Matthew 18:21-35

Peter approached Jesus and asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive? As many as seven times?”

Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. That is why the kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants.

“When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt.

“At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’

“Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan.

“When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, ‘Pay back what you owe.’

“Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’

But he refused. Instead, he had the fellow servant put in prison until he paid back the debt. Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair.

His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?’

Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart.”

Backgrounder

We are born in debt. None of us comes into this world ahead of the game. We owe our existence to our parents. The earth provides a hospitable environment with air, water, and the food we need to live. Our very abilities are a gift. And behind it all, we owe everything to God.

But the debt grows. Peter asks Jesus a very serious question. He’s trying to show Jesus that he understands the importance of forgiveness. To forgive seven times seems like – and is – a big deal. But Peter needs to learn that he is in even deeper debt that he knows. Not only does the debt accumulate, but it grows because we are sinners.

The fact is that we have no hope except for the gift of Jesus’s life for ours. An eternity without God lies ahead of us. Because we are sinners, we are doomed.

Jesus wants Peter to know that our eternal, infinite debt will be forgiven. He also wants to remind all of us listening in to this conversation that we too stand to benefit from God’s mercy.

The doors to heaven are open to us because Jesus has paid the price. His death on the cross has redeemed us, because we are slaves to sin and death. The infinite price was paid so that we could receive the Father’s mercy. We are all like the prodigal son, welcomed home again.

So disciples of Jesus, like Peter, have a huge responsibility. We are to become like pipelines of mercy stretching from God to each person we meet. Everyone must know and experience the gracious and forgiving love of God, and see the Father’s heart in our lives and in our actions.