The objective of this lesson: to stress the truth that God's behavior determines a Christian's behavior--other people's behavior does not determine a Christian's behavior.
The context of this parable arose from a question about forgiveness asked by Peter: "How often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him?" Peter suggested perhaps a generous, unthinkable seven times. The point of this parable is disturbing. It powerfully declares what God considers essential in His priorities are likely to be considered unimportant in human priorities. We love to be forgiven! However, practicing forgiveness does not rate very high on our list of priorities. We surely do not rank practicing forgiveness as a life-defining responsibility given in response to the privilege of receiving God's forgiveness.
God's forgiveness extended to 'me' determines the forgiveness 'I' extend to other people. 'I' do not forgive someone because he or she deserves forgiveness. 'I' forgive because God forgave 'me.' Extending forgiveness is a difficult challenge because forgiveness needs to be given when one has been wronged.
Consider the cast of characters in this parable. The parable is based on every day realities that surrounded them in first century Palestine. There is a king [wealthy authority figure] who as lord or master over several slaves decided it was time for his servants to responsibly repay their debts. There is a slave [person in a powerless position] who owes the king an incredible, unpayable sum of money. There is the wife and children of the impossibly indebted slave. There is a fellow slave who is indebted to the slave with the impossible debt. This fellow slave owes the impossibly indebted slave 100 denarii--a payable 100 days wages. There are fellow slaves who know both men. There are the torturers who carry out the king's orders.
List the cast of characters in the parable. Make certain each person has an accurate concept of the role the character served in life in the first century world.
Consider the story. A king decided the time had come for his slaves to pay him what they owed him. The king expected to receive that which was rightfully his. The slaves were his property to serve him as he pleased. [A person could become a slave in many different ways--from failure to meet financial obligations to being captured in war. First century slavery was not restricted to a particular race of people. Previously well educated, or wealthy, or socially prominent people could become slaves.]
The parable was based in realities from their every day world. It stressed a typical form of accountability in their world. The issue to them would not have focused on a king's position, or his owning slaves, or the existence of a slave--those were commonplace realities that were a part of their world. Do not 'chase' our modern concerns and miss the point of the parable.
As the king settled accounts with his slaves, one slave was brought before him who owed an impossible debt. If this slave gave the king everything the slave acquired the rest of his life, that amount would be insufficient to repay the debt. The king was quite pragmatic. He knew he had no hope of recovering the debt. Therefore, he would make the best of a bad situation. He would 'cut his losses.' He would sell the slave, each member of the slave's immediate family, and everything the slave owned. The sum produced by those sales would be applied to the indebtedness. All those sales likely would not produce enough to cover the indebtedness, but it would at least be a partial payment on the debt. That sum would far exceed the amount the slave immediately could give the king. The king ordered the sales.
Most of us of today are quite familiar with the king's course of action and decision. If something is costing us more money than it has any hope of producing, eliminate the cost, recover what you can, and 'stop the bleeding.' The slave would never be able to repay what he owed, so recover the money that could be recovered and eliminate the problem. We are accustomed to considering human suffering. The king considered the elimination of a financial problem.
Immediately the slave was consumed with grief. He humbled himself before the king in a physical manner that declared, "I am nothing and I know it." He pleaded with the king to be patient with him. He made an impossible promise [which the king would recognize as impossible]: if the king would be patient with him, he would repay everything. The payments this slave could make [if he were diligent and determined] on this huge indebtedness would not even cover the interest!
While to the king, the decision was a business decision, to the slave the decision was intensely personal.
Why was the slave deeply grieved? He had no idea where he would go or what he would be required to do. He might never see his wife again. He might never see his children again. There was no assurance that family members would be near enough to have contact with each other. The reason for his being sold virtually assured him he would not be in a trust position as a slave. Hard work was in his future! He would never be trusted enough to receive a loan again!
The king's decision was intensely personal to the slave because the decision affected his entire life as well as the lives of his family members.
