21 Then Peter came and said to him, ‘Lord, if another member of the church[g] 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 should 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 should 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.’
We live in a day and age of debts. We have credit card debt, housing debt, car debt, education debt, and even food debt. A school in Rhode Island had over the course of the year around $50,000 in unpaid debt from student lunches. Chobani, the yogurt manufacturer, paid the entire debt in full allowing the students to graduate and receive their report cards. We live in a day and age of debt, but also a time when people take care of others by paying their, at times, unpayable debt.
When it comes to the debts we have with God, we too owe more than we can pay. The transgressions, the moments we have fallen short and the times we have missed the mark, all of these are debts in our metaphorical ledger with God. One of the important images in our scriptures and traditions is that the cross of Jesus pays those debts in full. By his broken body and his shed blood, all human debts with God are covered and paid in full.
But this idea of debts paid is fine when it comes to my debts with God, but the problem lies in other’s debts toward me. I want mine paid in full and gone, but I will not let others be paid in full toward me. This is why we have the parable of the unforgiving servant. We have a large unpayable debt to the landowner. We have the servant begging for mercy and the Landowner granting it. This is normal language in the Church. God’s boundless mercy, the suffering of Jesus Christ, the begging for mercy, these are all things we know well and accept with ease.
But what happens when someone owes us like the First servant to the Second servant. The money owed is substantially less to the servant than owed to the landowner. But what is the servant’s actions, have patience with me, and I will pay you. But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he should pay the debt. We beg forgiveness and God gives it. Others beg forgiveness from us and instead we give them “justice.” No mercy, no forgiveness, no cancelling of debts, no, “you pay in full, because I am the offended and the victim.” We have been forgiven, but we fail to forgive others.
In our parable, the servants flee and tell the Landowner about the unforgiving servant and here is the response, you wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow-slave, as I had mercy on you?” And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he should pay his entire debt. Failing to cancel the servant-to-servant debt, God cancels God’s forgiveness and ensures that the first servant with the unpayable debt pays in full. Failing to forgive other people results in the loss of our forgiveness from God.
What we fail to remember is that Christ has paid everything in full. When someone sins against you, the repayment is Christ’s blood given to you on their behalf and the debt is cancelled. When someone wounds you, the reimbursement is Christ’s blood given to you on their behalf, and the bill is paid. When someone oppresses you, the compensation is Christ’s blood given to you on their behalf, and the invoice is revoked. The debts are paid by Christ to you, and everything is forgiven. Now we know why Jesus told Peter to forgive not 7 times but 490 times, because Jesus fully intended to pay all debts, even the debts owed to Peter, in his own body and blood.
My friends, no one finds this lesson more difficult than I, but we need to remember that when someone sins against us or incurs debt with us, those sins and debts are paid in full by Christ. If His body and blood cover ours, they also cover theirs. To impose those debts despite Jesus’ blood is impose our debts also. But if we want Jesus’ blood to cover ours, then that same blood covers theirs. This means that we are a forgiving church again and again. Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Now, through the Son and the Spirit, let it be so.
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