PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 18:15-35
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.” (Matthew 18:27)
Jesus tells one of His teaching stories (parable) to explain how forgiveness works. A man owes a HUGE debt (equaling 5 lifetimes of normal salary). At the time it was customary for a debtor’s family to be sold into slavery to pay back the debt. Understandably in desperation he pleads for mercy and time to pay it back – which would be impossible.
The master takes pity on him, cancels the debt and sets him free. The word for “take pity” is not strong enough; the master was moved to compassion in a deep down, gut level way. So impacted with empathy was he, that he forgives (this is the Greek word for forgiveness) the debt and releases (the word for setting a slave free) the indebted man. Not only was the servant’s debt HUGE, the master’s compassion was even HUGER.
Jesus uses this part of the story to set the stage for the punchline, why we should forgive. The spiritual parallel is that we are the ones who have an impossible debt, and desperately need mercy. Our debt to God is HUGE, impossible to repay.
But what actually is our debt? Some people see it as a debt to God’s honour and holiness. But I see it more relationally, personally. We have failed to love God and God’s family. Imagine as a parent someone bullying and abusing your children, making their lives miserable (some of us may not have to imagine this). What would it cost to forgive such a person? Yes, we dishonour God, but we also dishonour God’s family. And God’s heart is moved with compassion for them as well.
Do we realize how serious and extensive our ‘debt’ is? I don’t think we do. We are aware of only a small part of our failure. If we actually felt the full burden of our sins of omission (what we didn’t do but should have) and our sins of commission (what we did do but shouldn’t have), we would experience deep despair. We would feel like Paul, “the worst of sinners” (1 Timothy 1:16).
God does not just take pity on us, God is moved to empathy and compassion in a deep, guttural way. God sees our impossible situation, our extreme need, and does something about it.
In this story, the master does not punish someone else in his place. The master absorbs (pays) the debt himself. It comes out of his own pocket. He suffers the consequences for the servant’s debt. I find this a helpful reminder how Jesus represents God on the cross, suffering in our place, paying the debt for us. In this story God is not punishing someone else to pay the debt and satisfy His wrath. God pays the debt Himself to satisfy His love/compassion.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The LOVE of God was satisfied;
For every sin on GOD was laid —
Here in the death of Christ I live. (In Christ Alone)
God is moved with compassion for me. God pays my debt and sets me free!
Lord Jesus, you are God with us, suffering and dying to cancel our debt and set us free. Thank You Jesus, thank You God, for Your love absorbing the price of my failure to love.