📖 Matthew 18:21–35 (KJV)
“Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
But 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.
The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
But 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.
And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
Then 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:
Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”
Forgiveness Is Not Optional
When Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive his brother, he probably thought he was being generous by suggesting seven times. But Jesus’ response shocked him: “Not seven times, but seventy times seven.”
That was not a literal number to be counted, but a picture of limitless forgiveness. Why? Because forgiveness is the very heartbeat of the Kingdom of God.
The Weight of Our Own Debt
In the parable, the first servant owed his master ten thousand talents — a debt so large it was impossible to repay in a lifetime. That is a picture of our sin before God. Every lie, every disobedience, every wrong thought was an unpayable debt. Yet in Christ, God forgave us completely.
Ephesians 4:32 reminds us:
“And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
The Danger of Holding Grudges
The tragedy in the parable is that the forgiven servant could not extend the same mercy to his fellow servant who owed him only a hundred pence — a debt small compared to his own. Instead, he grabbed him by the throat and threw him into prison.
That is what unforgiveness does: it imprisons others and torments us in return. Notice how the master, upon hearing this, delivered the unforgiving servant to the tormentors. Unforgiveness is dangerous — it opens the door to bitterness, anger, and spiritual torment.
Hebrews 12:15 warns us:
“Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.”
Forgiveness Is Freedom
To forgive does not mean you approve of the wrong done to you. It means you release the person from your judgment and hand them over to God, who is the Righteous Judge. It means you choose freedom over chains.
Unforgiveness is drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. Forgiveness is dropping the weight and choosing peace.
Jesus taught us to pray daily: “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” (Matthew 6:12). That means our relationship with God is tied to how we handle forgiveness.
A Call to Action
• Is there someone you are still holding in the prison of unforgiveness?
• Is there a wound you’ve refused to release?
• Are you rehearsing the pain instead of releasing it to God?
Today, let go. Forgive. Not in your own strength, but by the help of the Holy Spirit. Remember: you have been forgiven much; therefore, forgive much.
A Closing Prayer
🙏 Heavenly Father, thank You for forgiving me an unpayable debt through the blood of Jesus. I confess that I have sometimes struggled with unforgiveness. Today, I choose to release every person who has hurt or offended me. Heal my heart, remove bitterness, and fill me with Your love. Help me to forgive as You have forgiven me, freely and fully. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
✨ Forgiveness is not weakness; it is strength. It is not forgetting, but choosing to remember the cross above the offense. Unforgiveness is a serious matter with God — but so is forgiveness. Walk in freedom today.
The Message Bearer, Cornelius Bella
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