The Kingly Road The Lord presents to us the live humility filled with love and tenderness, since it is the most important feature for the rod to the heavenly kingdom. 1. The Kingdom and the Humility of Children 1 – 5 2. Love and the Obstruction for Children 6 – 14 3. Love and Blaming People 15 – 20 4. The Forgiving Love 22 – 23 5. The Parable of the Forgiving King and the Wicked Slave 23 – 35 + + + 1. The Kingdom and the Humility of Children: (Matt 18:1-4) “At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ Then Jesus called a little child to him, set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.’” The words of the Lord Jesus and his actions enkindled the hearts of the disciples towards obtaining the kingdom of heaven. But they were still unable to get rid of the materialistic concepts they were used to and have inherited them after their forefathers. They thought it was a temporary kingdom of an earthly authority. This is why each of them was eager to obtain a share in it, or to occupy a position greater than the others. This eagerness, even though it is of human frailties, that is, the love of grandeur, fame and prominent positions, ye tall wished to fill up this gap with vain human thinking. At any rate, St. Cyril the great says, “What happened among the disciples, and was recorded, is only for our own good. Even though they were saints yet this is the weakness or sickness for our humility. The Lord dealt with the disease as a smart surgeon, and he amputated the pain springing in us, by means of his kindled commandment that reaches the very depths.” It was amazing for them to see the Lord calling a child, and putting him in their midst as a living example of obtaining the admission into the heavenly kingdom. The Romans disregarded childhood, and a child had no rights whatsoever. The parents could do anything to their children with none to supervise. Childhood, with the Greeks, was exposed to May hardship. As for the Jews they did not count the children and women when counting the people. But the Lord was raising humanity to a mature life, and here he comes was a child as an example of a mature life, spiritual and able to usurp the kingdom. It was as if the Lord was transferring them from the physical maturity which relied on the years spent by man, to an inner maturity of the soul, unbounded to a certain specific time. https://coptic-treasures.com/ The Lord assures those asking for the kingdom, to return and become as little children, and thus would be able to enter the kingdom of heaven. It is not a backward retreat, but rather a growth towards the humble and simple childhood. Man, through his experiences on earth, is very much puffed up, and is unable to enter the narrow gate. It is therefore appropriate for him to decline all pride, so his self would be belittled, and become absolutely crucified. He would then cross, through the crucified Lord, from the narrow gate. This is the royal gate and the only entrance to the heavenly kingdom. Without humility, man remains outside. However much he worships and renounces, he is unable to get in. A proud heart can never unite with the modest Son of God, so he would cross with him and in him to his Father’s embrace. This is why the Lord goes on to say, (Matt 18:4) “Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” If pride has expelled man from paradise, then there is no way to get in other than the way of modesty. St. John Chrysostom speaks to us of the role of modesty in obtaining the heavenly kingdom in this world and the next one. He says, “To obtain rest here and in the life to come, we have to struggle in planting the mother of all goodness, which is that of humility in our souls. In this way we are able to cross the sea of this world with no waves, and we conclude our journey to this peaceful harbour.” He moreover says, “Nothing is acceptable to God more than when man considers himself to be last of all. This is the foremost principle for practical wisdom. He who is modest and wounded in his heart will never like vain glory, or someone wrathful, or envious of his neighbour, or someone who resorts to any lust or passion.” St. Bassibious the great says, “We receive God’s kingdom as a child (Luke 18:17). If we look up to God’s teachings as a child under probation and edification, with no objection or urging with his teachers, then he accepts this education in his mind in eagerness to be educated.” St. Ambrosios says, “He does not mean here his preference of one age to the other, otherwise to become mature and growing up is a destructive process. I was not desirous of growing up since this will usurp me of the kingdom of heaven. But God allowed growth that develops vice and not virtue, otherwise God would not have chosen his disciples mature men, he would have chosen them children ….God actually does not refer to ‘childhood’ as a matter of age but rather to love that embodies the simplicity of children. Virtue is not an inability to perform sin; it is rather a rejection of and persistence in returning to our first nature and childhood.” He