FORGIVENESS
Matthew 18:21–35
Matthew 18 is a very important chapter concerning the proper process for dealing with a person involved in sin. Step 1: Go directly to the person. If there is repentance, the relationship is recovered. Step 2: If there is no repentance, take a witness or two with you. If there is repentance, then praise the Lord. Step 3: If there is still no repentance, then take it to the church. If there is still no repentance, then treat the person as someone who needs Jesus!
Question of Forgiveness (21–22)
Peter poses a question to Jesus related to forgiveness. The rabbis taught that forgiveness should be extended three times before you give up on the relationship, so Peter probably felt pretty good about asking Jesus if seven times would be adequate. He was probably stunned when Jesus replied, “I tell you, not as many as seven, but seventy times seven.” Jesus was telling Peter that forgiveness is unlimited.
Forgiveness is a choice I make to cancel a debt based upon the forgiveness I have received. John MacArthur said, “An unforgiving Christian is a contradiction in terms because we are the forgiven ones!”
Forgiveness is so important to Jesus that he said in Matthew 5:23 to leave your gift at the altar to go be reconciled to a brother or sister that you remember has something against you. Authentic worship is impossible without forgiveness.
Compassionate King (23–27)
Building upon His conversation with Peter, Jesus told a parable about a man who owed the king an impossible debt. This servant’s debt was 10,000 talents (equivalent to at least several million dollars) and would take several lifetimes to repay. However, this servant pleads for mercy and for time. The spiritual application is that we had an impossible debt we could never pay. Thankfully, Jesus paid a debt He did not owe. The king takes pity on the servant and forgives the debt.
Unforgiving Servant (28–35)
Unfortunately, this servant who had been forgiven an impossible debt did not “pay it forward” by forgiving a fellow servant who owed him a trivial debt of 100 denarii (a denarius was a day’s wages — worth 16 cents). He had him thrown into debtor’s prison until he repaid the debt in full.
When the king heard this, he was furious and demanded that the unforgiving servant appear before him. The king expressed his anger at this servant who had received unmerited favor and forgiveness yet refused to extend that to another person. This unforgiving servant was handed over to the torturers until he had repaid the entire amount.
Forgiveness is featured in the model prayer of Matthew 6. Jesus circles back on the subject (vv. 14–15) by stating that if you forgive others, your Father will forgive you, but if you do not forgive, then you will also not be forgiven.
There is a danger in being unforgiving. Unforgiveness leads to bitterness. Bitterness has been described as cancer of the soul. It will eat you up from the inside.
Paul writes in Ephesians 4:31–32, “Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — The Sunday School lesson outlines are provided by Lifeway.
By Don Fugate
Senior pastor of Foxworthy Baptist Church in San Jose, California
