St Matthew 18:23-35/Micah 6:6-8/Philippians 1:3-11
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
St Matthew is a catechist. His Gospel teaches the faith. The five discourses of Jesus correspond to the five books of Moses, the Torah. Jesus is the Prophet like Moses. He is the One who teaches. And He teaches as One who has authority, not as the scribes. His teaching radically differed from theirs.
Peter had been raised in the catechesis of the scribes. He had learned the Torah from his youth. He knew the words of the Micah, the rhetorical question of the prophet. With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? The Lord does not delight sacrifice. He desires mercy. Nothing you bring before the Lord earns His favor.
He would have you direct your good works not to Himself, but outward toward your neighbor: do justice, that is, be fair and honest, love kindness, that is, be steadfast and loyal, not only in confession of faith, but in charity toward others. Finally, walk humbly with God, that is, be modest and reverential. For you are utterly dependent on the Lord in all things.
So then when Peter, well versed in Scripture, suggested that he forgive his brother seven times for sinning against him, he thought he was being generous. Most rabbis prescribed one forgive up to three times. Peter would double that! His generosity would twice as vast as even the holiest of men!
He showed that he understood Jesus‘ catechesis on the Our Father: forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespasses against us. The kingdom of heaven operates on forgiveness. And this is more than a one time event. Moral perfection is not possible for the community of Jesus. Though exactly how much more, Peter did not yet comprehend. He assumed forgiveness had its limits.
Our Lord’s answer of seventy times seven cannot mean 70 + 7, or even 70 x 7 (490 times). The point is that there are to be no limits to the willingness to forgive. This is the radical nature of the Gospel.
A king wanted to audit his books. He called forth his debtors. One was brought who owed him ten thousand talents; roughly the wages of 60 million days’ work. He could not pay. That much was obvious. Selling him and his family was well within the rights of the king. It was actually fairly common in the ancient world. Many colonists, in fact, came to North America as indentured servants, paying off their debt by working for a specified period. But so large was the debt owed the king in this case that no amount of labor could have paid it off.
The servant pleaded for patience. “Give me more time, I’ll come up with the money.” It wouldn’t have mattered. He wouldn’t. He couldn’t. There was no hope. He was out of options.
But out of pity for him, really, in compassion for him, his lord released him and forgive his debt. The master would himself eat the cost of the debt. He would bear its enormous burden. Call it pity. Call it love. Call it compassion. In the ways of the world its foolishness; sheer and utter stupidity. This kingdom is going to soon go bankrupt if the master is forgiving such enormous debts! But there is a lesson here. Not for the politicians or the government - they never learn - but for the Church. She is not a kingdom ruled by power and might, but by mercy, in weakness, by forgiveness.
Now this servant has just been naturalized. Having received mercy from his king he is a new citizen. He is, in a sense, no longer a slave. He is free. He owes no one anything. He keeps his life and goods, his home, his wife and children. He has a gracious lord and master. What will he now do with his freedom?
Upon being released from his debt, the now-freed servant finds a fellow servant who owes him a sum of money equal to 100 days wages, about the equivalent of most student loans - a sizable, yet manageable debt. Have patience with me, and I will repay you. His colleague’s plea should have sounded like deja vue.
Yet he refused to accept the man’s terms and had him thrown into debtors’ prison until he should pay the debt. Upon hearing of the forgiven servant’s lack of mercy shown his fellow servant, the king becomes furious and reinstates the original debt, imprisoning the servant until he pays it off; that is, never. Even without Jesus’ final words the point is clear: forgiveness refused is forgiveness rejected. To deny mercy is to deny Christ. The kingdom of heaven operates on grace.
This parable is a mini-sermon on the Fifth Petition of the Our Father in which Christians ask God to forgive our debts as we forgive others. What is striking about this parable is the extravagant debt from which the servant is released. That he was allowed to accumulate such a ridiculous sum is already a sign of the king’s mercy. Matthew’s catechumens may have known about debt. Certainly to modern hearers the terms of this parable make sense.
The indebted servant is not just any individual, but a believer who recognizes Jesus as merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He rejects your plea for patience to repay and has compassion, releasing you from your debt completely. He gives more than what is asked and greater than could be imagined.
