Church History: There are things in the parable that we must consider:
The Master's Resentment Of The Cruelty His Servant Was Guilty Of:
The master, issued a reprimand for the treatment his servant gave to his fellow servant;
He voiced his disapproval of his servant's cruel behavior O thou wicked servant (Matthew 18:32-33);
He reminded him of the mercy and forgiveness he had found with his master; I forgave you all that debt. Those who except God's favors, will never be reminded of them, but those that abuse them, should expect it, (Matthew 11:20). Consider, It was all that debt, that great debt. Note, The greatness of sin magnifies the riches of pardoning mercy: we should think how much has been forgiven us, (Luke 7:47).
He then shows him the obligation he was under to be merciful to his fellow-servant; Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow-servant, even as I had pity on you? (Matthew 18:33) It is justly expected, that such as have received mercy, should show mercy. He showed him, that he should have been more compassionate to the distress of his fellow servant, because he had himself experienced the same distress. What we have experienced ourselves, we can better understand the feelings our brethren. The Israelites knew the heart of a stranger, for they were strangers; and this servant should have understood better the heart of an arrested debtor, and not been so hard on him. He was also shown that he should have been more conformable to the example of his master's tenderness, having himself experienced it, so much to his advantage. The comfortable sense of pardoning mercy leads to the softening of our hearts to forgive our brethren. It was in the close of the day of atonement that the jubilee trumpet sounded a release of debts (Leviticus 25:9); for we must have compassion on our brethren, as God has on us.
He revoked his pardon and cancelled the acquittance, so that the judgment against him was revived (Matthew 18:34); He delivered him to the jailers, until he repaid all that was owed. Though the wickedness was very great, his master laid upon him no other punishment than the payment of his own debt. Those that will not come up to the terms of the gospel need be no more miserable than to be left open to the law, and to let that have its course against them. See how the punishment answers the sin; he that would not forgive shall not be forgiven; He delivered him to the jailers; the most he could do to his fellow servant was to cast him into prison, but he himself was delivered to the jailers. Our debts to God are never compounded; They are all either forgiven or all are exacted; glorified saints in heaven are pardoned all, through Christ's complete satisfaction; damned sinners in hell are paying all, that is, are punished for all.
The application of the entire parable is this:
When we pray to God as our Father in heaven, we are taught to ask for the forgiveness of debts, as we forgive our debtors. Matthew 6:12
The duty of forgiving; we must from our hearts forgive. We do not forgive our offending brother in a right, or acceptable way, if we do not forgive from the heart; for that is what God looks at. No malice must be harbored or, ill will extended toward any person, one or another; no projects of revenge planned, not even a desires of it, as there are in many who outwardly appear peaceable and reconciled. Yet this is not enough; we must from the heart desire and seeks the welfare even of those that have offended us.
The danger of not forgiving; So shall your heavenly Father do.
(1.) This is not intended to teach us that God reverses his pardons to any, but that he denies them to those that are unqualified for them, according to the gospel; Those that do not forgive their brother's debts, did never truly repent of their own, nor ever truly believe the gospel; and therefore that which is taken away is only what they appeared to have, (Luke 8:18).
(2.) This is intended to teach us, that they shall have judgment without mercy, that have showed no mercy, (James 2:13). It is indispensably necessary to pardon and peace, that we not only do justly, but love mercy. It is an essential part of that religion which is pure and undefiled before God and the Father, of that wisdom from above, which is gentle, and easy to be entreated. Look how they will answer it another day, who, though they bear the Christian name, persist in the most rigorous and unmerciful treatment of their brethren, as if the strictest laws of Christ might be dispensed with for the gratifying of their unbridled passions; and so they curse themselves every time they say the Lord's prayer.
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