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Copyright © 2012 J. Neely. All rights reserved.
Chapter 31 - Unmerciful Slave
Matt. 18:31-35
31 So [de] when his [autos] fellowservants [sundoulos] saw [eido] what was done [ginomai] , they were very [sphodra] sorry [lupeo] , and [kai] came [erchomai] and told [diasapheo] unto their [autos] lord [kurios] all [pas] that was done [ginomai] .
32 Then [tote] his [autos] lord [kurios] , after that he had called [proskaleomai] him [autos] , said [lego] unto him [autos] , O thou wicked [poneros] servant [doulos] , I forgave [aphiemi] thee [soi] all [pas] that [ekeinos] debt [opheile] , because [epei] thou desiredst [parakaleo] me [me] :
33 Shouldest [dei] not [ou] thou [se] also [kai] have had compassion [eleeo] on thy [sou] fellowservant [sundoulos] , even [kai] as [hos] I [ego] had pity [eleeo] on thee [se] ?
34 And [kai] his [autos] lord [kurios] was wroth [orgizo] , and delivered [paradidomi] him [autos] to the tormentors [basanistes] , till [heos] [hou] he should pay [apodidomi] all [pas] that was due [opheilo] unto him [autos] .
35 So [houto] likewise shall my [mou] heavenly [epouranios] Father [pater] do [poieo] also [kai] unto you [humin] , if [ean me] ye from [apo] your [humon] hearts [kardia] forgive [aphiemi] not [ean me] every one [hekastos] his [autos] brother [adelphos] their [autos] trespasses [paraptoma] . KJV-Interlinear
31 'So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. 32 'Then summoning him, his lord said to him, 'You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you entreated me. 33 'Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, even as I had mercy on you?' 34 'And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. 35 'So shall My heavenly Father also do to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.' NASB
What goes around, comes around. If you sow evil then you'll reap evil and be the worse off for it. By far, each one of us can become our own worst enemy, and by merely being stubborn and insensitive in our own attitude toward others. If you pursue bitterness or revenge against others, then you may drive your victim deeper into sin, and also cause dissension and division among those around you. The first slave received great mercy in the form of forgiveness of a debt that was beyond his ability to repay. He turned his good fortune into abuse against another. Many who were nearby, saw the injustice and became upset. They reported the incident to the king.
The king summoned the slave (the slave was still under obligation to the king) and demanded an explanation. None was offered. The slave was then turned over to the torturers (not to executioners), for discipline. The discipline would continue until the slave changed his attitude.
The slave was not held until the debt had been repaid. The debt had already been forgiven. But here he had an obligation to the king to treat others with reasonable respect and courtesy, and not with disrespect and indifference.
The wise king does not discipline those who belong to him in order to drive them away, but to bring them back into his realm and with compatibility with him.
I have in my notes, this anonymous quote:
'Revenge, indeed, seems often sweet to men; but, oh, it is only sugared poison, only sweetened gall, and its aftertaste is bitter as hell. Forgiving, enduring love alone is sweet and blissful; it enjoys peace and the consciousness of Gods favor. By forgiving, it gives away and annihilates the injury. It treats the injurer as if he had not injured, and therefore feels no more the smart and sting that he had inflicted. Forgiveness is a shield from which all the fiery darts of the wicked one harmless rebound. Forgiveness brings heaven to earth, and heaven's peace into the sinful heart. Forgiveness is the image of God, the forgiving Father, and an advancement of Christ's kingdom in the world.'
Furthermore, Galatians explains the spirit filled attitude verses the sin nature attitude, Gal 5:16-17, 'But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.'
William Arnot told the following account to illustrate how believers are enabled to obey the command to forgive.
'After fording a river, a traveler in Burma discovered that his body was covered with small leeches, busily sucking his blood. His first impulse was to pull them off, but his servant warned him against it, explaining that to do that would leave part of the leeches buried in the skin and cause serious infection. The native prepared a warm bath for the man and added certain herbs to the water that irritated but did not kill the leeches. One by one they voluntarily dropped off. 'Each unforgiven injury rankling in the heart is like a leech sucking the lifeblood. Mere human determination to have done with it will not cast the evil thing away. You must bathe your whole being in God's pardoning mercy; and those venomous creatures will instantly let go their hold.' End of quote.
There are two concepts that need to be understood concerning sin and forgiveness. They are, the payment of sin or judgment, and then the subsequent forgiveness of sin that occurs after judgment. Christ went to the Cross and was judged for our sins. When we believe in Christ we are in effect identifying with Him on the Cross and accepting His payment for our debt. In this manner believers have a greater obligation to God, than do unbelievers, in that believers have accepted His payment in their behalf. Unbelievers have rejected His payment, even though God paid the debt for all.
The Cross paid the debt and therefore canceled it for us. The Cross did not forgive the debt of our actions subsequent to our believing in Christ. The debt of our sins is gone, but the responsibility of our actions remains. Therefore we have the concept of fellowship or as many passages call it a 'washing' of ones self, a 'removal' of ones shoes, in order to cleanse the filth away from our soul, and thus permitting us to 'stand on Holy Ground.' That is, to be in the presence of God, or in fellowship as we have described it. The principle of fellowship is described in Leviticus and the mechanics is described in 1 John.
When we believed in Christ we accepted the cancellation of the huge debt which was beyond our ability to repay. When we sin we place ourselves outside of fellowship and out of the good graces of the King (God). Discipline ensues until such time as we get ourselves back into fellowship (confession or our acknowledgment of our failure to God). Such confession gets us back into fellowship and back on Gods 'good side' so to speak.
So it is in our life. We are under obligation to God, to act in such a manner as to not incite sin in ourselves as well as in others. When we fail, we are to look immediately to God in acknowledgment (confession to God the Father and no one else) of our failures, lest we be thrown to the torturers (divine discipline) until such time as we get our spiritual act together. Those who are wise will see and understand this principle. Those who are indifferent and defiant in their rejection of Gods Word will open the door for their own suffering. If you look really close on their forehead you'll see the label 'stupid.'
There is no suffering in heaven, therefore this punishment of the unmerciful slave occurs in this life in the form of discipline until such time as the slave changes his attitude, or until his death, at which time the suffering finally comes to a close.
And one more thing. Forgiveness is the first step toward 'agape' love, which is the principle of having a relaxed attitude of tolerance toward others no matter how obnoxious they might be in this life. No matter what people might do to you, it is nothing when compared to the things that God has waiting for you both in this life and especially in eternity.
Why trade off something of greater value (divine blessing), for whatever ill feelings might get you (something of infinitely less value) by being vindictive, or jealous, or bitter, etc. toward others?
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