Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1898-04-20
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON IV.-APRIL "a MATT.
TO-: 2I-35- FORGIVENESS.
Golden Text: Forgive and Ye Shall
BE FOrgivcn"-Luke q: 3J-Principle
Enforced by "A Parable in Three Scenes
Historical Setting.

! he fOrSiNen'- d !: 3J-Princlpie
| Enforced by "a Parable in Three Scenes
| Historical Setting.
The section includes chap. IS: 7-35. and a
| view of all the instruction of Christ con-
| corning forgiveness. Place In the life of
| Christ-The last part of the third year
| OF his ministry. near the close OF the great
| Galilee ministry. Time-Autumn OF A. d.
| 20. After the Feast OF Tabernacles, which
| that year occurred October 1l.--Andrews.
| Others place it just before that feast.
Place-Capernaum. near the Sea of Cali
| lee. Jesus nearly SO years old, Ave months
before his crucifixion.
q. Then came Peter to him. In the
previous portions of this discourse Jesus
had referred to offenses which led others
to sin, and had been teaching the disci-
pies what to do when others trespassed
against them. The duty seemed to lie on
Peters mind one difficult TO perform,
and differing from the prevailing opinions
of the day. Hence Peter asked the ques-
ton that follows, In order to gain more
light How oft shall my brother sin
against me. and forgive him. He fore
sees that his brother would probably re-
peat his offense. And IL forgiving him
failed to cure him of his sin, how long
should he continue to apply the same REM
edy that failed again and again. tilf
seven times?" rs seven times SUFFICIENT
To do that seemed great stretch OF vir-
tue, far beyond that of the Rabbis. who
said. Forgive a first offense. forgive a.
second. third, punish the fourth. Prof.
Marcus Dods Compare Amos 2: ana
Job 80: 20 (Margin), from which the rule
was derived.
%. II say not unto thee, Until seven
times: but, Until seventy times seven
ut is doubtful whether the original means
$50 or II (seventy times seven. or seventy
times and seven as In margin OF II. W.
But in either case 1t is a symbolical ex-
preston for never-ending forgiveness.
Love is not to be limited by the multi
plication table"-Schaff. forgiveness is
qualitative, not quantitative.
g. Therefore," In order that thereby
we may learn the duty of absolute, not
limited. forgveness.-Ede "A GER
tain king" Lit, "a man. king. "a man
king that is human king. when
would take account Of" Better, as II. ".
make a reckoning with Ibis servants.
his officers, as governors, or mobiles VINO
were farmers of taxes. THE picture Is
drawn from an Oriental court. The pro-
vincial governors, farmers of taxes, and
other high officials are summoned before
despotic sovereign to give an account OF
their tration."-Cambridge Bible,
"a "One was brought unto him." I'm
willingly such a debtor could not come
of his own accord. Which owed him ten
thousand talents" A talent was weight.
not coin. Hence a talent of gold would
naturally be worth about sixteen times as
much as talent of silver. According to
The illustrated Bible Treasury (Nelson's).
and the oxford Helps, a Hebrew silver
talent was worth 5000 shekels or 1900
denarii (the pence of v. 2S). The 10000
talents would, therefore, be worth 49,,
100000 $4,000 600. a sum impossible to
pay. Greek talent would be about half
as much.
%. "As he had not to pay" Having
wasted his money in luxurious living. His
lord commanded him to be Sold" etc. 1t
is still common in Oriental countries to
infiict all this upon man OF the highest
station.-Broadus. In Palestine at the
present day 1.-THE laws which control debt
ors and creditors are arbitrary In the ex-
IRENE. Creditors show little or no mercy.
and debtors are thrust into prison or
stripped of all they possess. The great
er percentage of the inhabitants of the
towns are likewise heavily in debt, and
there |; no prospect and no hope of pay
ment."-Hon. Selah Merrill, in Sunday
School Times.
%. "Worshipped him." Did him rever-
ence by prostrating himself in the atti-
tude of worship.
"a. "Loosed him released him), and for
gave him the debt" There was no other
way of deliverance.
his kings presence. He could not COM
NIT the outrage which follows in the
presence of his benefactor. He must first
forget him. And found one OF his fellow
servants" An inferior officer. Owed
him q hundred pence" ''Shllings" or
francs" would give us a better idea OF
the sum than pence. The silver penny.
worth about the same as denarius the
penny OF the Bible. was the common
coin among the Anglo-Saxons, and was in
use. in reduced weight. at the time our
Bible was translated. Copper pennies
were not coined till 1877.
20. Fell down at his feet will
pay thee ALL The very act and words
which he himself had so lately uttered
And this fellow-servant could pay i'm time.
for II was only about three months wages
that he owed, while he himself could new
er have paid his debt.
30. And he would not: but went (went
away and cast him into prison." He had
many reasons in his own mind, as %
that the man deserved the punishment:
% 1t was his own fault that he was in
debt; CD 1t was not good for the com
munity that such men go unpublished
But not one OF these did he want an
piled to himself
81. His fellow servants" The scene
changes again. The other servants felt
great pity for the unfortunate man. "and
told unto their lord" who they were sure
would listen, since he had been so COM
passionate toward the first debtor. They
were not revengeful, but grieved and dis
appointed at the oppression of the needy.
o Lord. how long shall the wicked
trimph?"
81. 20 thou wicked servant" etc. His
heart must have been very hard and
cruel. The mercy of his king could not
soften it, He had sought forgiveness
from fear of loss, not because he was
sorry for his wrong doing. The sufferings
OF others did not move him.
"a. And his lord was wroth." Angry.
indignant. and justly So at such miscon-
duct Delivered him to the tormentors'
Not simply 'jailers'' but those who
(among the ancient Romans) sought by
legal fortunes to find out whether the
debtor had any concealed hoard -SchaY.
"a. "All that was due" The Lord really
forgave the great sinner his debts. but
he did not receive the forgiveness: he
did not accept of the release. The debt
of sin differs from debt of money. I'm
that the money account can be blotted out
whether the debtor wills il or not: but the
debt OF sin cannot be paid. and necessar-
lily holds against the sinner. till he re-
pents and accepts the forgiveness by hat
Ing sin and loving the good.
So. so likewise shall my heavenly
Father do also unto you. IL We from your
hearts Not merely I'm form aud In