得蒙寬恕，卻不肯寬恕別人
馬太福音十八章21至35節
21那時，彼得進前來，對耶穌說：“主啊，我弟兄得罪我，我當饒恕他幾次呢？到七次可以嗎？”
22耶穌說：“我對你說：不是到七次，乃是到七十個七次。
23天國好像一個王要和他僕人算賬。
24才算的時候，有人帶了一個欠一千萬銀子的來。
25因為他沒有甚麼償還之物，主人吩咐把他和他妻子兒女，並一切所有的都賣了償還。
26那僕人就俯伏拜他，說：‘主啊，寬容我！將來我都要還清。’
27那僕人的主人就動了慈心，把他釋放了，並且免了他的債。
28那僕人出來，遇見他的一個同伴欠他十兩銀子，便揪著他，掐住他的喉嚨，說：‘你把所欠的還我！’
29他的同伴就俯伏央求他說：‘寬容我吧！將來我必還清。’
30他不肯，竟去把他下在監裡，等他還了所欠的債。
31眾同伴看見他所做的事，就甚憂愁，去把這事都告訴了主人。
32於是，主人叫了他來，對他說：‘你這惡奴才！你央求我，我就把你所欠的都免了。
33你不應當憐恤你的同伴，像我憐恤你嗎？’
34主人就大怒，把他交給掌刑的，等他還清了所欠的債。
35你們各人若不從心裡饒恕你的弟兄，我天父也要這樣待你們了。”
信息分享
彼得提出這個問題，是因為他與弟兄產生了不和。我們只知道他有一個弟弟名叫安得烈，是他帶領彼得認識基督。或許彼得是跟鄰舍產生不和？
基督用了這個意味深長的故事來回答彼得的問題。這裡所講的「僕人」可以解作高級官員。這官員為何欠下巨債，我們不得而知。債項的數目相當於今天的數百萬元。
他當然不能在短期內還清債務。王體恤他的境況，非常慷慨地免除他的債務。他雖然不配得王的赦免，但王恩浩大，他現在債務全免，輕鬆做人。
然而，他後來卻因朋友欠他幾十塊錢，沒有能力立刻償還，便將朋友拉到官府，下到監中。他剛剛蒙王的赦免，免除一筆巨債，可是，他卻沒有將這種恩情銘記心中，學習並效法王那種寬宏大量的精神。
王終於知道他是一個不肯寬恕和吝嗇小器的人，一怒之下，將他投入監中，恐怕他要在監中度過餘生了。
基督講這個故事是要提出甚麼教訓呢？就是我們若要得著神的饒恕，就必須饒恕別人；反之，我們如果不肯寬恕別人，必得不到神的寬恕。一顆懷恨的心，又怎能與神親密相交，體會神對我們的白白赦免呢？
我們所欠的罪債，我們根本無力償還；但基督已為我們償清巨債，以致我們得著神的赦免。神要我們寬恕別人，是否要求太高呢？以弗所書四章32節是一個命令：「要彼此饒恕，正如神在基督裡饒恕了你們一樣。」
有沒有人是你未曾饒恕的呢？為何不今天就求神幫助你饒恕呢？
FORGIVEN BUT UNFORGIVING
Matthew 18:21-35
21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
24 And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.
25 But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made.
26 The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’
27 Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
28 “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’
29 So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’
30 And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.
31 So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done.
32 Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.
33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’
34 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.
35 “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”
Message
Peter was having trouble with his brother. We only know of Andrew, the brother who brought Peter to Christ. Or does the question include perhaps a neighbour?
Christ answered Peter's question with this remarkable story. The word servant here can mean a highly placed official. But however did this officer run up such a huge debt? The equivalent today would be millions of dollars.
He certainly could not pay that amount immediately. But when the king saw his position he cancelled the whole enormous debt.
What a wonderfully generous act. Now he was debt free. He did not deserve that.
But what did he do in turn? He threw a man into prison who owed him only a few dollars! He had just been forgiven an incredible amount of money. But he himself couldn't pass on that kind of generosity.
His meanness, his unforgiving spirit were found out by the king. The officer spent possibly the rest of his life in jail as a result.
How did Christ use this story? His application was one which he often taught - a man must forgive in order to be forgiven. We cannot earn God's forgiveness but while an unforgiving spirit remains in our hearts we cannot truly know the fullness of fellowship with God.
We have been forgiven a debt which we could never pay but which Christ paid for us. Is it too much for God to ask us to show forgiveness to others? Ephesians 4:32 is a command. 'Forgive each other just as in Christ God forgave you.'
Is there someone you should forgive? Why not do it today?