moreover says, “If children so quickly fight together yet they return to be together in full harmony at the same quick speed, for they do not know any cunningness or deceit.” St. Cyril the great says, “Let own sublimity be in our humility, and our glory in not loving any of it. Let our eagerness aim at what is pleasing to God, bearing in mind what the wise one says, (Sirach 3:18) “When you become great, be more modest, and hence you will find grace with God.” God scorns the haughty ones, and he considers the proud just as his enemies. But he crowns the modest ones, and the humble in mind with honorable blessings.” https://coptic-treasures.com/ Childhood in Christ: The Lord is eager to have his disciples blessed by a return to childhood. They would then have the spirit of humility, for this is a royal quality that supports the soul when crossing over to the heavenly life. When the Lord speaks of children, he presents them as the ones to carry his name, for he says, (Matt 18:5) “Whoever receives one little child like this in my name receive me.” Let no one grudge the return to the modesty of children, for the Lord is transfigured in the life of children, and he considers those who accept them in his name, only accept him. This is how the Lord uplifts childhood that is disregarded by people in every race and tongue. The Lord has honored man by means of his incarnation, and he has honored the poor by considering them his younger brothers, and whatever is done to them is offered for his account. Here he is honoring childhood; he, who accepts a child in his name, accepts him. I wonder who would not be eager enough to embody the nature of ‘modest childhood’ carrying the name of the Messiah, the king? Indeed, the Lord has sanctified childhood for he himself has become a child. He still does sanctify it, for his name is carried by the little children. St. Ambrosios says, “Who is this child whose example is to be followed by Jesus’ disciples other than the one about whom Isaiah said, (Is 9:6) “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given…” It is he who said, “Carry your cross and follow me” (Matt 16:24). Also it is he (1 Peter 2:23) “Who, when he was reviled, did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten.” Here you find absolute righteousness in childhood, where it has the old and honorable matters, and where old age has the innocence of children.” 2. Love and the Obstruction of Children: (Matt 18:6) “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believer in me to sin, it would be better for him if a mill-stone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depths of the sea.” The believer either accepts entering into ‘childhood’ that is so modest and simple, and would go into the gate of the heavenly kingdom, or, he stands as an obstruction at the gate; he does not go in himself and neither does he let even the believing children to get in. There is no middle way in the life with God. Man either crosses to eternity or he obstructs others from crossing over the secret behind of this obstruction lied in two points: Firstly: the hardening of the heart; for he knows no love to God or to people. He is unable to forgi8ve him who hurt him, or to rebuke him. This is why it is better for him to tie a millstone around his neck, rather than have this stony hard nature, and the stiff cruel neck. https://coptic-treasures.com/ Secondly: to indulge in earthly matters. He cannot see anything else other than what is temporary. This is why it is better for him to be thrown ingot the depth of the sea, and not throw his heart in the seas of worry and pleasure of this life. It is as if the Lord Jesus by saying, “It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and be were drowned in the depths of the sea”, that the Lord is not condemning or judging the soul that obstructs others’ he does not wish it to perish, he rather wishes to sow its real situation, and the extent it reached inwardly by means of this analogy. This soul has become hardened and has drowned in the sea of the love of this world. This situation is way worse than physical drowning in the sea, by man tying a millstone round his neck. It seems that the Jews in the old times used to punish criminals of major crimes by tying a millstone round their neck, and throwing them in the depths of the sea. St. John Chrysostom comments on this punishment by saying, “By this punishment that man deserves for obstructing others, we learn the reward awaiting those who save others. If the salvation of one soul had not been so great to Christ, he would not have threatened a punishment as such for him who obstructs anyone.” But as for the safe way against any obstruction, it is the word of God, or his commandments as the psalmist says, (Ps 119:165) “Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing causes them to stumble.” St. Augustine also says, “When you heard, ‘Woe to the world of stumbling blocks,’ you thought of how to avoid the world so you are not exposed to those obstructions. Therefore let us avoid those stumbling blocks. How