Wicked Deed, Angry Words – Matthew 18:21-35

A text – Matthew 18:21-35

18:21 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?”
18:22 Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.
18:23 “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.
18:24 When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him;
18:25 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.
18:26 So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’
18:27 And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt.
18:28 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.’
18:29 Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’
18:30 But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt.
18:31 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.
18:32 Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.
18:33 Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’
18:34 And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt.
18:35 So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

A reflection:

The parable of the wicked slave is filled with deep distress and anger and threat. These are emotional states that we would rather not find in Jesus’s teachings. So why does Jesus teach about being merciful through these dark and angry images?

Scholars believe the intended audience for the Book of Matthew was the Jews, who had used the Law of Moses to create very strict codes with steep penalties and precise remedies. So perhaps the Jews as an audience would be particularly amazed at this merciful king’s having the kind of mercy that defied any logic and made unnecessary any penalties. It might have been a stunning strategy for teaching merciful acts. Jesus was teaching that God does NOT require burnt offerings according to the Law but requires mercy and is abundant in giving mercy. The old mathematical Law is over.

But today I find myself wondering why the slave did not imitate the king’s mercy, having received it only minutes before. Maybe he was indeed a wicked person. Maybe the king knew this man was truly wicked and the original punishment was quite fitting. But the king’s heart was moved, and he forgave him all his debt – did not just delay payment or cut the debt in half – he forgave the whole thing. The slave and his family would be secure and could make a new start. With such a gift tucked under his arm, so to speak, the slave leaves the king’s presence, encounters a fellow slave who owes HIM money, and demands it. He has no spirit of “share the wealth” or “pay it forward.” Why not?

Any hearer, Jew or Gentile, would say that he was wicked, would know that he did wrong. He’s just the kind of bad guy we would like to see get his come-uppance. We love it when the bad guy gets penalized. But Jesus perhaps wants us to try seeing the wicked slave’s action not so much as his unreasonable demand for payment no matter the cruel cost. Jesus is more concerned with his heart, his lack of compassion or forgiveness, his holding a grudge, his keeping a record of wrongs and never letting it go. Jesus is saying God is justified in not forgiving us when we do not forgive our sister or brother. Think on that. How might we be holding onto the grievances of the past, wrongs done to us that we cannot let go? How much better for us and for those who have wronged us if we open our hands and let debts go?

A prayer:

Lord God, Thank you for loving us. Thank you for being merciful to us every single day. Thank you for giving us life, time, and the capacity for mercy and compassion. Help us to remember to use it, even on those whom it is hardest to forgive, those with years of mounting debt and harm to us. Help us to turn that scorekeeping with a closed fist to open-handed generosity that lifts the burden off both the debtor and the ones who have been wronged: ourselves. Amen.