[3:1] And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what you will find. Eat this scroll and go, speak to the house of Israel.” [2] And I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat this scroll. [3] And he said to me, “Son of man, your stomach must cause [you] to eat and your belly will be satisfied with this scroll which I am giving to you.” And I surely ate, and it was sweet like honey in my mouth.
[4] And he said to me, “Son of man, go, enter among the house of Israel, and speak in my words to them. Indeed, you are being sent not to a people unfathomable of language nor difficult of tongue, [but] to the house of Israel— [6] not to numerous peoples unfathomable of language nor difficult of tongue, whose words you will not understand. Unless I had sent you to them, they would listen to you. [7] In fact, the house of Israel will not attempt to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to you. For the whole house of Israel, they are thick headed and hard hearted. [8] Behold, I have made your face just as strong as their face and your forehead just as strong as their forehead. [9] I have made your forehead like solid rock, stronger than flint. Do not fear them and don’t be dismayed at their faces, for they are a rebellious house.
God is not afraid to tell it like it is. In this and the previous passages, God is not hesitant to let Ezekiel know that he is walking into hostile territory. Verse 7, especially in the Hebrew, gives us the sense that the Israelites won’t even entertain the though of listening to Ezekiel. The reason for the Israelites’ hostility to the message is its divine authenticity. Anyone who would take a watered down message to the people of Israel would be accepted.
Note, though, that the Lord also tells Ezekiel that he will make Ezekiel’s mission possible, if not successful. Ezekiel will be able to understand the culture and language to which he is speaking. Though the Israelites will not accept his message, Ezekiel will at least know what to say and how to say it. They will oppose him, but Ezekiel won’t need to budge and shouldn’t be afraid. His strength is just as great as theirs.
The situation Ezekiel faced seems amazingly similar to what evangelists in America face. People hate to hear the truth, and most reject an unalloyed presentation of the gospel out of hand because the gospel message is exclusive and not politically correct. God knows that Ezekiel will not be successful, and he even tells Ezekiel this! This passage alone shows us that God has a purpose for evangelism that transcends the response of the hearer. His purpose may be to change our hearts.
God’s message can stick in our hearts even if it doesn’t in the hearts of unbelievers. As God’s message was satisfying and delicious to Ezekiel, it can be to us. We need to study the nature of the gospel so that we can present a true version of it. We need to pray that God will make our faces just as tough as those of our audience. We need to present this gospel and watch for the changes in our own heart, not those in the hearts of our hearers alone. Just like Ezekiel, we can step into an unbelieving world; something good will always happen when God’s truth goes forth.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Sunday, July 8, 2007
People-Pleasing as Rebellion
Ezekiel is to find out later in this book that he must bring the message of woe to the Israelites, or their blood will be on his hands. In verse six God tells Ezekiel three times not to be afraid of those to whom he will be speaking, and once not to be discouraged by their faces. The commands not to be afraid imply that God will give Ezekiel the strength to avoid fear. God acknowledges the challenges before Ezekiel, but lays out a choice before him: Ezekiel can 1) side with the rebels, or 2) side with God.
The message that God passes to Ezekiel is not a happy one, but that makes sense. God’s words to a rebellious house will always have sting to them. This scroll was so filled with woe that it had writing on the front and the back sides. Ezekiel would have plenty of material with which to attack the Israelites, and they would in turn have plenty of material to be angry about.
People-pleasing is rebellion, then. Of course, it is right to try to please people, but to be a people-pleaser rather than a God-pleaser is an act of defiance against God. God knows that people may not understand or accept our words of truth spoken in love, but as it concerns us, he doesn’t care. Our job is to speak the message God has given us, even if we know it will be unpopular. When we have a word from the Lord, we must subject ourselves to the disapproving faces of people rather than the disapproving face of God.
[2:6] And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them, and of their words do not be afraid, for [it is] thorns and briers with you and you are dwelling among scorpions. Do not be afraid of their words, and do not be dismayed from their faces, for they [are] a house of rebellion. [7] Speak my words to them whether they listen or they cease, for they are rebellious. [8] And you, son of man, hear what I am speaking to you. Do not be rebellious like the house of rebellion. Open your mouth and eat what I am giving to you. [9] And I looked, and behold, a hand [was] being extended to me. And behold, in it [was] a roll of writing. [10] And he spread it out before me, and it had been written upon, front and back. And lamentations and mourning and woe [were] written upon it.
