The Power of Forgiveness · Day 1
Matthew 18:21-35 — a devotion
Matthew 18
- 21그 때에 베드로가 나아와 가로되 주여 형제가 내게 죄를 범하면 몇 번이나 용서하여 주리이까 일곱 번까지 하오리이까Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?”
- 22예수께서 가라사대 네게 이르노니 일곱 번뿐 아니라 일흔 번씩 일곱 번이라도 할지니라Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.Jesus said to him, “I don’t tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven.
- 23이러므로 천국은 그 종들과 회계하려 하던 어떤 임금과 같으니Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
- 24회계할 때에 일만 달란트 빚진 자 하나를 데려오매And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.When he had begun to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.
- 25갚을 것이 없는지라 주인이 명하여 그 몸과 처와 자식들과 모든 소유를 다 팔아 갚게 하라 한대But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.But because he couldn’t pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife, his children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
- 26그 종이 엎드리어 절하며 가로되 내게 참으소서 다 갚으리이다 하거늘The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.The servant therefore fell down and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all!’
- 27그 종의 주인이 불쌍히 여겨 놓아 보내며 그 빚을 탕감하여 주었더니Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.The lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him and forgave him the debt.
- 28그 종이 나가서 제게 백 데나리온 빚진 동관 하나를 만나 붙들어 목을 잡고 가로되 빚을 갚으라 하매But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.“But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him one hundred denarii, and he grabbed him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’
- 29그 동관이 엎드리어 간구하여 가로되 나를 참아 주소서 갚으리이다 하되And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.“So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay you!’
- 30허락하지 아니하고 이에 가서 저가 빚을 갚도록 옥에 가두거늘And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.He would not, but went and cast him into prison until he should pay back that which was due.
- 31그 동관들이 그것을 보고 심히 민망하여 주인에게 가서 그 일을 다 고하니So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told their lord all that was done.
- 32이에 주인이 저를 불러다가 말하되 악한 종아 네가 빌기에 내가 네 빚을 전부 탕감하여 주었거늘Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:Then his lord called him in and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.
- 33내가 너를 불쌍히 여김과 같이 너도 네 동관을 불쌍히 여김이 마땅치 아니하냐 하고Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?’
- 34주인이 노하여 그 빚을 다 갚도록 저를 옥졸들에게 붙이니라And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors until he should pay all that was due to him.
- 35너희가 각각 중심으로 형제를 용서하지 아니하면 내 천부께서도 너희에게 이와 같이 하시리라So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don’t each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds.”
KJV and World English Bible — Public Domain · 개역한글 ⓒ Korean Bible Society
Background
The Gospel of Matthew was written by the apostle Matthew for a community of Jewish Christians. Chapter 18 in particular is often called the 'community discourse,' a chapter devoted to how believers are meant to relate to one another within the community of faith. Looking at the flow of the whole chapter, it begins with the question of who is the greatest, moves through becoming lowly like a child, not causing others to stumble, and the parable of the lost sheep, and then arrives at this parable about forgiveness. The parable begins with Peter's question about how many times he should forgive, and Jesus calls for an unlimited forgiveness that goes far beyond the traditional teaching of Judaism at the time. The parable of the unforgiving servant unpacks this teaching in a concrete story, powerfully showing how fundamental a virtue forgiveness is within the community.
Reflection questions: 1. When I recall my experience of being forgiven by God, how great does that forgiveness feel to me? 2. If there is someone I have not been able to forgive, what is the hardest part of that relationship? 3. Is there a concrete step I could take this week to move forward through forgiveness?
Today's reflection
In this passage, Peter asks Jesus about the limits of forgiveness. The Jewish rabbis of the day taught that forgiving the same offense three times was enough, so Peter's suggestion of 'seven times' was actually quite generous. But Jesus answers, 'seventy times seven,' teaching that forgiveness should have no limit. The parable of the unforgiving servant that follows brings this teaching vividly to life.
A servant who has been forgiven an astronomical debt of ten thousand talents by the king refuses to forgive a fellow servant who owes him a comparatively small sum of a hundred denarii. Ten thousand talents was roughly two hundred thousand years' wages for a laborer at the time — a debt that could never be repaid. Theologically, this parable shows the proportion between God's forgiveness and ours. When we truly grasp the magnitude of the forgiveness we have received from God, forgiving others becomes not a duty but a natural response to grace.
Simply put, because the grace God has shown us is so great, we are meant to become channels through which that grace flows on to others. We forgive not because the other person deserves it, but because we ourselves have first been forgiven so much. If someone you find hard to forgive comes to mind right now, first remember how greatly God has forgiven you. Before the magnitude of that grace, our hearts can open, one small step at a time.
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