can we overcome the world other than to escape to him who has created it? How can we release ourselves to the creator of world unless we do his law that he preaches at every place? To listen to this is a simple matter if we love it, because the Holy Book which armors you against any obstruction did not say, “Great peace have those who hear your law” but said, “To those who love your law.” St. Augustine shows us a practical example which is that of job’s wife who was a stumbling block. She came to pull her husband’s heart to blasphemy, but his heat had a lot of love for God’s law, and he was not obstructed. She was an obstruction, yes, but not for him.” (Matt 18:7) “Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!” The Lord has opened the royal way, eager that all humanity would enter it, those who are deprived of it. The adversary does not cease working for the account of his kingdom also. Wherever the Lord Jesus is found to work in us, Satan also struggles for the account of his darkness through the stumbling blocks. He recruits all those who belong to him so as to destroy the simple and meek souls. This is what the Lord warns us of, not only lest others obstruct us, but also lest we too turn like them to be stumbling blocks to others. But because we carry our Christ in us, he who has overcome the world, and we are blessed with his commandment, so we fear no obstacles. As St. Augustine https://coptic-treasures.com/ says, “When you hear ‘woe to the world of offenses’ do not fear, just love God’s law and there will be no offense for you.” (Matt 18:8,9) “If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast in to hell fire.” Is it possible for the believer to amputate every member in his body that obstructs him or obstructs others? In the church history there are unique stories of people who have done so such as Simon the tamer, and the girl so devout that she punched her eye with the awl so as to offer it to someone who tried his best to meet her because of her beautiful eyes. In the fathers’ opinion the Lord’s words here imply a spiritual symbolical meaning: the hand is nothing other than the man who supports me, and works for my account. It this is changed to an offense to me, making me lose my faith or chastity, I amputate it to usurp the kingdom without it, though I am eager to save it. Joseph the adamant, stretched out his hands with all his might and valour so as to amputate them when be left his clothes in the hands of his mistress, and he escaped. He preferred to cut off the relation with her who provided for his living, and be humiliated in jail just like someone with no hands, and be deprived of the bodily freedom for the sake of being blessed with the devout paradise life. The bread for living was unable to imprison Joseph in iniquity and offense. He preferred to live amputated rather than be thrown in the destructive fire of passion, and yet have two hands. What is amazing is that God did not leave Joseph having no hands. He himself became his own hands, for, wherever he went the work was blessed and multiplied, whether inside the jail or in Pharaoh’s place. With the kindled Holy Spirit we know how to offer our hands of offense to the cross of the Lord Jesus, and hence they are amputated. We are not without any hands, but the Lord Jesus himself becomes our working hands with us, and through us and in us. In every chose we do, the Lord himself comes ahead of us, and he dwells with his blessings in us. We even disappear in him so he would be the One to work! Every amputation to the source of the offense, in the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, is not a loss but rather gain, for you take and not give away. What I say about the hands, I repeat regarding the feet. If someone is representing the feet without him, we become like crippled an unable to move around. But if there feet become a stumbling block, we offer them through the Holy Spirit for the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ to be amputated. We then clothe ourselves with the Lord himself, who has the brass feet. With those feet you trample on any obstruction in the way, until we cross over to the Father’s embrace in spiritual safety and overpowering peace. St. Augustine says, “Your wife may come up to you and advises you about something wicked. You love her, for she is your wife you have to love and she is a member in you. But it your eye, or your hand or foot obstructs you, as you have heard in the Gospel, cut it off and throw it away. However much this person is dear to you, and however much you hold respect for him, yet do not allow him or her to be an offense to you if you are advised to act wickedly.” He moreover says, “If someone who has https://coptic-treasures.com/ authority wishes to cover up his injustice and wrong doings, and he asks you to do an act of service to him by bearing false witness; do not accept this. Reject the false witness lest you deny aim who is right and true. He will be wrathful and has authority to pressure you. What can this one who has authority do to me