The message that God passes to Ezekiel is not a happy one, but that makes sense. God’s words to a rebellious house will always have sting to them. This scroll was so filled with woe that it had writing on the front and the back sides. Ezekiel would have plenty of material with which to attack the Israelites, and they would in turn have plenty of material to be angry about.
People-pleasing is rebellion, then. Of course, it is right to try to please people, but to be a people-pleaser rather than a God-pleaser is an act of defiance against God. God knows that people may not understand or accept our words of truth spoken in love, but as it concerns us, he doesn’t care. Our job is to speak the message God has given us, even if we know it will be unpopular. When we have a word from the Lord, we must subject ourselves to the disapproving faces of people rather than the disapproving face of God.
[2:6] And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them, and of their words do not be afraid, for [it is] thorns and briers with you and you are dwelling among scorpions. Do not be afraid of their words, and do not be dismayed from their faces, for they [are] a house of rebellion. [7] Speak my words to them whether they listen or they cease, for they are rebellious. [8] And you, son of man, hear what I am speaking to you. Do not be rebellious like the house of rebellion. Open your mouth and eat what I am giving to you. [9] And I looked, and behold, a hand [was] being extended to me. And behold, in it [was] a roll of writing. [10] And he spread it out before me, and it had been written upon, front and back. And lamentations and mourning and woe [were] written upon it.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
The Nature of Modern-Day Prophecy
I’ve decided to skip ahead to chapter 2 in Ezekiel since I was getting bogged down in the vision of chapter 1. I hope it is better to skip ahead than to get frustrated with translating material that was not meant to frustrate us.
When I read this passage, I find it hard not to focus on verse 5, where God gives Ezekiel his “mission statement.” Isn’t it helpful to know that God’s pleasure in his messenger is not dependent on the recipients’ response to the message? Rather, it is the faithfulness of the messenger that pleases God. I find this moderately encouraging with respect to witnessing—perhaps I should find it extremely encouraging.
If this were not enough, God had given us a clue in verses 1 and 2 that he is the contributor to our strength in witness. God commands Ezekiel in verse 1 to stand on his feet, but God promptly stands Ezekiel on his feel through the Spirit. We need to exert effort in witnessing (and even in preparing ourselves to witness), but God ultimately gives us the strength to do so.
[2:1] And he said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet and I will speak with you. [2] And a wind[1] came into me when he spoke to me, and he set me on my feet. And I heard what he said to me. [3] And he said to me, Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, peoples who are rebelling, which have rebelled against me. They and their fathers have rebelled against me until this very day. [4] And the sons are hard of face and strong of heart. I am sending you to them. And you will say to them, “Thus has the Lord YHWH said.” [5] And as for them, if they will listen or if they will cease, though they are a house of rebellion, they will know that a prophet has been among them.
[1] Or “the Spirit.”
When I read this passage, I find it hard not to focus on verse 5, where God gives Ezekiel his “mission statement.” Isn’t it helpful to know that God’s pleasure in his messenger is not dependent on the recipients’ response to the message? Rather, it is the faithfulness of the messenger that pleases God. I find this moderately encouraging with respect to witnessing—perhaps I should find it extremely encouraging.
If this were not enough, God had given us a clue in verses 1 and 2 that he is the contributor to our strength in witness. God commands Ezekiel in verse 1 to stand on his feet, but God promptly stands Ezekiel on his feel through the Spirit. We need to exert effort in witnessing (and even in preparing ourselves to witness), but God ultimately gives us the strength to do so.
[2:1] And he said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet and I will speak with you. [2] And a wind[1] came into me when he spoke to me, and he set me on my feet. And I heard what he said to me. [3] And he said to me, Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, peoples who are rebelling, which have rebelled against me. They and their fathers have rebelled against me until this very day. [4] And the sons are hard of face and strong of heart. I am sending you to them. And you will say to them, “Thus has the Lord YHWH said.” [5] And as for them, if they will listen or if they will cease, though they are a house of rebellion, they will know that a prophet has been among them.
[1] Or “the Spirit.”
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Flashing Like Fire
Ezekiel’s intense vision of spreading wings, animal faces, wheels, and mathematical motion have held my attention for some time now. It would probably be fair to say that Ezekiel’s visions are more abstract than any other recorded in the Bible. To be sure, John appropriates some of Ezekiel’s material, but most scenes in the Apocalypse are easy to visualize, if not understand. Ezekiel presents a unique challenge to the reader of the Bible, because the pictures that Ezekiel creates in chapter one do not make for a quick mental snapshot. Those who wish to encounter the Holy Spirit through Ezekiel’s vision will have to meditate just to see what was going on.
