Chapter
Recap - This is the fourth of five teaching blocks in Matthew; its
contents have been arranged to form pieces that loosely orbit around the motif
of going astray and attempts to claim (and reclaim) erring ones.
The Point of the Parable? - Notice the similarity between verses 26
and 29; such is the point of the parable, according to Eduard Schweizer. Both
verses have different characters doing the same thing-pleading for mercy. [1]
Doing the Math - Peter has no doubt learned that in the school of
Jesus, forgiveness must replace vengeance. But here, Peter probes the limits
of such forgiveness. Peter’s question reveals that he is only half-converted
to Jesus’ forgiveness paradigm-he is still counting and has only departed
quantitatively, not qualitatively from the Jewish notion that someone may be
forgiven once, twice, or thrice, but not four times. [2]
NIB - Matthew has clearly allegorized the parable, so that king =
God; debt = sin; 1st servant = the one who is forgiven an enormous debt of sin
by God; 2nd servant = one who has committed an “ordinary” sin against a
fellow human being or fellow Christian . . . when the Christian does not
forgive as he or she has been forgiven, God’s own forgiveness is then
invalidated . . . such illustrates the awfulness of failing to forgive as God
forgives . . . [3]
Do
you tend to be quick or slow to forgive?
- Offenders in Jesus’ day were forgiven up to three times; a fourth
offense need not be forgiven. How does Jesus change this line of thinking?
- What’s the hardest to do-to ask for forgiveness? To give forgiveness?
To continually forgive? To forgive and forget?
- What have you found helpful in forgiving those who have wronged you? How
has God’s forgiveness affected your life and your willingness to
forgive?
A
ffresh homily based on this passage, entitled, MATH OR MERCY? Matthew 18:21-35, by Rev. Rick
Thompson is posted for this week on DPS.
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[1] Eduard Schweizer, The Good News According to
Matthew, trans. David E. Green (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1975),
page 376.
[2] Ibid, page 377.
[3] New Interpreter’s Bible VIII (Nashville: Abingdon Press,
1995), pp. 382-3.
