THE GREAT GOSPEL OF JOHN
VOLUME 5
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
The Lord in the house of Simon Peter. Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 18
- Chapter 249 -
The parable of the wicked servant. Gospel of Matthew 18:23-35.
1
(The Lord) "But in order to represent to you the kingdom of heaven in its most correct relationships even more visibly, I will describe it to you in a corresponding parable. For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a certain king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. (Matt. 18:23) And when he had begun to settle them, there was brought to him one who owed him ten thousand talents. (Matt. 18:24) But since this slave and servant of the king did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded the lazy servant to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made of what the slave and servant owed him. (Matt. 18:25)
2
Since the servant saw that he now was sold along with all that was his as a slave, he fell on his face before the still present king and prayed to him fully by saying in tears: Oh, you great, most powerful king and lord, have just a little patience with me! Prevent the sale, let me free for just a little time, and I will strive with all possibility to repay to you the whole debt! (Matt. 18:26) When the king heard that, he heart was softened. He felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt. (Matt. 18:27)
3
But soon after, this servant went out into the city of the king, where he had some things to do and to order here and there. And behold, it happened that he met one of his fellow servants, who recently owed him a casual hundred denarii! But when the fellow servant saw him, he asked him for just a short forbearance, and he would pay back the debt. But our servant so highly spared by the king did not listen to him, but instead grabbed him with all anger, choked him and shouted: Pay back what you owe me immediately; for I have waited long enough for you, and my patience is now fully at an end! (Matt. 18:28)
4
So his fellow servant fell down and entreated him with tears: Have just a little patience with me and I will pay you everything! (Matt. 18:29) But the servant and serf of the king did not want to know anything more about any patience, but instead had the poor fellow servant seized by the executioners and thrown into prison until the whole debt had been paid out of his confiscated income. (Matt. 18:30)
5
But when the other fellow servants learnt this and saw, they became very grieved and full of anger about such an uncompassionate servant of the king, went over and brought everything that had happened before his ears. (Matt. 18:31)
6
When the king heard this, he immediately demanded the uncompassionate servant to come before him and spoke to him with an angry face: Listen, you wicked servant! Did I not forgive you all that debt because you entreated me? (Matt. 18:32) Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, even as I had mercy on you? (Matt. 18:33)
7
Then the servant became mute with fear and terror, since he saw how good and just the king was, and he uses to strictly chastise the any evil-doer of his mercy and love. At this the king became very angry and handed the uncompassionate man over to the just as uncompassionate torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. (Matt. 18:34)
8
And behold, likewise My heavenly Father shall do to you too, if each of you does not forgive fully from his heart his brother's sins and mistakes. (Matt. 18:35) And that is what the actual kingdom of heaven consists of in great and in small detail, that there among the blessed ones there is nowhere any enmity or envy or even hate, but instead it must be the greatest harmony, the greatest agreement and the greatest mutual love.
9
Therefore it is not necessary that any protective law court exists on this world, which has the right to determine between the offender and the offended, but instead your only valid protective law court from Me is your good and peaceful heart, and you will come clear very well and with the least expense and judgmental legal fees with this law, and the sinner against you will become rather your friend of truth, than if he had been forced to it by a sentence "And now tell Me whether you have understood all that so correctly form its foundations!"