Isn’t this appropriate, though? Much narrative material in the Bible is straightforward and easy to understand, but difficult to apply. Conversely, Ezekiel’s first chapter is opaque, but its application is practically automatic. As soon as we meditate on the puzzling vision of the four living creatures, we begin to worship God as we see his order, his transcendence, his power over nature, and his indescribability. That the four creatures follow the movement of the Spirit bespeaks God’s superintendence even of non-human creation. That God’s presence appears in flashing light implies that he cannot be ignored.
If the narrative material in the Bible is baroque chamber music, Ezekiel’s first vision is a symphony from the Romantic Period. It should be no surprise that Tchaikovsky devotees will appreciate Ezekiel more than Handel fans will. Wasn’t it smart of God to include the intense with the subtle? It’s almost as if he planned it from eternity past . . .
Isn’t this appropriate, though? Much narrative material in the Bible is straightforward and easy to understand, but difficult to apply. Conversely, Ezekiel’s first chapter is opaque, but its application is practically automatic. As soon as we meditate on the puzzling vision of the four living creatures, we begin to worship God as we see his order, his transcendence, his power over nature, and his indescribability. That the four creatures follow the movement of the Spirit bespeaks God’s superintendence even of non-human creation. That God’s presence appears in flashing light implies that he cannot be ignored.
If the narrative material in the Bible is baroque chamber music, Ezekiel’s first vision is a symphony from the Romantic Period. It should be no surprise that Tchaikovsky devotees will appreciate Ezekiel more than Handel fans will. Wasn’t it smart of God to include the intense with the subtle? It’s almost as if he planned it from eternity past . . .
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
The Nature of Biblical Visions
[4] And I looked, and behold, a tempest wind [was] coming in from the north, a great cloud, and a fire [was] enfolding itself and shining forth round about it. And in the midst of it [was something] like the appearance of amber, in the midst of the fire. [5] And in its midst [was] the appearance of four living things, and this, their appearance, [was] the appearance of a man. [6] And each one had four faces, and they each had four wings. [7] And their feet [were] a straight foot, and the soles of their feet [were] like a sole of a foot of a calf. And [their feet were] sparkling like the appearance of burnished copper. [8] And hands[1] of a man [were] beneath their wings upon the four of their sides, and the four of them had their faces and their wings. [9] Each one [was] united to her sisters, their wings.[2] When they went, they were not turning about, each [of them]. His faces[3] were going straight ahead.
Some people read the Bible’s depiction of visions and understand such depictions in completely symbolic or figurative terms. This approach is helpful for understanding what God may have been communicating in visions, but it is unhelpful in understanding the way God communicated to the authors of Scripture. Commentators who write about visionary material such as that in Ezekiel 1 sometimes portray the visions as historically “unnecessary.” To such commentators, Ezekiel may be communicating his message by speaking as if he had seen a vision. In my opinion, this denies the historicity of large portions of the Bible. It is more proper to say that Ezekiel had a real vision whose elements communicated divine truth.
Conversely, it is improper to look at Ezekiel’s bizarre vision of four living creatures who are moving about like robots and think that God intended merely to indulge our love of the peculiar. As surely as Ezekiel’s vision actually happened, God intended through this vision to communicate living and transformational truths (2 Tim 3:16–17). I hope to bring out these truths as I continue with my translation. For the time being, I’m focusing on figuring out what in the world is going on in this passage. If it seems strange in English, be assured that it is even more strange for a non-native reader of Hebrew.
[1] Note Ketib/Qere.
[2] I.e., “their wings touched.”
[3] I.e., the faces of each living creature.
Some people read the Bible’s depiction of visions and understand such depictions in completely symbolic or figurative terms. This approach is helpful for understanding what God may have been communicating in visions, but it is unhelpful in understanding the way God communicated to the authors of Scripture. Commentators who write about visionary material such as that in Ezekiel 1 sometimes portray the visions as historically “unnecessary.” To such commentators, Ezekiel may be communicating his message by speaking as if he had seen a vision. In my opinion, this denies the historicity of large portions of the Bible. It is more proper to say that Ezekiel had a real vision whose elements communicated divine truth.
