The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-07-03
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LII DUNUA ( DUL1UUI1
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR JULY 8.

xviii, 21-35--Golden Text, Matt. Vi, ~
Memory Verses, ~, 22--Tople: Eoa-
giving One Another-C Commentary.
/. Christs teaching concerning for
giveness Tvs. p, 22). 81. "Came Peter.
Peter always made himself very prom
inent. His question was suggested by
Christ's words concerning offenses
against others Matt 1876, q. How
oft" Peter perceives that law OF
tenderer dealing is to prevail in the
church than exists in the synagogue.
And forgive" He knew it was his
duty to forgive, but the question was
how often. IT'LL seven times" Peter
uses the term seven in strictly literal
sense. The teaching of the rabbis was
never to forgive more than three times.
%. Until seventy times seven." 1t
is doubtful whether the original means
four hundred and ninety or seventy
seven tseventy times seven, or seven
ty times and seyen,'' as in margin of
Revised Version. But in either case itA
is symbolical expression for neyer-y
ending forgiveness.
II. Our duty illustrated and enforced
(vs 1920. %. "Kingdom Of Heaven
iikened." The teachings Of Christ with
respect to forgiveness are fully illus
trated in the parable which follows. 1t
shows, /. The character of mans rela- !.
ton to God. 2. The real meaning on K
mans part of a distinct refusal to for
give. "ESingn The king represents
God Would make reckoning r.
v. The picture is drawn from ali ORR
entail court The 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 Servants" Those to
whom God has committed great trusts
and opportunities.
"a. Ten thousand talents" An
enormous sum. The amount cannot be
reckoned definitely 1t has been esti-
mated all the way from zine to twenty
millions of dollars %. Had not to
pay" Our debt to God is so great that
we are utterly. incapable of making
Him any satisfaction whatever. Com
manded him to be sold" An allusion
to the Law of Moses. See Exod. 22:3;
Lev. $3.50, At; 2 Kings Al Creditors
had power to sell insoIvent debtors I'M
several countries of Europe, as well as
in Asia, in ancient times. We thus see
by this parable what our sins deserve.
Captives to sins are captives to wrath.
And payment to be made" The
adequate to cancel the debt, but as
large payment was to be made as
possible.
&C. "Will pay thee ALL" The debt Is
admitted and he comes pleading for
mercy. The means which a sinner
should use to be saved are, /. Deep
humiliation Of heart, 2. Feryent
prayer. 3. Confidence in the mercy Of
God. f. A firm purpose to devote hiSSx
soul and body to his Maker.
81. "Forgave him the debt" We
are debts of our heavenly King. But,
if we cast ourselves at His feet, He is
ready in infinite compassion not only
to release us from punishment, bat toy
forgive us the debt
III. The doom of the unforgiving Tvs.
2S-35). %. "An hundred pence"I
About fifteen or sixteen dollars. About
one millionth part of the debt this I'M,
merciful servant had owed the king
"Took him By the throat" Thus mani
Testing most unkind and base DISPOSE
ton 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 numberless sins against God. Pay
me that thou owest" He was un-
willing even to forgive him single,
dollar. He must pay N full and pay at
once We must be very careful ana
not show this same disposition in our,
treatment of others. g. Fell down
at his feet" His feIlow-seryant hum
bled himself and plead for mercy as he
himself had done just before this.
3d. "And he would not" Such a
man; so harsh and hard against those
- h Sc oIc To-
norance 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
Christians, and to the spirit Of the Gos4
pei, that through the concern they felE
for the prosperity Of the cause Of
Christ they are obliged to speak
against it 80. Thou wicked servant"
Unmercifuiness is great wickedness.
To the unmerciful, God will have no
mercy; this is an eternal purpose Of the
Lord which can never be changed.S
Jesus said, "If We forgive not men their
trespasseS neither will your Father
forgive your trespasses" Matt GID.
49, Even as / had pity on thee"
The servant is here shown the obliga-
ton he is under to his fellow-seryant,
because of the mercy that had been
shown him. 1t is justly expected that
those who have received mercy shall
show mercy.
"a. Delivered him to the torment
ers." The person who does not have
forgiving spirit will be tormented,
both in this world and in the world to
come. A guilty conscience, the fear of
the judgment day and the fires of Gods
wrath Rey. 20:15) will, in turn, act
as tormenters "All that was due"
And inasmuch as the amount was so
great that he could never pay il. he
must have been delivered over to the
tormenters forever The wicked will be
banished eternally from the presence
of God
IS. $50 likewise" This verse is an
application of the whole parable. The.
parable is not intended to teach us that7
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 trespassest
have never yet truly repented, and
that which is spoken Of as having BEEN
taken away is only what they seemed =
~ - 1r-oco T11Eo C.72