For to you this pardon cost nothing. With what shall I come before the Lord? You have nothing to offer. You are empty. A poor, miserable beggar. An slave, dead in your trespasses and sins, with a debt so large it would laughable if if weren’t so deadly serious. But the Lord has looked upon you in pity. In compassion He puts forth His Son as the propitiation for your debts. He pays the price of your sin: the life-blood of His sacred veins. You would have rotted in debtor’s prison, unable to ever get out. In the mercy of almighty God, Christ Jesus was given to die for you. He has freed you from your sin by becoming Sin for you. He has unlocked your prison and set you free from death and hell.
You have received mercy from the King, your Lord and Master. You have been received into His Kingdom by His grace. You are His beloved child. No longer a slave, but an heir. You have been given everything: mercy, life, love, salvation, peace, joy, freedom. What will you do with that freedom?
You live by faith toward God. Nothing you bring before the Lord earns His favor. You receive everything from His hand. You have a gracious God, what more do you need? He does not need your good works. He would have you turn toward your neighbor in love. In Christ, you are slave of all.
This parable of Jesus teaches us that our goods are not our own, but our neighbor’s. The world and her governments may compel you to give to another what is yours; to pay your fair share; from each according to his means, to each according to his need. But they can only go so far. And Jesus is not a socialist. But what does it matter? As the hymn says, “Take they our life, goods, fame, child, and wife, though these all be gone, our vict’ry has been won. The Kingdom ours remaineth” (LSB 656:4).
God owed you nothing. Yet He gives Himself wholly to you, becomes your gracious Lord, is kind toward you, showing you mercy, giving you His peace and forgiveness. Why then would you not also do likewise? Your good works do not save you. But they are still necessary. For by them Christ is served in your neighbor’s need.
This is what our Lord teaches us, for He is a catechist, never tiring to instruct us in the chief parts of the Christian faith. He has shown you mercy - justifying you, setting you free from sin and death by His own death; freely declaring you righteous by faith. And He works in you - sanctifying you, changing your heart, giving you in love and service to your neighbor, forgiving his sin against you.
This is the entirety of the Christian life: faith toward God, love toward the neighbor; always returning to Christ, receiving mercy, always turning to our neighbor, giving mercy. May God grant that our love abound more and more, with all knowledge and discernment, so that we may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Amen.
In the Name + of JESUS. Amen.
St Matthew is a catechist. His Gospel teaches the faith. The five discourses of Jesus correspond to the five books of Moses, the Torah. Jesus is the Prophet like Moses. He is the One who teaches. And He teaches as One who has authority, not as the scribes. His teaching radically differed from theirs.
Peter had been raised in the catechesis of the scribes. He had learned the Torah from his youth. He knew the words of the Micah, the rhetorical question of the prophet. With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? The Lord does not delight sacrifice. He desires mercy. Nothing you bring before the Lord earns His favor.
He would have you direct your good works not to Himself, but outward toward your neighbor: do justice, that is, be fair and honest, love kindness, that is, be steadfast and loyal, not only in confession of faith, but in charity toward others. Finally, walk humbly with God, that is, be modest and reverential. For you are utterly dependent on the Lord in all things.
So then when Peter, well versed in Scripture, suggested that he forgive his brother seven times for sinning against him, he thought he was being generous. Most rabbis prescribed one forgive up to three times. Peter would double that! His generosity would twice as vast as even the holiest of men!
He showed that he understood Jesus‘ catechesis on the Our Father: forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespasses against us. The kingdom of heaven operates on forgiveness. And this is more than a one time event. Moral perfection is not possible for the community of Jesus. Though exactly how much more, Peter did not yet comprehend. He assumed forgiveness had its limits.
Our Lord’s answer of seventy times seven cannot mean 70 + 7, or even 70 x 7 (490 times). The point is that there are to be no limits to the willingness to forgive. This is the radical nature of the Gospel.
A king wanted to audit his books. He called forth his debtors. One was brought who owed him ten thousand talents; roughly the wages of 60 million days’ work. He could not pay. That much was obvious. Selling him and his family was well within the rights of the king. It was actually fairly common in the ancient world. Many colonists, in fact, came to North America as indentured servants, paying off their debt by working for a specified period. But so large was the debt owed the king in this case that no amount of labor could have paid it off.
The servant pleaded for patience. “Give me more time, I’ll come up with the money.” It wouldn’t have mattered. He wouldn’t. He couldn’t. There was no hope. He was out of options.