Conversely, it is improper to look at Ezekiel’s bizarre vision of four living creatures who are moving about like robots and think that God intended merely to indulge our love of the peculiar. As surely as Ezekiel’s vision actually happened, God intended through this vision to communicate living and transformational truths (2 Tim 3:16–17). I hope to bring out these truths as I continue with my translation. For the time being, I’m focusing on figuring out what in the world is going on in this passage. If it seems strange in English, be assured that it is even more strange for a non-native reader of Hebrew.
[1] Note Ketib/Qere.
[2] I.e., “their wings touched.”
[3] I.e., the faces of each living creature.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Frustration is Frustrating
I am aware that the title of this post sounds like a truism. Nonetheless, have you considered that our frustration often breeds further frustration? When we react poorly to frustrating events in our lives, we sin. Later we come to realize (we hope) that our actions were sinful. For me, at least, this causes me to get frustrated at myself for failing my Savior.
In such situations, I fail not only my Savior, but also those closest to me. My sinful reactions to the inefficiencies of life affect those with whom I interact. Improper responses to frustration cause emotional drain on my spouse, the rest of my family, my friends, and even my work. I cannot function properly when I choose to take the low road and refuse to remain in the vine.
We should consider the hangover effect of failure to trust in God and obstinate indulgence of the flesh before we overreact to agitating situations. By doing this, we can avoid causing stress on our circles of influence. We might even save ourselves some frustration.
In such situations, I fail not only my Savior, but also those closest to me. My sinful reactions to the inefficiencies of life affect those with whom I interact. Improper responses to frustration cause emotional drain on my spouse, the rest of my family, my friends, and even my work. I cannot function properly when I choose to take the low road and refuse to remain in the vine.
We should consider the hangover effect of failure to trust in God and obstinate indulgence of the flesh before we overreact to agitating situations. By doing this, we can avoid causing stress on our circles of influence. We might even save ourselves some frustration.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Is Churchgoing Dispensable?
Occasionally I have heard people say something like “I don’t need to go to church. I can have a relationship with God by myself.” The response evangelicals give to such a statement often relies on one primary Scripture: Hebrews 10:25. In this verse, the writer to the Hebrews urges the people not to “give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing,” but to “encourage one another, and all the more as [they] see the day approaching” (NIV). This is an excellent response to the argument “self-churchers” give.
Nonetheless, it has bothered me that I could only offer this verse in reply to those who would “forsake meeting together.” That someone would think it fine to be divorced from church life seemed altogether foreign to the position of Scripture, but I could not think of appropriate ways to point out to such people the weight of the whole counsel of God on this issue. The time and energy it takes to assemble with a body of believers on a Sunday morning that would be ideal for sleeping in is, after all, significant. A cursory look at preferred Sunday morning activities in our increasingly post-Christian culture would confirm this.
I believe the Lord just yesterday gave me insight on the necessity of church life through the sermon of Jamie Rasmussen. Mr. Rasmussen covered 1 Thessalonians 5:12–18 that morning. When he expounded verse 14 in particular, I noticed how it was impossible to fulfill the Apostle Paul’s commands in isolation. Verse 14 reads: “And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” Mr. Rasmussen argued that the last element in this series, patience with everyone, contrasted with the prior three elements. In his opinion, the first three commands dealt with relationships among believers, and the last dealt with relationships toward unbelievers.
Whether or not Mr. Rasmussen was correct in his analysis of this passage, it occurred to me that at least three commands in this verse could not be honored by those who forsake church. How would it be possible for the isolated Christian to warn those who are idle? A Christian would not even know who “those who are idle” referred to. Similarly, such a Christian would not be able to identify those who were timid or weak so that he or she might help them.
There is additional evidence that the biblical writers assumed their addresses were churchgoers. It would make no sense to write letters to the Romans, the Philippians, the Thessalonians, etc., if they did not comprise an active fellowship that could hear the reading of the letter. Even the authors’ frequent use of the reciprocal pronoun allēlous (one another) shows that those who wrote the Bible had an interactive group of believers in mind. Furthermore, Luke’s commendation of the early church (Acts 2:42–47) evinces his conviction that Christians were a group of mutually-supportive people.
Maybe the reason I had such trouble in finding explicit references to the habit of churchgoing is evidence that the biblical authors simply assumed it. Perhaps such “secrets” are right under our noses like Poe’s purloined letter. I’m glad we have the whole counsel of God to inform us, because without it we might miss instruction that would be hard to see through a microscope but easy to see through a telescope. If we step back after scrutinizing individual verses, we glean more truths that we can’t afford to miss.
