him, Thou wicked servant, I 33 forgave thee all that debt, because thou besoughtest me; shouldest not thou also have had mercy on thy fellow-servant, even 34 as I had mercy on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was 35 due. So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts.”
Golden Text: “Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.” Luke 6:37.
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
(1) Who approached the Saviour on this occasion? Verse 21. (2) What question did he ask? Same verse. Note 1. (3) What reply did the Saviour make to Peter’s question? Verse 22. Note 2. (4) To what did he then liken the kingdom of heaven? Verse 23. (5) In this parable who was brought to the king? Verse 24. (6) What was the amount of his debt? Same verse. Note 3. (7) What command did his master give in reference to the servant? Verse 25. Note 4. (8) What did the servant do? Verse 26. (9) What request did he make of his master? Same verse. (10) What effect did this plea have upon the king? Verse 27. (11) What did it lead him to do? Same verse. (12) What did the servant do after he had been forgiven the debt? Verse 28. (13) What did he do to his fellow-servant? Same verse. (14) What demand did he make of him? Same verse. (15) What did his fellow-servant do? Verse 29. (16) What request did he make? Same verse. Note 5. (17) What effect did this plea have upon the servant who had been forgiven by his lord? Verse 30. (18) What did he do to his fellow-servant? Same verse. (19) What did the other servants do when they saw what was done? Verse 31. (20) What did the master say to his wicked servant? Verse 32. (21) What should the forgiveness of the master have taught the servant? Verse 33. (22) What did the master then do to his servant? Verse 34. (23) What lesson does the Saviour teach to us through this parable? Verse 35.
NOTES.
1. How oft.—Peter in placing the number of times at seven was mentioning a greater number of times than the Jews were taught by the rabbis to forgive. Their teaching was, “Forgive a first offense, forgive a second, a third, punish a fourth.”
2. Seventy times seven.—It is very evident that the expression is used simply to indicate that the forgiveness was to be extended every time forgiveness was asked. This will be seen by reference to Luke 17:3, 4. In other words, forgiveness is to be a reigning, ruling principle in the heart of the Christian at all times. The Christian forgives even before the offender requests it. Mark 11:25, 26.
3. Ten thousand talents.—Reckoning the talents at £240, this would make the debt $11,710,000. Some place the entire debt as high as $20,000,000, a sum which it was impossible to pay—a fitting illustration of our debt to the Most High.
4. Commanded him to be sold.—This was a common thing for a creditor to do to one in his debt, if he had nothing with which to pay. Hon. Selah Merrill says that in Palestine at the present day “the laws which control debtors and creditors are arbitrary in the extreme. I believe the people of Palestine dread the tax-gatherer and the money-lender more than they do the cholera or the conscription for war.”
5. Have patience with me.—The same request which he himself had made to his lord, and which his lord had more than granted; for he not only had patience with him, but forgave him the whole debt; so that he did not need to demand this money in order to pay his lord. The consequence of the unthankful servant’s course is set before us by our Lord to show us how the Lord will look upon us if we do not forgive as we expect to be forgiven. In this lesson is developed the all-important fact that heaven may be forfeited by an unforgiving spirit.