The slave's impassioned plea moved the king. The king was not deceived by the plea. He knew the slave could not do what he promised regardless of the slave's sincerity. The king was moved by compassion. He released the slave from arrest [remember, the king already had declared a course of action]. The compassionate king forgave the slave's entire impossible debt: "You owe me nothing! Your entire debt is removed from my account!"
The slave's grief moved the king to look at the situation in terms of the slave's life rather than a business decision. There was 'good business' and there was 'compassion.' The king forgot business and was moved with compassion. He saw the situation from the slave's perspective rather than from his own perspective.
What an incredible gift! He would not be sold! His family would not be separated! He could continue in a familiar situation at a familiar place! He could begin anew without even thinking of the past! Stress was removed! In an instant he was transported from the totally unknown to the absolutely secure. He literally went from having nothing to having nothing to worry about.
The king gave the slave an incredible gift--much more than the slave requested! The slave requested patience [time]. The slave received complete forgiveness. He would not spend his life trying to repay an impossible debt. The king eliminated the debt.
This same slave who received an unbelievable reprieve shortly thereafter 'found' a fellow slave who owed him 100 days wages--a repayable debt. He seized his debtor, choked him, and demanded immediate repayment. Though he has been blessed wonderfully by the king's compassion, he had no compassion.
The slave quickly forgot about his impossible debt, his horrible circumstances, and his grief. He forgot how close to disaster he was a short time ago. He was blessed by the king's compassion, but he quickly became a hardhearted judge of a fellow slave. He functioned in the 'what is right is right!' mode instead of the 'compassion' mode.
This slave's debtor humbled himself [as had he shortly before], asked for the same thing [patience], and made the same promise he made [I will repay]. However, the forgiven slave was unlike the king. He threw his debtor into prison until the complete debt was repaid. The imprisoned slave could not work while in jail. Severe hardship was inflicted on the imprisoned debtor's family. The family had to do anything necessary to acquire the sum of 100 days wages so the debtor could be released.
His fellow slave entreated him as the forgiven slave had entreated the king. Yet, the forgiven slave was unmoved. He was not content with a promise of repayment. He wanted IMMEDIATE repayment.
Some fellow slaves saw what happened and reported the happening to the king. A now angry king recalled the slave to his presence. He called the slave wicked. He asked, "If I showed you mercy, why did you not show the same mercy to your debtor?" The angry king reinstated the debt, imprisoned the unmerciful slave, and committed him to torture to suffer until he repaid his impossible debt in full.
Never forget the importance and power of influence! Always, someone is watching! We 'say' a lot in our behavior!
The chilling declaration from Jesus: "My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart."
After we receive compassion's gifts from God, He will treat us in the same manner we treat others. The right treatment of others is a basic Christian responsibility. When we extend forgiveness, the forgiveness must be real. Our conscious goal is to allow God to change the way we feel!
The responsibility: let God's treatment of you determine your treatment of others.
The way God treated and treats 'me' governs how 'I' treat others. 'I' learn how to behave from God's kindness to 'me.'
Thought and Discussion Questions
Acknowledge that kings and slaves were a reality in their daily world--these were familiar figures.
Typically, people do not like to extend forgiveness. When we are wronged, we want justice. We like to receive forgiveness, but we do not typically like to extend it.
List the characters--king, slaves, slave family members, torturers.
The concepts shared should included 'one who is control of others' lives.'
The bad consequences of his accountability would impact his life and the lives of his immediate family.
He was freed from spending his life trying to repay an impossible debt. He was freed from the stress of the responsibility.
Relate his treatment of the slave who owned this forgiven slave a repayable debt. Emphasize the forgiven slave's unwillingness to give what he had received.
The king reimposed the debt. The king had the slave placed in jail. The king had the slave tortured until the debt was repaid in full--an impossible situation filled with suffering and anguish. Wonder what the memory of his stupidity caused him to suffer?
God expects us to treat others as He has treated us. If we do not, He will demand full 'repayment' from us.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 3