Pace Warfield-May queeries the Narrative Lectionary.
Matthew 18:15-35
Jesus said: "If your sibling causes you harm, speak to them alone about it. If you are listened to, you have rebuilt that relationship. 16But if you are not listened to, take one or two along with you so that every word you say can be supported by your witnesses. 17If that person refuses to listen to you and your witnesses, tell it to the church. If that person refuses to listen even to that church, that relationship is broken and you should sever ties. 18I tell you the truth: whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you let go on earth will be let go in heaven. 19Again, I tell you this truth: if two of you agree about everything you ask, it will be done for you by my Parent in heaven. 20For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am truly present among you."
Then Peter came and asked Jesus, "Teacher, if my sibling causes me harm, how often should I forgive them? Seven times?" 22Jesus responded, "Not seven times, but I'm telling you seventy-seven times. 23For this reason the kin-gdom of heaven may be compared to a slave master who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24When he began the settling of accounts, the slave who owed him the equivalent of two hundred thousand days of labor was brought to him, 25and, as he could not pay his master, the slave master ordered that slave to be sold together with his wife and children and all his possessions in order for the payment to be met. 26So the slave prostrated himself before the master and said, 'Please, I beg of you, have patience with me. I will pay you everything I owe.' 27And out of pity for him, the slave master released the debt that was owed. 28But that same slave ran into one of his fellow slaves who owed him the equivalent of 100 days of work. He seized his fellow slave by the throat and said, 'Pay me all that you owe me.' 29Then his fellow slave fell down and begged him, 'Please, have patience with me. I will pay you!' 30But the first slave refused. Indeed, he threw the other slave in a prison until he could pay the debt. 31When the rest of the slaves heard about what happened they were very upset. They reported it to the slave master. 32The slave master summoned the first slave back to him and said, 'You wicked slave! I forgave you that huge debt you owed me because I took pity on you when you pleaded with me. 33Should you not have shown your fellow slave mercy, the way I showed you mercy?' 34The slave master in anger handed him to be tortured until he could pay back the entire debt he owed. 35So it will be with my Parent in heaven if you do not truly forgive your siblings from your heart."
Queeries for the text
What is this text building on?
What was skipped?
What is the accompanying reading?
Where is this headed?
How have passages like this been used to justify slavery?
When is it okay to not forgive?
What does true forgiveness look like?
What are your queeries?
No comments:
Post a Comment