“When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.” Matthew 18:24
Peter has just asked Jesus, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”. Jesus answers him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven” and then goes on to give the Illustration of a king settling debts with his servants. That is where Today’s Verse comes in.
Most of you know the story. The king threatens to sell the slave who pleads for more time to repay, the king forgives him of his debt, and so on. For those unfamiliar with the story, you’ll have to read it for yourself. I will take up far too much time and space to repeat it here.
My Focus today is the Debt. We are told a Denarius was “a day’s wage”. Our Main Character was owed 100 of these by his Fellow Slave; 3-4 months of Pay. Quite a sum! But contrast that with what he owed the king; 10,000 Talents! A Talent was worth about 15 years wages. The Total? Our President would say, “Billions and Billions of Dollars”!!!
Needless to say, Jesus point is very clear. This Slave could NEVER repay the Debt. If we have been saved, This Is Our Debt of Sin! It could NEVER be repaid! If others have sinned against us, it pales in contrast, and We MUST Forgive, or we will not be Forgiven! Very Sobering Lesson Today. May God give us More Grace!