Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost September 14, 2008
Scripture	Matthew 18:21-35 21 Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.” 23“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24 When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; 25 and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. 26 So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. 31 When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. 32 Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. 35 So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.
Devotional	Today’s Gospel reading continues the previous teaching in Matthew on church discipline. Verses 21-22 which are about forgiveness shows us how to be accountable without becoming vindictive. Matthew is saying that a congregation that forgives seventy-seven times can be accountable as Jesus taught them. Peter believes he has stretched the meaning of forgiveness. “How often shall I forgive them, as many as seven times?” Peter’s offer to forgive seven times, trumps Lamech’s sevenfold vengeance in Genesis 4:24. Peter must have been surprised when Jesus told him the he had hardly begun to forgive. “Not seven times but seventy-seven times.” Are numbers important in forgiveness? Only the congregation that forgives as often as necessary can maintain accountability. The parable of the unforgiving servant only emphasizes this point. The parable about an unbelievable amount of money and the person forgiving the debt is only the starting point. Some people will abuse forgiveness just as this servant but this is not an excuse for us to withhold forgiveness. Can we receive God’s forgiveness if we refuse to forgive others? Can we forgive like God? What does this level of forgiveness look like to us? Impossible? Achievable?