Peter’s question to Jesus about how many times to forgive someone who sins against him serves as a transition from an emphasis on the church to an emphasis on the kingdom of heaven. Just prior to today’s passage, in Matthew 18:15-20, Jesus was teaching about how Christian brothers and sisters should conduct themselves in church. The teaching wraps up with a discussion about forgiveness. Jesus lays out the procedure one should follow if a “member of the church sins against you,” and what should be done if the recalcitrant brother or sister won’t listen.

            And then Peter asks a follow-up question: “Lord, how often should I forgive...?” And Jesus says...a lot! In fact, Jesus says, between brothers and sisters there must be no practical limit to forgiveness. Forgive 77, or 490 times (depending on how the original Greek is translated), if it comes to that!

            From there, Jesus transitions into a parable of the kingdom: “The kingdom of heaven can be compared to ....” And this, according to one commentator,¹ reflects Jesus’ original intent, as opposed to Matthew’s purpose of taking Jesus’ parables and using them as allegories concerning life in the church. “The kingdom of heaven is like this,” Jesus says. And he proceeds with a tale of two servants, a tale intended to show what life in the church should be like, and what life in the kingdom, which the church should ideally reflect, will be like.

Servants — not slaves

            The two men depicted in the parable before us are more accurately defined as servants, rather than “slaves,” as some translations have it. The first servant is an official in the king’s administrative offices, charged with bringing in tax revenue from subject nations,

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