Mat 18:15-35 KJV Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. 18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. 21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. 23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. 24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. 28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. 29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. 31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. 32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: 33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? 34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. 35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
The parable emphasizes the importance of the ability to forgive. It is so vital to forgive that Jesus included in His model prayer and then placed more emphasis on it after.
Mat 6:9-15 KJV After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. 14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
"Forgiveness may be unnecessary among perfect beings, but it is vital to those of us with enough wisdom to admit we are imperfect" Tenney
With a denarius being a day’s pay and 1 talent equal to 6,000 denarii, in today’s equivalent the 10, 000 talents calculated at 100 dollars per day would take a man 160, 000 years to clear!
“The word “forgive” is the Greek word aphiemi. It means to set free; to let go; to release; to discharge; or to liberate completely. It was used in a secular sense in New Testament times in reference to canceling a debt or releasing someone from the obligation of a contract, a commitment, or promise. Thus, it means to forfeit any right to hold a person captive to a previous commitment or wrong he has committed. In essence, the word “forgive” — the Greek word aphiemi — is the picture of totally freeing and releasing someone. A modern paraphrase of this Greek word would simply be to let it go!” Rick Renner
1. We have been forgiven by God
The person owing the 10,000 talents represents us. Like the song says: “He paid a debt He did not owe. I owed a debt I could not pay”
Think of Jesus suspended by nails on a rough wooden cross. An object of shame, scorn, hate, ridicule. He is in the most excruciating pain with His flesh torn to ribbons, His raw, torn back rubbing against the rough wood. No relief from heat, flies, burning fiery agony but as He surveyed the unrepentant, callous, mocking crowd He cries out “Father, forgive them…”
Col 3:13 KJV Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
2. We need to forgive others
We need to forgive others for our own sake. Our lack of forgiveness leaves us in darkness and that’s where the stumbling takes place. That’s where the saint gets lost and goes astray.
1Jn 1:6-10 KJV If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Mat 6:14-15 KJV For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
There is no successful work around God’s plan and purposes, not that many haven’t tried. It always comes back to what He said for there is no shadow of variableness in Him!
Jas 1:17 KJV Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
"This is how the spirit of Heaven uses the power of forgiveness to remove the hiding place of demonic activity from the caverns of the human soul. Where forgiveness flourishes, resentment is removed. Where forgiveness is rare, resentment and hatred thrive" (Tenney)
Failure to forgive can be fatal!
It’s like tying ourselves into knots when we continue to harbor an unforgiving spirit. We keep drawing the knots tighter. A fresh knot is usually easier to be opened. As the knots age, they bind together more tightly. If our life appears to be tightly knotted we need to get the release that only a forgiving spirit can achieve. We can end up in prison because of our own refusal to act on His Word
Mat 6:14-15 KJV For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
We willingly invite imprisonment when we keep a death grip on forgiveness and fail to release it!
Don't Rob Yourself of Forgiveness by Clinging to Unforgiveness!
A pastor was counseling a woman trying to recover from a bad marriage that had ended in divorce. Her husband had been physically and mentally abusive, eventually abandoning her and her children. It was a terrible situation. Yet, very wisely, the pastor told her that she had to let go of it. She needed to forgive her former husband for what he had done. Her response was, "He doesn't deserve to be forgiven." The pastor looked at her and said, "That may well be true—but you do."
This pastor's answer reveals a vital scriptural principle: You are only forgiven as you forgive others. If you cling to unforgiveness toward another person, you are robbing yourself of your own forgiveness from God. Forgiveness toward others doesn't come naturally, it comes supernaturally (from Tenney)
There is a reaction and response from God when we are willing to let go!
Deuteronomy 15:1-18 At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release. 2 And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called the Lord 's release. 3 Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again: but that which is thine with thy brother thine hand shall release; 4 Save when there shall be no poor among you; for the Lord shall greatly bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it: 5 Only if thou carefully hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command thee this day. 6 For the Lord thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.
7 If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother: 8 But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth. 9 Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be sin unto thee. 10 Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto. 11 For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.
12 And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee. 13 And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty: 14 Thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of that wherewith the Lord thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him. 15 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day. 16 And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee; because he loveth thee and thine house, because he is well with thee; 17 Then thou shalt take an aul, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise. 18 It shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for he hath been worth a double hired servant to thee, in serving thee six years: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest.
Col 3:12-13 KJV Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
There is a price to forgiveness, but there is also a promise of forgiveness that releases the power of forgiveness. Therefore let us exercise the patience of forgiveness in order to fulfill the purpose of forgiveness as it paves the way to peace and purifies the soul that forgives.