or how could he bother you? He can kill you physically in his wrath and authority. Let the body be killed, for the body will die even if it is not killed. But as for the soul, he cannot kill it. If him whom I upset with the truth will bother my body with hardship, then I shall listen to my Lord who says, (Matt 10:28) “Do not fear those who kill the body.”” Lest anyone thinks the amputation of a physical member is an easy thing, be it a hand, a foot or an eye, he said, (Matt 18:10) “Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my father who is in heaven.” It is as if before the process of amputating one of our members with the cross of the Lord, we cut off our relation to it, and look for its salvation, as one of these little ones whom God is eager to save. Even though their angels are sorrowful for their diversion, yet these angels stand before the heavenly father all the time, and they intercede for then so as to be saved. The wise soul exerts its utmost not to escape the service, but even for those by whom offenses come, they would not lose their salvation and eternity. At the same time those by whom offenses come would not be lost if possible, for their salvation is longed for, in response to their angels and even their Lord himself (Matt 18:11) “For the song of man has come to save that which was lost.” Even though the process of amputation is sometimes urgent, yet it is performed on a narrow scale, after all the effort has been made, in every way, so as to urge those who offend to accept the salvation offered them by the song of man himself. Maybe the Lord wished to say by these words that ‘childhood’ is not to be disregarded or thought lightly of. Every person however small he may be, has his angel who stands in the presence of the father for his sake. The son of man himself is concerned about his salvation. Therefore, to scorn the human soul and to disregard its salvation, whether it be a child or a nature person, an important man or a poor one, or when man scorns himself and is careless about any obstruction, all this is actually scorning the work of Christ’s salvation. As St. John Chrysostom says, “Do not say this is an enslaved runaway, or this one is a thief or killer, or someone burdened with endless iniquity, or a beggar or someone to be scorned. Just contemplate that for his sake Christ has died. Is this not enough to be a basis to give him all the attention?” The Lord made clear the far reaching importance of every person’s salvation, and how not to be an offense to anyone. He says, (Matt 18:12-14) “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did https://coptic-treasures.com/ not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.” In this way the Lord reveals his out look on man, that he is not just an individual among numberless others, but God is concerned about him personally and who he is by his name. The Lord gives him all his concern more than all the group kept in his pastures on the holy mountains, so as to win him over and makes him become a member in this group. God is not concerned about how many, but about what kind; he is concerned about every member, for he is a son to him. In this fatherly spirit, St. John Chrysostom looked upon his people. He was not concerned about the overcrowded worshipers in the cathedral, and he did not rejoice over those tied to the church. But he groaned is sorrow over one person in town who was not blessed with eternal life. In his concern about each member he said, “Each and every one of you in my eyes is equal to the whole town. No one tells me that many have carried out the commandment, for this is not what I am eager for. I rather wish all to be doing like this. I am unable to take my breath till I see this has come to take place. If some one has committed adultery among the Corinthian, St. Paul used to sigh as if the whole town had been lost.” 3. Love and Blaming People: Modesty that is full of love is the gate to the heavenly kingdom. This modesty is founded on a candid, clear and open spirit. If a believer feels his brother in the faith has wronged him, let him go to him in sincere love to talk to him all by himself, so that when he hears him, he gains his brother. (Matt 18:15) “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.” This behaviour the Lord commanded us to do, is not only an act of politeness the believer is committed to doing, but in its essence it is a hiding in the person of the Lord Jesus. The believer does not see his brother as wronging him, but he sees him as wronging his own self, and in his obtaining eternity. Therefore he goes to him to tell him his fault, not to ascertain his making a mistake or that he expects him to apologize to him. He rather goes to him carrying the thoughts of Jesus so as to win him over in love to Jesus, as a live member in his body. He tries to save him from the error, and gain him as a member with him in the same body. He goes to him all by himself, so that talking to him would not be changed to scandalizing him, and to give him the change to reconsider what he did in no stubbornness. He goes to him to help him repent to God, and not to apologize to himself. By so doing, the believer asks for peace in his brother’s life, and not for any punishment. This is why the Lord says in this way you gain your brother. As St. John Chrysostom says, “He did not say you will gain sufficient revenge, but rather, you will gain your brother. The Lord shows there will be a common loss shared between you and him https://coptic-treasures.com/ because of this hard feeling, for, he did not say ‘to gain himself’ but ‘you gain himself.’ He shows the loss has reached prior to this, both of them. One has lost his brother, and the other lost his salvation.” St. Augustine say, “To be able to fulfill what we were commanded with today, as the evangelical excerpt said, we have before anything else, not to hoard any hatred in our hearts. When there is no piece of wood in your eye you will be able to see well what is in your brother’s eye. You will be uncomfortable until you remove from your brother’s eye what you dislike. The light that is in you does not allow you to neglect the light of your own brother. But if you endorse any hatred in yourself, and you wish to put him right, how could you possibly correct his light whereas you have none of it? For the Holy Book says, (1 John 2:9) “He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now.” Therefore hatred is darkness, he who hates others, harms himself primarily, corrupting himself inwardly.” The Lord actually wished to show his disciples the life of absolute forgiveness, away from the spirit of revenge and hatred which blocks the heavenly kingdom from us. St. John Chrysostom comments on this, saying, “When you think of taking revenge, remember you are taking revenge on yourself, not on others, for you are tying the sins not of your brother, but your own sins. There is nothing else of greater danger than being revengeful, for this takes away from you God’s greatest gift.” The same saint believes that he who wrongs us, causes a lot of good to us, if we tolerate it lovingly, for he says, “Do not say he has insulted you, and wronged you untruth fully, and did you endless evil. As much as these things happened from him, know will it is for your own good. He is offering you the opportunity to wash your sins. As much as the harm done to you, this will be the pretext for which you will obtain great forgiveness of sins.” He also says, “We are only punishing ourselves by hating others, just as we profit by loving them.” Why do you go to the wrongdoer, and not wait for him to come? St. John Chrysostom answers, “It is not an eary thing for someone who committed the error to go and apologize to his brother, for this would be too embarrassing and shameful. The Lord asks him who has been wronged; not only to go to his brother, but to correct what has happened as well. He did not tell him. Go to accurse him or to argue with him, but only to tell him his error gently.” This is only to remind him as to how he wronged him. Tell him what happened to you due to this, in an appropriate way as if you are providing for him the excuse, and in zeal for a reconciliation.” Our going to the wrongdoer all by ourself to tell him his fault so as to gain him, is actually following the example of the Lord Jesus himself. He has come to us from the highest to talk to us in love, and to motivate us with his work for salvation so as to repent. This is to win us over as members in his holy body. He did not wait for us to go to him, but he came to us. The commandment which the Lord offered us, we can never really fulfill unless we carry him in us, and do as he did, and we carry his thoughts in us. St. Augustine says, “If your brother has secretly wronged you, search for him so you correct him secretly. If you wish to blame him before all, you will not correct him, but you will scandalize his secret. If he has wronged you, and you alone know of this, https://coptic-treasures.com/ then he has only wronged you alone. But if he has wronged you before many, then he has wronged them as well, by their seeing his wrong doing to you. Therefore he has to be blamed before all those who have witnessed his wrong doing.” But if the wrongdoer does not listen to us, what do we do? (Matt 18:16,17) “But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he reuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you as a heather and a tax collector.” When we take with us one or two people, the aim of this should not be to ascertain his error, and to witness against him, but rather to convince him. In that case we shall be as the physician who sees the disease increasing, and he has to offer a medication bitterer and more effective. This is not for the sake of bitterness, but rather for his recovery. If this is ineffective, then we have to inform the church, not as an accusation before the court, but only to inform and so they would be concerned, and treat the situation in wisdom. David the prophet was a devout prophet, spoken will of by God himself. He was moreover wise; for when he committed an