After listening to the Lord’s word about the kingdom life, Peter asked Him a question: “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Until seven times?” (v. 21). Peter did not ask this on behalf of others; rather, being quick and bold, he asked it according to what was in him. Those who are quick often offend others. The more active, quick, and bold we are, the more we offend others. But those who are cautious and slow rarely offend anyone. Why was it not John who asked this question? It was Peter who was concerned about the Lord’s word regarding the offending brother. Because Peter often offended others, he was very concerned and asked the Lord about forgiveness.
Verse 22 says, “Jesus says to him, I do not say to you until seven times, but until seventy times seven.” Seventy times seven means that we must forgive others an unlimited number of times. There is no need to count or keep a record of the number of times you forgive others. Over and over and over, you need to forgive them.
In verses 23 through 35 the Lord gives a parable as an illustration. Verses 23 and 24 say, “Therefore, the kingdom of the heavens is likened to a man, a king, who desired to settle accounts with his slaves. And when he began to settle them, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.” According to the context of this parable, the settling of accounts here refers to the Lord’s dealing with us in this age through such things as severe illness or certain extreme hardships which cause us to realize how much we owe the Lord and to beg Him to forgive us. According to verse 24, one slave owed him ten thousand talents, that is, about twelve million dollars. It was impossible for the debtor to pay off this debt. This refers to the heavy debt of our failures accumulated after we were saved.
After the slave begged the king to be patient with him until he repaid the debt, “the lord of that slave was moved with compassion and released him and forgave him the loan” (v. 27). This refers to the forgiveness of our debts in our defeated Christian life for the restoration of our fellowship with the Lord.
Verse 28 says, “But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii, and he seized him and took him by the throat, saying, Pay, if you owe anything.” This definitely refers to things that take place in this age. The hundred denarii spoken of in this verse is less than a millionth part of ten thousand talents. This refers to a brother’s sin against us after we have been saved. How small is any brother’s debt to us compared to our debt to the Lord!
Nevertheless, we may not be willing to forgive. Verses 29 and 30 say, “His fellow slave therefore fell down and entreated him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will repay you. And he would not, but went away and threw him into prison until he should pay what was owed.” The offended brother, the one not willing to forgive others, was certainly saved. Thus, in this parable the Lord is dealing not with sinners, but with believers, with saved ones. He deals with a brother who has been offended, yet who is not willing to forgive.