The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-08-11
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON.
Aug. IL, 10OO-Matthew xviii, 21-35-
The Forgiving Spirit.

The parable of the king taking account OF his
servants was a transcript from current history.
All the rulers of Palestine were the servants of
the Emperor. They were likely TO be summoned
any instant and made to give account of their
gubernatorial deeds and revenues. From such a
plane Jesus lifts the thought of His disciples 10
the plane where God is King. 1t pleases Him
to bring His creatures into an accounting with
himself. 1t is evidently not a last judgment
that is pictured: for the unmerciful servant Is
set loose and given another test In this parable
Jesus portrays a species OF preliminary trial
which reveals the soul TO itself. The effect of
this ante-judgment is to reveal TO the sinner his
Insolvency. He is ten thousand talents in debt.
These figures simply illustrate the 'immensity
of our liability 10 Gods account" We cannot
pay a mite out Of a talent. In view of his in
vincible bankruptcy. there is nothing for the
sinner to do but to sue for mercy. One of the
most consolatory strokes In the parable is this:
The Lord was moved with compassion. and
forgave him the debt" . . . This parable is
an expansion. in a popular and attractive form.
of the truth stated concretely in answer TO
Peters question: Lord, how oft shall my
brother sin against me, and 1 forgive him? Till
seven times?' The remainder OF the parable
shows the incongruousness of the forgiven sinner
showing an unforgiving spirit toward his fellow.
By the very incredibility of the supposed case.
Jesus shows that the unforgiving spirit is in
compatible with discipleship. The servant who
had been forgiven a debt Of SIS. 000,0 900 finds a
feliow-servant who owes him SIS. He does not
follow the example of his king. On the contrary,
no seizes his debtor, and demands the last
f%arthing. On hearing of this deed the king is
wroth, and cancels his own forgiveness. . .
This is Jesus answer to Peters question:: How
oft shall / forgiven Peter had made an advance
upon the Talmud and rabbis, They taught the
duty of forCiveneSS tn the third OffeUSe. bat
after that allowed anger. resentment and re-
venge. Peter more than doubled the rabbinic
allowance. He proposes to forgive seven times.
Will not the sacred number suffice? But Jesus
laconic and decisive answer is, Seventy times
seven" that Is, practically without ceasing. A
definite number is put for an indefinite one. In
this multiplication of the perfect number by its
multiple. Jesus practically says, Throw away
the multiplication table when you come to the
matter Of forgiveness
MOSAIC FROM COMMENTARIES.
"How often?' Question arose from sense of
superabounding divine grace portrayed in pre-
vious discourse.-BengaL. . It'll seven
times Peter thought he had measured out a
very large charity-more than twice that pre-
soribed by the . .
''70X7:" That is, as often as there is occasion
Wesley. A forgiveness that will not weary
Bengal. Not a record kept for years until 490
tAhA0o aAo 1AAAbNAt "a A1t Atl NC iO Oll4Dt
ing at all.-Stier. Charity is a boundless and
eternal debt.-Quesnel. Nothing is more diff
cult than forgiveness; for man is naturally vim
dictive.-Clarke. . = Take account of his
servants:' Not the final reckoning. Trench. $50
Ten thousand talents:' He would have made
that ten twenty; for the secure sinner goes on
treasuring UP an ever mightier sum.-Trench.
. . Pay thee ALL" Man can pay God moth
ng.-Whedon. . . . Moved with compass
uf1..Bb Thiu L. tb. eo,,~o "a ,.s -.
| w~orld.-Clarke. "Forgave him." The
| severity of God. having brought the sinner to a
sense OF his sin, reappears Cor 1t had been only
love in disguise) as grace again.-Trench .
Found one of his fellow-servants:'' Soon after
God has shown His free grace to you, an oppor-
tunity to choose between the same mode of act
ing toward others, and the opposite will AFFORD
itself to y~ou.-Bengel. . . Took him by
the throat The climax of depravity: to be a
boggar with God and a tyrant to our brethren
Helterich. . TIL he should pay" Eff
| teen millions with nothing: that is. for ever
more.-Whedon.
II TEACHERS CULVER.
y commercial crisis, personal bereavement. OF
revival of religion may be Gods means of bring
ing us to account in advance of a last juds-
ment. 1t may be His way of breaking up the
careless security in which we rest. . . . The
great uncertainty of Bible weights and measure
Is illustrated. On the basis of the Hebrew talent,
Clarke estimates the amount as go. 600. 600 ster-
ling. more than the revenue of the British en-
pire in his day. On the basis of the Attic
talent, others figure it as low as $40, 900, 600. This
matter is curious, rather than important. how
ever. A vast sum is all that is intended to h,
indicated. . In view Of his debt. it's I'm.
credible magnitude, and the sinners invincibI.
bankruptcy. there is nothing left for him but 70
sue for mercy. The preciousness of the parable
IL that II teaches one cannot appeal in vain