error, he did not realize it, until the church knew of it in the person of Nathan the prophet. He made him reconsider his vision that was corrupted by the iniquity, and to regain his thoughts and his wisdom. St. John Chrysostom says, “Do you not see how he does this not for the sake of fair penalty, but rather with the aim of correction? This is why he was not advised from the beginning to take with him two people, but after he would fail when alone. He did not send to him a few ones to act against him, but to send one or tow for him. If he scorned this, then at this point, he would bring him to the church.” Finally, if he does not listen to the church, and rejects its mother-hood, then he would in that case reject the fatherhood of God himself, and would be considered a heather or a tax collector. He obliges us to disregard him, as St. John Chrysostom says, “For his sickness has no recovery.” So, by rejecting the church, man deprives himself of being a member in Christ’s body. It is the right of the church to bind him, for the Lord continues to say, (Matt 18:18) “Assuredly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” He is binding himself by himself for rejecting the church concepts. The church is then obliged to bind him not for serving him right, but rather to preserve the other members from his corruption lest he infiltrates to them. This is just like the rather leaven is separated from the entire dough, or a corrupt member to be amputated. But this issue is not to be performed recklessly or hastily. It is not easy for any man to accept the amputation of a member of his body, except it be after all measures and means of treatment. When he finds all of his body is endangered, then he gives in to amputation. I say it is terribly hard for the church to see someone throwing himself out and forces the church to bind him. It keeps waiting from day to day his return so as to loosen him, and he finds the church door open. This is why the Lord mentions first the binded for a solution. It is also to enkindle the heart of the church to https://coptic-treasures.com/ loosen those binded, and it would not be negligent regarding their salvation, even though they have thrown themselves out of the church doors. The Lord speaks of the binding of a person who rejects the church, and of loosening him when he returns to it in repentance. He says, (Matt 18:20) “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them. Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by my father in heaven,” (Matt 18:19) “It is as if the Lord Jesus is asking his church to keep praying for the sake of those tied, even if the members of this local church are two or three on earth. For, if they pray together in the agreement of one heart, the Lord Jesus himself comes to them. This is ‘love’ in their midst, and their prayers are heard, better than the prayers of many done individually.” The Lord says, “If two agree on earth,” because in their agreement together in the spirit of love, there unites with them some departed members of the church, as well as some of the heavenly hosts, so God is pleased with this group partnership prayers. Some think about the two or three gathered in his name, is that it refers to the house church where the two spouses gather together in the Lord, in a spirit of real love and with them are the children. So, the Lord comes to dwell in the midst of that house and becomes a leader to them. Many fathers think the Lord’s words are an assurance of the importance of a collective partnership life, based on love in the Lord. It is also a warning against the life of solitude, for the Book says that two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For, if one falls his mate would help him get up. Woe to him who is all by himself, for if he falls there is no one to help him get up … the soiled thread does not get cut quickly. + If two have the same thinking, and are able to do this, so how much more would it be like when there is a collective agreement among so many? St. Kaprianos. + If the Lord says when two agree together on earth about anything they ask for, this will be given them. So how much more would it be like if the entire group come together in the Lord’s name? St. Ambrosios. + Believe that the Lord Jesus is present when the priest asks for him, for he says, “When two or three are gathered in my name, these am I in their midst,” so how much more would it be like when the church assembles, and the sacraments are performed; he will surely grant us his presence. St. Ambrosios. + The group prayers are answered quickly, and bring forth a lot of fruit, when those prayers are in unity and agreement of thoughts. https://coptic-treasures.com/ Father John of Rronstadt. + The agreement was set first, and he made the peace agreement of foremost importance, teaching us it is appropriate for us to come to an agreement in stability and faith. But how could there be an agreement with someone who disagrees with the church-body itself, and the collective brethren? How can two or three gather together in Christ’s name, whereas they are separated from Christ and his Gospel? We have not been separated from the, but they from us, and as a result the divisions and heresies appeared. They have also established for themselves different places of worship, and they left the head of the truth and its source. St. Kaprianos. 