Psalm 103:8-13 / Matthew 18:21-35

This Sunday, as we read Matthew 18:21-35, we hear more instruction from Jesus for the church. In this case, it’s the church’s obligation to reflect God’s grace, mercy, and kindness in relationships among members.

Consider Peter’s opening question in Matthew 18:21. Have you ever wondered what your responsibility is to other church members when they do or say something that hurts you? Are we to ignore such things? Retaliate? Tell the pastor? And what is a fair requirement of someone who hurts us?

Jesus then tells a parable with a very harrowing ending, to the point that we are sternly warned not to be vindictive or excessive in responding to someone who hurts us, but to be compassionate.

What do you think of the king’s decision, in Matthew 18:27, completely to forgive? What do you think the relationship between the king and the forgiven slave would be like going forward?

What do you think would have happened if the slave had responded to “his fellow slave” (v. 29) the way the king responded to him?

Does it seem realistic to you to seek reconciliation not through “forgive and forget” but through “forgive and reconcile”?