Our country is in Torment. Our neighbors are in torment. Our families are in torment. Maybe you are in torment… Why?
I have read Matthew 18:21-35 countless times but never picked up on this Truth before. Through this parable, Jesus is answering Peter’s question about how often we are required to forgive people who harm us. The answer that Jesus gives not only addresses the ‘how often,’ but goes a step farther and tells of the consequences if we do NOT forgive as many times as is required.
The Parable:
“Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
“But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.
So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the [tormentors] until he should pay all that was due to him. “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”
Matthew 18:23-35, NKJV
The Explanation:
- The wicked servant owed the King 10,000 ‘talents.’ A talent was equal to about 80 pounds of silver which was about 16 YEARS worth of labor. So 10,000 talents would be equal to 160,000 years of servitude. It was clearly unpayable.
This is symbolic of our eternal debt to God because of our personal sin. It is humanly impossible for you and I work hard enough, long enough, in order to atone for our own sins. We have but one choice…fall at our Lord’s feet and beg His forgiveness of the debt. - It takes 6,000 ‘denarii’ to equal 1 ‘talent.’ The amount owed from the one servant to the other is less than 2% of a single talent…a microscopic fraction of what the wicked servant owed the king.
This demonstrates the drastic contrast between the incomprehensible debt we owe to God based on how we have wronged and dishonored Him vs the miniscule amount of forgiveness we are asked to give others for wronging us. The worst that people can do to us is still nothing compared to the weight of our sin against God.
The Warning:
The wicked servant owed infinitely more to the king than the fellow servant owed the wicked one. The wicked one sought forgiveness and received it from the King, so he should have given mercy and forgiveness just as he had received it…freely and without limit or exception. But…he didn’t. This is what Jesus warns…that the wicked and unforgiving servant would be put in prison and delivered to the **Tormentors** until he had repaid **ALL**.
The Lesson for Us Today:
When you and I feel wronged, and we get angry and harbor unforgiveness…we are in the prison…it is US that have been delivered to the Tormentors…WE are the ones suffering…not those who have wronged us. The only thing that brings peace to us, our minds, hearts, and souls…is forgiveness.
This is not preaching from intellect, but rather from painful experiences. As a believer in Jesus, I have experienced great hurts and pains at the hands of other pastors, people I call friends, and even from family. I have known people that caused great pain and suffering to the people I love most. And because of this pain, I have been in the Prison of Torment due to my own unforgiveness.
In this torment, I have been consumed with thoughts and even plans of revenge, causing harm, all-consuming thoughts, sleeplessness, depression, anxiety, rants, rages, outbursts, etc. The ONLY thing that freed me was forgiving people just AS I had received forgiveness from Christ…complete, eternal, and unconditional. Then, and only then, could I be at peace.
Being angry with an injustice or when we are hurting is part of our sinful flesh nature…its only natural. But so is the consequence…unrelenting torment.
The cure however, is Supernatural…unconditional, complete, total, and eternal forgiveness found only in Christ through the Power of the Holy Spirit. Let us all seek True Peace that is only found only in forgiveness. We can only give it if we have received it. If we do not give it, we cannot receive it.
If we have been sentenced to prison with the tormentors, we are sent there with the key to our own escape – forgiveness.