4. The Forgiving Love: (Matt 18:21,22) “Then Peter came to him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times? ” Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’” The church is committed to purifying its members, paying great concern in every way to correct the wrongdoers, however evil they may become. So, how much more should the member be towards his brother who has wronged him? How many time sis the personal sin to be forgiven? St. Peter the apostle spoke of member ‘7’ as pointing to perfection among the Jews. It is as if he spoke of forgiveness to the brother as endlessly due to his love to him. But as for the Lord, he assured us up to seventy times seven. As St. John Chrysostom says, “The Lord here does not speak of a certain number (70 X 7 = 490), it is rather immeasurable and constant forever. There is no number for forgiveness, but he asks it to be continuous and forever.” St. Ambrosios thinks number ‘7’ refers to the eternal Sabbath, or the rest. It is as if when the believer forgives his brother he goes to eternal rest. Endless forgiveness, as long as he asks for endless rest! St. Augustine thinks the Lord Jesus asks of us to forgive our brothers 77 times a day. This does not mean not to forgive the 78th time, but because number 10 refers to the law, and the commandment is not to break it, and it includes number 11. That is, when your brother sins, breaking all the commandments (11) endlessly (7) forgive him so as to win him in love to the sanctified life in the Lord. St. Jerome answers the question “If my brother asks for forgiveness only with his lips and not with his heart, what should I do?” He says, “If he sins seventy times seven times every day, and he asked you for forgiveness, then forgive him, and do not say he is not asking for forgiveness from his heart, but that he is buying. Leave to God the judging! Since he asked me for forgiveness, if he is not saying the truth, it is God who https://coptic-treasures.com/ knows best. It is I the heat. I accept what I hear, and Christ accepts if he is lying, and you have accepted his lying as if it were true, this will be for you a salvation, but as for him this will mean death.” St. John El Dergy thinks the Lord’s commandment is only a gate opening for us so as to have hope in the Lord himself. He says, “In time of despair, do not stop remembering the Lord’s commandment to St. Peter, to forgive the sinner seventy times seven times. The Lord who has given us this commandment, makes what is so much greater towards us. But when we are puffed up, let us remember the words, “He who has observed all the law and has been offended in only one, that is, has fallen in to the sin of pride, he has become a sinner in them all!”” 5. The Parable of the Forgiving King and the Wicked Slave: The Lord wished to say a parable about being kind to others, saying (Matt 18:23- 27) “Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who had owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all. Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgive him the debt.’” In this parable the human king is a symbol of the Judge before whom man stands indebted by ten thousand talents; whereas man declares his absolute inability to fulfill the debt. In this Parable we notice: Firstly: He is comparing the heavenly kingdom to a human king. The Scholar Oreganus says, “This kingdom of heaven is the son of God when he has become in the form of the sinful body, yet united with his divinity, and therefore has become a human king.” Secondly: The ten thousand talents that man has borrowed, is only the breaking of the divine commandments. Number 10 refers to the Ten Commandments, and he who breaks one commandment breaks them all. But as for number 1000 this refers to eternity, and as for number 10,000 this means man is guilty of breaking the Ten Commandments. This is an eternal debt that he can never pay in his entire earthly life. St. Augustine says, “We have to confirm that just as the law was given in Ten Commandments, the ten thousand talents mean all the sins committed in the name of the law.” The man was unable to pay the divine debt of God. Therefore the order was issued for him to be sold, he and his wife and children, and all that he had; this might help him in paying it. The breaking of God’s commandment has pushed man to lose everything. He loses himself that is his inward spirit stricken by eternal death, and is now deprived of God, the source of man’s life. He moreover loses his wife, that is, his body linked to https://coptic-treasures.com/ himself as a wife does. He has to nurture and support his body, but now the wholesome body has become defiled. It is heavy, with the corrupt and deadly passions that burden the spirit and corrupts the thoughts and