Matthew 18 - The Unforgiving Servant 

Astonishing forgiveness received, and to be granted, in Matthew 18

Matthew opens the sequence of stories in Matthew 18 with a quite remarkable scene. The disciples, or talmiddim, are jostling amongst themselves as to who is the greatest, so they ask for Jesus’ judgement. In response he calls a young child, a little one, someone of no account, and says to his followers – his disciples, and us – that if we want to be someone in the kingdom of heaven, then we need to consider ourselves of little account.

“About this time the disciples came to Jesus and asked him who would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus called for a child to come over and stand near him. Then he said: ‘I promise you this. If you don't change and become like a child, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven. But if you are as humble as this child, you are the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And when you welcome one of these children because of me, you welcome me’.” (Matt 18:1-4)

The progression of Jesus’ teaching

As we looked at over the past few weeks, Jesus then goes on to teach on the importance of not leading these little ones astray, and the consequences of doing so. He teaches about the importance of community and community responsibility. This teaching is in stark contrast to the contemporary ‘individual gospel’. He goes on to state that it would be wiser to mutilate yourself than lead a little one astray.

Having established the kingdom credentials, Jesus then goes on to tell a story, a story that demonstrates the overwhelming and astounding love of God. Such love that he will not even accept the entirely reasonable level of the loss of 1% to destruction (the Greek translated for lost, is ‘appollumi’ – totally destroyed.)

Within Jewish thinking, seventy is a figure that literally means unlimited, huge. Seventy summed up all the nations of the world. Essentially Jesus is saying, just keep forgiving.

He continues by setting out the rules of engagement of how to manage relationships within the community, but in following on directly from an illustration of God’s incredible passion for seeking out the lost, a fulfilment of the Ezekiel prophecy (Ezek 34:11-15), demonstrates that the process should be conducted within God’s desire for none to be destroyed. He does this by describing the way we should treat a sinful brother – as a sinner – that is, seeking to do everything to win him back to the kingdom. And this rolls directly into advising the disciples that the rabbinic principle of binding (teaching well), and loosing (teaching poorly), is also their responsibility. It is almost as if he is reinforcing the points He has made and confirming that He will be with them.

Peter’s enthusiastic response – nowhere near the mark

At this point, Peter, good old impetuous Peter, jumps in and is eager to prove he has been listening. He asks Jesus how many times he should forgive a sinning brother and just to demonstrate he has been listening intently, suggests the incredibly generous figure of seven times, which, compared to the threefold process Jesus just described, is gracious.

However, Jesus fires straight back with the answer ‘70 x 7’. This works out mathematically to 490, but to do this misses the point entirely. Within Jewish thinking, seventy is a figure that literally means unlimited, huge. Seventy summed up all the nations of the world. Essentially Jesus is saying, just keep forgiving – and let me demonstrate just how many times by telling you this gem of a story…

The unmerciful servant

“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, cancelled the debt and let him go.

But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.

When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I cancelled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Amazing grace

This is a remarkable story. Here is a man who owes 10,000 talents. Now, let’s put this into perspective. One talent was equivalent to around 15 years wages, so 10,000 talents is 150,000 years’ wages! Two things to note: first, it is a sum that you do not borrow in one go, this is an accumulation; second, it is impossible to pay back. In keeping with the standard at the time, the man and his family are going to be sold into slavery, with the proceeds going to the king. The man is in a pickle.

Nevertheless, he goes to the king and pleads his case. He shows great boldness in offering to repay it. It is unbelievable, simply not possible, but the king is moved with compassion, and forgives the debt. The grace on show here is a demonstration of the same mindset present in the ‘lost sheep’ story.

A hard heart

So, the man walks out, and on his way bumps into a fellow servant who owes him a relatively paltry sum – the KJV describes it as 100 pence – but was equivalent to about 100 days’ wages. The forgiven man is full of fury – you don’t grab someone by the throat without being furious – and demands payment.

In a mirror of his own actions just a short while previously, the poor man beseeches him for forgiveness – but there is none. He throws the man into prison, from where you obviously cannot pay the sum that is owed (unless someone can pay it for him). He could be lost forever.

This is because in speaking the truth of forgiveness and refusing to be polluted by hate then you set yourself free from the negativity of anger and hate.

His fellow servants are horrified, so horrified that they go and report what has happened to the king. The king is equally horrified and recalls the servant he had forgiven. He reminds him of the compassion shown to him and challenges him as to whether or not he should have shown similar grace.

He then progresses to reciprocate the treatment the servant has shown to his fellow, by giving the ungrateful man over to the torturers until he has repaid everything. Then, in a final flourish Jesus says, “this is what the Father will do to you if you do not forgive your brother who trespasses” (KJV).

This is a direct link from the Lord’s prayer: “Forgive us as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Forgiveness is an essential element of the way of faith, and it is essential because forgiveness is not about the perpetrator, it is about the victim. Forgiveness is not, and never will be, the same as reconciliation. You can forgive and still be wary, but in forgiving you clean yourself, you set yourself free. This is because in speaking the truth of forgiveness and refusing to be polluted by hate then you set yourself free from the negativity of anger and hate.

A sober reflection

And we have to ask ourselves this: How can we who have been forgiven so much, fail to forgive a little? How can we who have experienced grace, fail to extend that self-same grace?

Who are you angry at? Who has wronged you? Let us reflect on that, and ask God to help us to forgive.

The reality is that this is a startling chapter, and if we can read Matthew 18 without reflecting upon ourselves then there is something awry with our faith, and our perception of our faith. We are saved by God’s grace and it is our call, our commission, to forgive as we are forgiven.