The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1900-08-09
THE SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR AUGUST II.
Subject: The Forgiving Spirit, Matt.
xviii, 21-35-Go1den Text: Matt. VIZ
22-Menory Verses, FL, 22-ConInen-
tary ON the Days Lesson.

Iudue ulLlsSIl very Anu L
forgive him" He knew it was his duty
to forgive, but the question was, How =
ten? Till seven times" Peter uses =
term seven in strictly literal sense. The
teaching of the rabbis was never to forgive
more than three times. Peter increases
this until he supposed he had reached the
limit. Man is naturally vinulctIve being,
and IN consequence nothing is more dim
cult to him than forgiveness Of injuries.
y. Until seven times" This would be
wholly Inadequate. Seventy times seven"
That is, there shout. be no limit to your
forgiveness. The precept is unbounded,
and you must never be weary of 1orgiving.
%. Kingdom of heaven llkened." The
teachings of Christ with respect to for
giveness are fully illustrated in the para
bic which follows 1t shows, /. The char
acter OF mans relation to God. 2. The real
meaning, on mans part, Of distinct re-
tusal to forgive. (Which would make =
reckoning" Or. W Inc fundamental
moral principle in Gods kingdom IS right
eousness. The great King OF heaven and
earth will, one day, reckon with all Of His
subjects. Every sin is a debt contracted
with the justice of God, and soon our
Master will settle accounts with us. What
an awful time it will be when with multi
tides nothing shah be found but sin and
insolvency.
"a Ten thousand talents" An enor
nous sum. The amount cannot ne reck-
oned definitely. 1t has been estimated all
the way from ten million to three hundred
million dollars. This is an expression in
tended to indicate the infinite debt in
Cured, which could never be discharged.
p. Had not to pay" Oar debt to God
is so great that we are utterly incapable
OF making Him any satisfaction whatever.
Commanded him to be sold" An aliu-
sion to the Law Of Moses See Exod.,
22:3; Lev. %, SO, A.; > Kings Al. Cred
itors had power to sell insolvent deptors
in several countries of Europe. as well as
Asia, in ancient times. We thus see by
this parable what our sins deserve. Cap
tives to sin are captives to wrath. and
payment be made" The amount OBJ
tanned would be wholly Inadequate to can
Gel the debt, but as large a payment was
to be made as possible.
%. "Will pay thee ALL The debt is adj
mitted and he comes pleading, for mercy.
saved are, l. Deep humiliation of heart,
2. Fervent prayer g. Confidence in the
mercy of God. 4. A firm purpose to de-
vote his soul and body to his Maker.
81. "Forgave him the debt" We are
debtors of our heavenly King, who has en-
trusted to us the administration OF what
is His, and which we have purloined or
misused, mourning an unspeakable debt.
which we can never discharge, and of
which utter ruin would be the proper Sc
quence. But, if we cast ourselves at His
feet, He is ready in infinite compassion
rot only to release us from punishment,
but to forgive rs the debt.
%. "An hundred pence" About. fifteen
dollars '"rook him by the throat" Thus
manifesting a most unltind and base dis
position. The sin is greatly aggravated
when We consider his own debt, and the
mercy shown him. What are my brothers
sins against me compared to my number
less SINS against God? "Pay me what thou
owest." He was unwilling even to forgive
him single dollar; He must pay in full
and pay at once. We must be very careful
and not show this same disposition in our
treatment of others.
%. "tell down at his feet" His fellow
servant humbled himself and plead for
mercy as he himself had done just before
this
80. "And he would not" Such is man;
so harsh and hard against those who are
in every way his equals. Ignorance Of his
own condition makes him unforgiving and
cruel to others.
81. Were very sorry" An act of this
kind is so dishonorable to all true Chris
tians, and to the spirit of the, gospel, that
through the concern they. feel for the
prosperity of the cause of Christ, they are
obliged to speak against it.
80. Thou wicked servant" Unmerci-
fulness is great wickedness. 10 the unmer-
ciful, God will have no mercy; this is an
eternal purpose of the Lord which can
give not men their trespasses. neither will
never be changed. Jesus said, IF we for.
Matt 6:l5. Because they besought me"
(R. W When we really beseech Christ
for forgiveness He will answer us and
grant our pardon. No one need despair.
We have nothing to pay and nothing is
demanded. If we come in humility and
faith and in the spirit of obedience God is
always ready to hear us. But we must urge
our case luke 1918; Thess, SLY; Matt,
III, s. and continue to beseech the Lord
even when surrounded by discouragements.
33. Even as / had pity on thee" The
servant is here shown the obligation he is
under to his fe5ow-servant because of the
mercy that had been shown him. 1t is
justly expected that those who have re-
ceived mercy shall show mercy.
"a. Delivered him to the tormentors."
The person who does not have forgving
spirit win be tormented, both in this
world and in the world to come. a guilty
conscience, the fear of the judgment dav
and the fires of Gods wrath (Rev. 20:l5)
will, in turn, act as tormentors. "All that
was due" And inasmuch as the amount
was so great that he could never pay it, he
must have been delivered over to the tor
mentors forever. The wicked will be ban
ished eternally from the presence of God.
See Matt. 5;25, 90; 25:46; ev. l4:ll; Matt.
Matt. 1873.
35. so likewise" This verse ) an APP
plication of the whole parable. The para
BILE is not intended to teach us that God
reverses His pardons to any, but that He
denies them to those who are not worthy
of them. Those who have not forgiven
others their trespasses have never yet truly
repented, and that which is spoken of as
having been taken away is only what they
seemed to possess. Luke Sis. From
your hearts" When we deal with God
mere pretensons VIII not answer The
his brother viii not be calling them up
again at every provocation. Heart for
giveness is full and complete. Every one
his brother" We VIII have need to ex-
ercise the race of patience and forbear-
ance continually. Let us remember that
ito forgive is divine"