senses. As for the children, these refer to the numerous gifts that have been changed through sin from being righteous devices to God, to a device for sin working for Satan’s account. As for all his money, this means his possessions such as gold, silver and man’s corruption; they have become an offense to him. St. Jerome here sees the wife as ‘silliness’. Just as wisdom is the righteous man’s wife as the book says, (Prov. 7:4,5) “Say to wisdom ‘You are my sister’ and call understanding you nearest kin, that they may keep you from the immoral woman, from the seductress who flatters with her words.” The evil one’s wife is ‘silliness’. The righteous unites with wisdom and begets sanctified thoughts and good behaviour in the Lord. He begets children to wisdom, which pleases the Lord, likewise is evil when tied to stupidity, it beget children that are evil thoughts and defiled actions. St. Augustine thinks the wife is ‘the evil desire’ that clings to the evil one and begets children that are his evil deeds. It is as if man in his evil, offers the judge an account of his wife, that is, his desire or evil will, and also an account of his children, that is, his wicked deeds. The king had compassion on the indebted one; he not only had patience and was slow to react as the man wanted (verse 26) but he also gave him more than what he asked for, and more than he could understand; for, he set him free, he and forgave him his debt. This poor man asked for some more time, thinking he would be able to pay the debt. He was unaware he would be absolutely unable in fulfilling this matter, however much time he was given. This is why the Lord set him free through the cross. He pardoned him all the debt through his free grace, as well as the gift of freedom of the soul and body. He sanctified his talents and all that he possessed, so he would become all in all sanctified to him. This slave could have lived in the freedom granted to him, as if with no debt, and would have everything sanctified. But the only obstruction that hundred those blessings and stripped him of them, and drove him to a far worse state than what he had previously experienced, was that his heart was shut against his brother. This brother was indebted to him for the amount of one hundred denarii’s, that is, it was a trivial human debt, because the number 100 refers to the ‘group’ in this world. This man is really miserable; he was released from ten thousand talents, and yet would not relinquish for his brother a hundred denarii’s, and was very cruel to him. It is at this point that his old debt returns to him and he is unable to pay it. However much our brothers harm us, unless we forget about the debt, we shall not be blessed with the forgiveness of the debt that we have to pay for God. (Matt 5:15) “Unless you forgive people their sins, your father also will not forgive your sins.” https://coptic-treasures.com/ St. John Chrysostom says, “The voice of forgiveness did not ring in his ears, and he forgot all about the patient love of his mater! Look how good it is to remember your sins! If this man had kept them clearly in his memory, he would not have been so cruel and violent. This is why I repeat the words: to remember our sins is very useful indeed and essential. Nothing makes the soul truly wise, modest and patient as much as to remember continuously our own sins. This is why St. Paul remembered the sins he committed, not only after purification, but those sins he committed before his baptism, although all of these were forgiven on the spot, and wiped away.” This saddened the hearts of his friends the other slaves, for the Lord says, “When the salves, his friends saw what happened, they were very sorry for it. They came to tell their master what happened. Then his master called him and said to him, “You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?”” That poor servant, who was put in jail by his friend, did not open his mouth to complain of him; but it was the voice of the others that cried out inwardly in great grief. God hears the secret human sighing, because of people’s cruelty to each other, and their unforgivness to each other. Therefore God measures to them in the same way they measure to their brothers. This is the human condition that groans, because man does not decline the sins of others, or forget the wrong doings done against them. How much more would the church heart grieve when it sees its children so unforgiving in stupidity they lose what they have gained, as God’s gifts and free blessings. This is what grieves the hearts of those in heaven, even the heart of God himself, who wishes to find his image and his example in us. The Lord has confirmed we have to forgive, so as to be forgiven (Matt 18:35) “So my heavenly father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.” St. John Chrysostom comments on this divine statement, “He did not say, ‘Your father’, but, ‘My father’; for it is not appropriate God to be called ‘father’ to an evil and envious person such as this one.”
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