Nonetheless, it has bothered me that I could only offer this verse in reply to those who would “forsake meeting together.” That someone would think it fine to be divorced from church life seemed altogether foreign to the position of Scripture, but I could not think of appropriate ways to point out to such people the weight of the whole counsel of God on this issue. The time and energy it takes to assemble with a body of believers on a Sunday morning that would be ideal for sleeping in is, after all, significant. A cursory look at preferred Sunday morning activities in our increasingly post-Christian culture would confirm this.
I believe the Lord just yesterday gave me insight on the necessity of church life through the sermon of Jamie Rasmussen. Mr. Rasmussen covered 1 Thessalonians 5:12–18 that morning. When he expounded verse 14 in particular, I noticed how it was impossible to fulfill the Apostle Paul’s commands in isolation. Verse 14 reads: “And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” Mr. Rasmussen argued that the last element in this series, patience with everyone, contrasted with the prior three elements. In his opinion, the first three commands dealt with relationships among believers, and the last dealt with relationships toward unbelievers.
Whether or not Mr. Rasmussen was correct in his analysis of this passage, it occurred to me that at least three commands in this verse could not be honored by those who forsake church. How would it be possible for the isolated Christian to warn those who are idle? A Christian would not even know who “those who are idle” referred to. Similarly, such a Christian would not be able to identify those who were timid or weak so that he or she might help them.
There is additional evidence that the biblical writers assumed their addresses were churchgoers. It would make no sense to write letters to the Romans, the Philippians, the Thessalonians, etc., if they did not comprise an active fellowship that could hear the reading of the letter. Even the authors’ frequent use of the reciprocal pronoun allēlous (one another) shows that those who wrote the Bible had an interactive group of believers in mind. Furthermore, Luke’s commendation of the early church (Acts 2:42–47) evinces his conviction that Christians were a group of mutually-supportive people.
Maybe the reason I had such trouble in finding explicit references to the habit of churchgoing is evidence that the biblical authors simply assumed it. Perhaps such “secrets” are right under our noses like Poe’s purloined letter. I’m glad we have the whole counsel of God to inform us, because without it we might miss instruction that would be hard to see through a microscope but easy to see through a telescope. If we step back after scrutinizing individual verses, we glean more truths that we can’t afford to miss.
Friday, April 27, 2007
The Hand of God Appears in Exile -- Ezek 1:1-3
"And it came to pass in [the] thirtieth year in the fourth [month] in the fifth to [the] month that I was in the midst of the exiles on the river Kebar. The heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. On the fifth of the month—it [was] the fifth year to [the] exile of King Jehoiakin—[it] happened [that] the word of YHWH was to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans on the river Kebar. And the hand of YHWH was to him there" (Ezek 1:1-3).
I have just started a new study in the book of Ezekiel and will be passing along comments and meditations on the passages as I go through them personally. My hope is that these comments will bless others as they help me to synthesize my own thoughts and research. People like me sometimes get so deep into study that they forget why they were studying in the first place! I am hoping that God will use this blog to help us all position ourselves to be doers of the word of God and not just hearers only.
I surmise that most readers (who are brave enough to read the Prophets) skip over Ezek 1:1–3 quickly and do not consider what God might be saying to them through this portion of the Scripture. Dates and times aren't very interesting for many of us, and the river Chebar in land of the Chaldeans seems like something one might read about in The Princess Bride or The Never-Ending Story. Is it possible that God included these verses for more than background?
I believe these verses teach us a quick lesson in God's character as one who seeks to bestow grace. The exile was nothing less than the Israelites' deserved punishment for some horrific sins, as we will see later in the vision of the departure of God's glory from the temple. When Ezekiel states that "the word of YHWH was to Ezekiel the priest" and "the hand of YHWH was to him there," we see twice that God's attention was still focused on his exiled people. God was not content to let the exiles languish in captivity (cf. Ps 137). He gave his revelation and extended his power (his hand) to his people.
Isn't it shocking how often God initiates transformative interaction with us? We don't know whether the exiles were praying to God for his revelation, but the immediate history of the Israelites should lead us to think that such prayer was minimal at best. When our prayer lives and our fellowship with God are lacking, God often rescues us from our malaise by sending a friend, an encouraging report, a stirring occurrence, or a conviction of soul. We should thank God that he communicates with us in this way and doesn't give us the "silent treatment." It's nice to be freed from captivity.
