Matthew 18:21-35

The Unforgiving Servant
Book of the Bible
Matthew
Speaker
Tony Ferguson
Sermon Date

Back in in Matt 18:15-20, Jesus instructed us in the steps we are to take when someone sins against us. The aim in that passage is not to vindicate ourselves but to gain, or win the brother who has gone astray. That passage does however step through the process as if the person refuses to repent. 

Here in this passage however, Jesus teaches us what we are supposed to do when a person does repent. The follower of Christ now has responsibility before God to forgive their brother. Jesus shows us in this parable that it is wickedness before God when we as Christians who have been forgiven such an unpayable debt, turn around and exact justice from those who have sinned against us. Christianity is founded upon God's forgiveness, and we as Christians are supposed to follow God's example in forgiveness.

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 
- Colossians 3:12-13

Description of the book of Matthew

As you come to the New Testament the first three books you encounter (Matthew, Mark and Luke) are referred to as the "synoptic" gospels. They are called the "synoptic" gospels because for the most part, they have a "similar view" of the life and ministry of Jesus. Though they account for much of the same narrative regarding the life and ministry of Jesus, they are not identical, nor are they intended to be. They assemble the accounts in different contexts, and contain different amounts of detail, but they are all important. God always seeks to establish a matter on the testimony of 2 or 3 witnesses, so having these 3 synoptic gospels about the life an ministry of the Son of God is in no way redundant.

Matthew’s gospel communicates to us the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus in the fulfillment of the Old Testament Scriptures. From His lineage, to His birth, to His miraculous ministry, to His teachings, to His crucifixion, Matthew will time and time again point out that these things happened “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet…”.