| Matthew 18:
After listening to the Lord’s word about the kingdom life, Peter asked Him a question: “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Until seven times?” (v. 21). Peter did not ask this on behalf of others; rather, being quick and bold, he asked it according to what was in him. Those who are quick often offend others. The more active, quick, and bold we are, the more we offend others. But those who are cautious and slow rarely offend anyone. Why was it not John who asked this question? It was Peter who was concerned about the Lord’s word regarding the offending brother. Because Peter often offended others, he was very concerned and asked the Lord about forgiveness.
Verse 22 says, “Jesus says to him, I do not say to you until seven times, but until seventy times seven.” Seventy times seven means that we must forgive others an unlimited number of times. There is no need to count or keep a record of the number of times you forgive others. Over and over and over, you need to forgive them.
In verses 23 through 35 the Lord gives a parable as an illustration. Verses 23 and 24 say, “Therefore, the kingdom of the heavens is likened to a man, a king, who desired to settle accounts with his slaves. And when he began to settle them, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.” According to the context of this parable, the settling of accounts here refers to the Lord’s dealing with us in this age through such things as severe illness or certain extreme hardships which cause us to realize how much we owe the Lord and to beg Him to forgive us. According to verse 24, one slave owed him ten thousand talents, that is, about twelve million dollars. It was impossible for the debtor to pay off this debt. This refers to the heavy debt of our failures accumulated after we were saved.
After the slave begged the king to be patient with him until he repaid the debt, “the lord of that slave was moved with compassion and released him and forgave him the loan” (v. 27). This refers to the forgiveness of our debts in our defeated Christian life for the restoration of our fellowship with the Lord.
Verse 28 says, “But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii, and he seized him and took him by the throat, saying, Pay, if you owe anything.” This definitely refers to things that take place in this age. The hundred denarii spoken of in this verse is less than a millionth part of ten thousand talents. This refers to a brother’s sin against us after we have been saved. How small is any brother’s debt to us compared to our debt to the Lord!
Nevertheless, we may not be willing to forgive. Verses 29 and 30 say, “His fellow slave therefore fell down and entreated him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will repay you. And he would not, but went away and threw him into prison until he should pay what was owed.” The offended brother, the one not willing to forgive others, was certainly saved. Thus, in this parable the Lord is dealing not with sinners, but with believers, with saved ones. He deals with a brother who has been offended, yet who is not willing to forgive.
Verse 31 says, “His fellow slaves, having seen what had taken place, were exceedingly grieved and came and explained to their lord all that had taken place.” If we do not forgive the brother who sins against us, it will grieve the other brothers, and they may bring this matter to the Lord.
Verse 34 says, “And his lord was angry and delivered him to the tormentors until he should pay all that was owed to him.” This refers to the Lord’s dealing with His believers at His coming back. If we do not forgive the brother who sins against us, we shall be disciplined by the Lord until we forgive him from the heart, that is, until we have paid everything we owe. Then the Lord will forgive us. This is forgiveness in the kingdom. This implies that if we do not forgive a brother from our heart today, we shall not be allowed to enter into the kingdom in the coming age.
Many Christians do not understand this portion of the Word. Verses 34 and 35 indicate that the one who does not forgive his brother from his heart will be under the hand of the tormentors until he forgives everything. Certainly such a one is a saved one. Nevertheless, he is given over to the tormentors for a period of time. This does not mean, however, that he is cast into prison forever. Rather, he will be tormented until he pays the debt, that is, until he forgives his brother from his heart.
Today most Christians believe that as long as they are saved, there will be no problem in the future. But in this parable the one who refuses to forgive his fellow slaves is not a false Christian, but a real Christian. You need to realize that it is possible for a real Christian one day to be delivered to the tormentors. Perhaps you will say, “The Lord Jesus will not do this to me. I have never robbed a bank. I have always been righteous and have not mistreated others.” But the Lord may say, “No, you didn’t rob a bank or damage anyone, but you have not forgiven your brother from your heart.” Do you think that such an unforgiving brother is actually in the kingdom in a practical way? According to God’s mathematics, to forgive is to forget. However, you may not be willing to forgive those who have offended you. This is a serious matter. If you claim to be in the kingdom life in a practical way, why then are you not willing to forgive others from the heart? Your unwillingness to forgive causes you to lose the kingdom life.
In verses 15 through 20 the emphasis is on the offending brother needing to repent. But in the parable the emphasis is on the offended one needing to forgive. Both our unwillingness to repent and our unwillingness to forgive will keep us out of the kingdom. If we offend someone but are not willing to repent and ask for forgiveness, we shall be kept out of the kingdom. In the same principle, if we are offended but are unwilling to forgive, we shall also be kept out of the kingdom. Often we think that we are in the kingdom when, according to God’s mathematics, we are not. It depends on whether or not we are willing, on the one hand, to repent and ask for forgiveness and, on the other hand, to forgive others from our heart.  |
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