The Cecil Whig., 1910-07-30
Sabbath School
NOTES BY r. S. HOLMES.
Lesson V Iuiv IL. IQIo

(Matt. IS: 2I-3s)
Golden Text: If ye forgive men
their trespasses, your heavenly Father
will also forgive you" Matt. 6: "a.
THE LESSON.
Some hing has stirred Peter con-
cerning the matter OF forgiveness.
VS.. 81. teter went to his Master
with an honest question. seven was
the number OF perfection and complete
ness. No doubt Peter was giving eX-
preston to prevalent idea. 10 for
give the same man seven times would
be, even in these times, mark, an
exhibition OF great, OF unusual for
bearance. so Peter goes asking ior
the law as viewed by Jesus. He went
to the right source. whoever seeks
guidance OF God seeks wisely. Who
ever seeks Wisely now in the recorded
life and teachings OF Christ socks
wisely
Note too. Peter, without doubt,
had the forgivng spirit. Perhaps the
disciples had discussed the matter
among themselves. The question re-
ceived great answer.
vs. 22. Jesus answered as usual in
way not to be misunderstood. Do
not think this is a pattern-setting an
swer Seventy times seven is the per-
feet number tenfolded, and then multi
piled into itself The meaning is. for
give the offender indefinitely"
Seventy times seven is iour hun
dred and ninety, and no man would
sin against another as man" times as
that What picture that is OF the for
giving grace oi God. No limit to the
divine mercy Teach that
Now comes one OF the greatest of
all the parablcs, Be sure to grasp its
meaning. God knows no limit in for
giving except the lint set by men in
their dealing with each other.
VS.. 20. The Kingdom of heaven
is l;kened, etc That is the method
OF the Kingdom of Heaven The
kingdom is not king; but the method
in the kingdom is that made by the
king in his acts. This king would
take account of his servants" This
does not mean would number them to
see how many there were. 1t means
the king would have reckoning with
each one. or as we often say. IAN ac
counting"
VS.. "a The accounting began One
after another made his settlement, un-
til at last one was brouqht who could
not settle His debt was too great
1t is not worth while to snend time
reckoning how much in our modern
money ten thousand talents would be
The sum was very large, and the deb
tor could not pay He was hard
case, as he soon found Those were
hard times for the bankrupt debtor.
vs.. Is His lord seems severe, but
that was law. Slavery for mn, wo-
man, child servants. and confiscation
OF everything he had. The command
was harsh. but there was no escape
The law sustained it. Justice demand
ed it. How all that has changed as
the centuries have flown, and the
power that has wrought the change
is the Gospel of Christ This privi-
legeoi having chance to repair losses
is an outcome Of Christianity
vs.. 20, Then the poor wretch beg
ged, No wonder, would have done
the same So would YOU. Slavery
was ruin. He should have SO lived as
not /" bring h mseli into such case
But he hal not, and he was caught
lie prayed now. He promised, too
;ioM could he h rpc to earn So vast a
sum: Prayers are easy when i'll
trouble Promises cost little. But
talents, ten thousand talents mean la
Dor and pain
vs.. p. The prayers and tears
counted more than he promises. This
king had soft heart He doubtless
knew the deltr cuu'd never paw
Compassion took the place OF Justice
fle was a king He could afford to
lose that sum So he gave orders
Loose the prisoner Let him go.
will cancel the debt
That must have been a happy mo-
mcnt to the debtor and his vile and
children. How grateful such man
would be. How full of mercy for
Others h would be.
vs.. 2S Now learn what sort OF man
this debtor really was "He went ont,
found one Of his fellow servants which
owed him. ETC.
v hat an exhibition he made OF hui
man nature Had lie rlpht to de-
mand payment? OF course. For wha,
did he want the hundred n,ntc: H.s
lord had cancelled his debt
That is the cry oi the world. Pay
me. Pay me There is little mercy
i'll the business world But every last
one "t us wants God to be merciiul
vs.. 20. just hear the icllow-ser-
Want prayer. 1t Was exactly the same
that this big debtor had made 1t
should have made him think. but it lid
not For see what he did.
rs 50. lie east HIM into prison"
hat wa, not as bad as selling him for
slave. But it made the poor fellow
servant unable to pay what he owed.
Prison is no mill in which to make
money 1t meant the wife and child
zen must toll until the hundred pence
Were paid
Jesus may have known OF some such
case. lhc story was iul OF lessons,
however, that might have been The
complete knowledge Jesus had OF a
human heart is shown There moth
Tng nobler, nothing meaner than a
human heart. How strange tnat is.
vs.. 81 Then the other servants
went and tod the kino. OF course.
he ten thousand taicntS man should
have known they would do thai! That,
too. was human nature. The king was
sure to hear it Everything gets heard
aitcrwh c And when YOU come to