I have just started a new study in the book of Ezekiel and will be passing along comments and meditations on the passages as I go through them personally. My hope is that these comments will bless others as they help me to synthesize my own thoughts and research. People like me sometimes get so deep into study that they forget why they were studying in the first place! I am hoping that God will use this blog to help us all position ourselves to be doers of the word of God and not just hearers only.
I surmise that most readers (who are brave enough to read the Prophets) skip over Ezek 1:1–3 quickly and do not consider what God might be saying to them through this portion of the Scripture. Dates and times aren't very interesting for many of us, and the river Chebar in land of the Chaldeans seems like something one might read about in The Princess Bride or The Never-Ending Story. Is it possible that God included these verses for more than background?
I believe these verses teach us a quick lesson in God's character as one who seeks to bestow grace. The exile was nothing less than the Israelites' deserved punishment for some horrific sins, as we will see later in the vision of the departure of God's glory from the temple. When Ezekiel states that "the word of YHWH was to Ezekiel the priest" and "the hand of YHWH was to him there," we see twice that God's attention was still focused on his exiled people. God was not content to let the exiles languish in captivity (cf. Ps 137). He gave his revelation and extended his power (his hand) to his people.
Isn't it shocking how often God initiates transformative interaction with us? We don't know whether the exiles were praying to God for his revelation, but the immediate history of the Israelites should lead us to think that such prayer was minimal at best. When our prayer lives and our fellowship with God are lacking, God often rescues us from our malaise by sending a friend, an encouraging report, a stirring occurrence, or a conviction of soul. We should thank God that he communicates with us in this way and doesn't give us the "silent treatment." It's nice to be freed from captivity.
Uncommon Forgiveness
Having recently finished my coursework at Phoenix Seminary, I have been thinking about God's unparalleled grace. Each of us can recount numerous times God has intervened in our lives and shown us mercy. As humans we have the tendency to berate others for their mistakes and shortcomings while we overlook the same faults in ourselves. How many times have I been angry at someone for a driving mistake? Probably as many times as I have expected mercy from other drivers whom I have cut off. Wouldn't it be wonderful to view our obligation toward others through the lens of divine grace?
In the parable of the unforgiving servant (Matt 18:23-25), Jesus spoke of a servant who owed a debt too large to be repaid. When the servant's creditor, his master, forgave the debt, the liberated servant proceeded immediately to demand repayment for a debt he himself was owed. This debt was infintesmal compared to the debt the servant had been forgiven, but was nonetheless substantial. The forgiven servant was owed one hundred denarii, the equivalent of several thousand dollars. When the servant's debtor begged for mercy in repaying the debt, the unforgiving servant refused to extend it. The master, upon hearing about this action, revoked his earlier act of mercy and had the unforgiving servant thrown into jail until he could pay back what he had owed. This amounted to nothing less than a life sentence.
If God, our Master, expressed such anger at the unforgiving servant's misdeed, we need to examine our hearts with trembling. On one level the unforgiving servant's actions are unthinkable, but don't we do the same thing he did? It has been much overlooked that the unforgiving servant was himself owed a substantial amount of money. Our sins are often worse, because we strike out at those who owe us a few dollars, whether literally or figuratively. Thanks be to God for his forgiveness even of this insolence, if we will come to him humbly and admit our wrongdoing.
In the parable of the unforgiving servant (Matt 18:23-25), Jesus spoke of a servant who owed a debt too large to be repaid. When the servant's creditor, his master, forgave the debt, the liberated servant proceeded immediately to demand repayment for a debt he himself was owed. This debt was infintesmal compared to the debt the servant had been forgiven, but was nonetheless substantial. The forgiven servant was owed one hundred denarii, the equivalent of several thousand dollars. When the servant's debtor begged for mercy in repaying the debt, the unforgiving servant refused to extend it. The master, upon hearing about this action, revoked his earlier act of mercy and had the unforgiving servant thrown into jail until he could pay back what he had owed. This amounted to nothing less than a life sentence.
If God, our Master, expressed such anger at the unforgiving servant's misdeed, we need to examine our hearts with trembling. On one level the unforgiving servant's actions are unthinkable, but don't we do the same thing he did? It has been much overlooked that the unforgiving servant was himself owed a substantial amount of money. Our sins are often worse, because we strike out at those who owe us a few dollars, whether literally or figuratively. Thanks be to God for his forgiveness even of this insolence, if we will come to him humbly and admit our wrongdoing.
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