This coming Sunday we will consider another one of our Lord’s parables that is recorded in Matthew. This parable is discovered in 18:23-35, and is typically referred to as ‘The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant.’ It is one of the more well-known of Jesus’ parables. The subject of this moving story is forgiveness, and forgiveness on a scale that overwhelmingly exceeds all normal expectations.

Like all of the parables of our Lord, it is critical to see this one within its context, or setting. The wider setting for this story is revealed in verse 15 where Jesus teaches how His disciples are to deal with relational sins and offenses: “If your brother sins against you. . . .” Then, the immediate context is discovered in Peter’s question to Jesus in verse 21 about this matter of forgiving personal offenses: “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”

In answer to this question, Jesus provides the parable that we find in verses 23-35. And be careful to note that once again, Jesus is comparing the eternal “kingdom of heaven” to something earthly. This time it is like “a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.”