But out of pity for him, really, in compassion for him, his lord released him and forgive his debt. The master would himself eat the cost of the debt. He would bear its enormous burden. Call it pity. Call it love. Call it compassion. In the ways of the world its foolishness; sheer and utter stupidity. This kingdom is going to soon go bankrupt if the master is forgiving such enormous debts! But there is a lesson here. Not for the politicians or the government - they never learn - but for the Church. She is not a kingdom ruled by power and might, but by mercy, in weakness, by forgiveness.
Now this servant has just been naturalized. Having received mercy from his king he is a new citizen. He is, in a sense, no longer a slave. He is free. He owes no one anything. He keeps his life and goods, his home, his wife and children. He has a gracious lord and master. What will he now do with his freedom?
Upon being released from his debt, the now-freed servant finds a fellow servant who owes him a sum of money equal to 100 days wages, about the equivalent of most student loans - a sizable, yet manageable debt. Have patience with me, and I will repay you. His colleague’s plea should have sounded like deja vue.
Yet he refused to accept the man’s terms and had him thrown into debtors’ prison until he should pay the debt. Upon hearing of the forgiven servant’s lack of mercy shown his fellow servant, the king becomes furious and reinstates the original debt, imprisoning the servant until he pays it off; that is, never. Even without Jesus’ final words the point is clear: forgiveness refused is forgiveness rejected. To deny mercy is to deny Christ. The kingdom of heaven operates on grace.
This parable is a mini-sermon on the Fifth Petition of the Our Father in which Christians ask God to forgive our debts as we forgive others. What is striking about this parable is the extravagant debt from which the servant is released. That he was allowed to accumulate such a ridiculous sum is already a sign of the king’s mercy. Matthew’s catechumens may have known about debt. Certainly to modern hearers the terms of this parable make sense.
The indebted servant is not just any individual, but a believer who recognizes Jesus as merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He rejects your plea for patience to repay and has compassion, releasing you from your debt completely. He gives more than what is asked and greater than could be imagined.
For to you this pardon cost nothing. With what shall I come before the Lord? You have nothing to offer. You are empty. A poor, miserable beggar. An slave, dead in your trespasses and sins, with a debt so large it would laughable if if weren’t so deadly serious. But the Lord has looked upon you in pity. In compassion He puts forth His Son as the propitiation for your debts. He pays the price of your sin: the life-blood of His sacred veins. You would have rotted in debtor’s prison, unable to ever get out. In the mercy of almighty God, Christ Jesus was given to die for you. He has freed you from your sin by becoming Sin for you. He has unlocked your prison and set you free from death and hell.
You have received mercy from the King, your Lord and Master. You have been received into His Kingdom by His grace. You are His beloved child. No longer a slave, but an heir. You have been given everything: mercy, life, love, salvation, peace, joy, freedom. What will you do with that freedom?
You live by faith toward God. Nothing you bring before the Lord earns His favor. You receive everything from His hand. You have a gracious God, what more do you need? He does not need your good works. He would have you turn toward your neighbor in love. In Christ, you are slave of all.
This parable of Jesus teaches us that our goods are not our own, but our neighbor’s. The world and her governments may compel you to give to another what is yours; to pay your fair share; from each according to his means, to each according to his need. But they can only go so far. And Jesus is not a socialist. But what does it matter? As the hymn says, “Take they our life, goods, fame, child, and wife, though these all be gone, our vict’ry has been won. The Kingdom ours remaineth” (LSB 656:4).
God owed you nothing. Yet He gives Himself wholly to you, becomes your gracious Lord, is kind toward you, showing you mercy, giving you His peace and forgiveness. Why then would you not also do likewise? Your good works do not save you. But they are still necessary. For by them Christ is served in your neighbor’s need.
This is what our Lord teaches us, for He is a catechist, never tiring to instruct us in the chief parts of the Christian faith. He has shown you mercy - justifying you, setting you free from sin and death by His own death; freely declaring you righteous by faith. And He works in you - sanctifying you, changing your heart, giving you in love and service to your neighbor, forgiving his sin against you.
This is the entirety of the Christian life: faith toward God, love toward the neighbor; always returning to Christ, receiving mercy, always turning to our neighbor, giving mercy. May God grant that our love abound more and more, with all knowledge and discernment, so that we may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Amen.
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