Matthew 18:21-35
Peter approached Jesus and asked him, "Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?" Jesus answered, "I say to you, not seven times, but seventy-seven [or seventy times seven] times. That is why the Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount [10,000 talents]. Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children and all of his property, in payment of the debt. At that the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.' Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave the loan. When that servant had left. he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount [a few denarii]. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, 'Pay back what you owe.' Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' But he refused. Instead, he had him put in prison until he paid back the debt. Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were greatly disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair. His master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant as I have had pity on you?' Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart."
The Gospel of the Lord.
seven times: when Cain killed Abel, the very ground cried out. God put the mark of Cain on Cain so that anyone who harmed Cain would be punished sevenfold. Six generations later, Lamech, Cain's descendant, killed a man who had injured him and and a boy who had struck him, Lamech boasted anyone harming him [Lamech] would be punished seven times seventy times.
We must forgive others even those we love who have hurt us. Something in the human heart likes to nurse a grudge. But only when we let go of what is consuming us, only when we forgive and wipe the slate clean, that peace can return, and we can get on with our lives. Let it go.
a talent was the largest denomination of a bill in ancient Palestine [say 10,000 dollars; our largest denomination is $100].
a talent = 6000 denarii.
a denarius was the equivalent of one day's wage.
The GDP of Palestine at that time was 600 talents.
The point of the parable is that Jesus is comparing Peter to the unjust servant, because Peter wants to put a limit on forgiveness.
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