Matthew 18:28

Arabic 2016 (الكِتاب المُقَدَّس: التَّرْجَمَةُ العَرَبِيَّةُ المُبَسَّطَةُ)

«وَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ ذَاهِبٌ، وَجَدَ أحَدَ رِفَاقِهِ العَبِيدِ، وَكَانَ مَديُونًا لَهُ بِمَبلَغٍ زَهِيدٍ. فَأمسَكَ بِعُنُقِهِ وَابْتَدَأ يَخْنُقُهُ وَيَقُولُ لَهُ: ‹سُدَّ مَا عَلَيْكَ مِنْ دَينٍ لِي.›

What Does This Mean?

In this verse from Matthew 18:28, a servant who had been forgiven a huge debt by his master turns around and demands payment of a small debt owed to him by another servant. This shows the inconsistency in the first servant's actions despite having been shown mercy.

Explained for Children

Imagine you borrowed a lot of money from your friend but they said it was okay and didn't need to be paid back. Then, when someone owes you just a little bit of allowance, you get really angry and demand they pay up right away. That's what this story is about – being grateful for forgiveness and not forgetting to forgive others.

Historical Background

Matthew wrote his gospel around AD 80-90, primarily aimed at Jewish Christians living in the Roman Empire. The cultural setting emphasized social hierarchy and debt was a common issue due to economic instability and heavy taxation under Roman rule.

Living It Out Today

Think about times when you've been forgiven for a big mistake but still hold grudges over small things others have done. Just like the servant who should have shown mercy, we can learn to forgive freely without expecting anything in return.

Topics

• forgiveness
• hypocrisy
• mercy
• debt
• judgment
• gratitude

Related Verses

• Psalm 86:5
• Luke 7:41-43
• Romans 2:4
• Ephesians 4:32
• James 2:13

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this verse teach about forgiveness?

This verse teaches that true forgiveness means we should not demand repayment for small debts when we ourselves have been forgiven a great deal.

Why is the servant's behavior hypocritical in this story?

The servant behaves hypocritically because he has just experienced great mercy from his master and yet fails to extend similar forgiveness to another who owes him much less.

How does Matthew 18:28 relate to other teachings of Jesus?

This verse aligns with many of Jesus' parables about forgiveness, such as the parable of the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18 itself, emphasizing the importance of showing mercy.

What can we learn from this servant's mistake?

We can learn that holding grudges and failing to forgive others is a failure to internalize and act upon the forgiveness we have received ourselves.