Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (also known as Unforgiving Creditor, Ungrateful Servant, Unmerciful Servant, or Wicked Servant but not to be confused with the parable of the Two Debtors) is a parable of Jesus which appears in the New Testament. According to Matthew, it is important to forgive others as we are forgiven by God, as illustrated by the negative example of the unforgiving servant.
Quotes about
[edit]Bible
[edit]- Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold[b] was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
“At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. [...]
“Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”- Gospel of Matthew 18:21-27;32-35 NIV.
Others
[edit]- The kingdom of heaven is like a king who wants to undertake a calculation. It is like the image of an inventory. It is time to settle accounts with the servants who have been entrusted with the king's wealth. Servants of God through Christ are those who have heard and followed his call to discipleship and who, because of their willingness to serve, have been assigned a task. And right at the beginning of this reckoning, a character is introduced whose guilt is so great that it cannot even be calculated. [...] The servant humbles himself before his master: he begs for patience and promises to pay. His words reveal his awareness of his guilt, his repentance and also his devotion to his master. It is the state of mind that arises when repentance and love meet: that of confession.
- Adrienne von Speyr, Le parabole del Signore (Gleichnisse des Herrn, 1966), translation into Italian by Giuseppe Reguzzoni, Jaca Book, Milano, 2008, p. 75. ISBN 978-88-16-30459-8.
- The servant who, having just been saved by grace, does not want to forgive his fellow servant, is even more seriously at fault than he was previously for the sins he committed against his master. He denies his neighbour, and therefore God himself, the effectiveness that comes from grace. Every believer who refuses to reflect the grace that has been given to him is guilty in the same way. He becomes entangled in guilt much more deeply than before absolution. In fact, he has encountered love, recognised it in his temporary repentance, but denies it in his own conduct.
- Adrienne von Speyr, Le parabole del Signore (Gleichnisse des Herrn, 1966), translation into Italian by Giuseppe Reguzzoni, Jaca Book, Milano, 2008, p. 78. ISBN 978-88-16-30459-8.
