The Kingdom of Heaven and Forgiveness

When Peter asks Jesus how often one should forgive one's bother, Jesus uses a parable to teach that since we have been forgiven a great debt by God, we should always be ready to forgive our brother.

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editing

Matthew 18:21-35

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Then Peter came and said to Him,

“Lord, a how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him?

Up to b seven times?”

series

ideaexplanation

Jesus * said to him,

“I do not say to you, up to seven times,

but up to a seventy times seven.

negativepositive

“For this reason a the kingdom of heaven 1 may be compared

to a king who wished to b settle accounts with his slaves.

When he had begun to settle them,

one who owed him 1 ten thousand talents was brought to him.

temporal

But since he 1 a did not have the means to repay,

his lord commanded him b to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made.

inference

So the slave fell to the ground and a prostrated himself before him, saying,

‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’

And the lord of that slave felt compassion

and released him

and a forgave him the 1 debt.

progression

situationresponse

But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred 1 denarii;

and he seized him

and began to choke him,

saying,

‘Pay back what you owe.’

So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying,

‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’

But he was unwilling

1 and went

and threw him in prison

until he should pay back what was owed.

So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened,

they were deeply grieved

and came and reported to their lord all that had happened.

Then summoning him, his lord * said to him,

‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.

a Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave,

in the same way that I had mercy on you?’

comparison

And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers

until he should repay all that was owed him.

a My heavenly Father will also do the same to you,

if each of you does not forgive his brother

from 1 your heart.”

actionmanner

conditional

questionanswer

Third class conditional indicating potential future action.

Rhetorical question: You should also have had mercy on your fellow slave.

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Matthew 18:21-35

Question

Then Peter came and said to Him,

“Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

Answer

Jesus said to him,

“I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

Parable - Introduction

“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared

to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.

Compassion and Forgiveness

When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.

But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made.

So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’

And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt.

No Compassion and No Forgiveness

But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’

So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’

But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed.

Judgement

So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened.

Then summoning him, his lord said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.

Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’

And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him.

Parable - Conclusion

My heavenly Father will also do the same to you,

if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”

phrasing

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