The words `without a cause' must be omitted; anger is to be `put away', whether with or without a cause.

Continuing the Lord said:

`Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer

thy gift. Agree with thine adversary (prosecutor) quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him ... and thou be cast

into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost

farthing'.

Verses 22-26 of Matthew 5 must be considered together, the threefold punishment in verse 22, Judges,

Sanhedrin, and Gehenna of Fire being balanced by the Judge, the Officer, and the Prison of verse 25. `The uttermost

farthing' is parallel to the words of the parable, `all that was due'. These words are entirely out of place, nay, they

are absolutely untrue the moment they are taken out of their dispensational setting, and are interpreted of the present

time. Israel will pay to the uttermost farthing. They did not forgive, and the word is being fulfilled - they are not

being forgiven. A day will come, however, when the prison shall be opened, when the Lord shall say that Israel has

received double for all her sins (Isa. 40:2). There are many who repeat the words, `forgive us our debts, AS we

forgive our debtors', who do not believe that the Lord intended to put this principle in operation. The parable of the

unforgiving servant is also the parable of the unforgiven servant. The forgiveness granted is cancelled, and payment

in full demanded. This is not evangelical doctrine, this is not the truth of the epistles of Paul, it is on an entirely

different platform and under an entirely different economy.

We have considered the outlying context of the parable, rather than the parable itself; its interpretation is simple

if we see its connection with Israel and the kingdom. As we consider the other parables of the series, further

illustration will be given of the factors which contributed to Israel's rejection.

When the Lord Jesus was shamefully and cruelly crucified, even then He said, `Father, forgive them, for they

know not what they do'. Forgiveness of `all that debt' was proclaimed in the Acts to the very people guilty of the

blood of Christ, but Israel did not enter into the blessing, the keys that unlocked the doors of the kingdom closed

them again, the loosing was followed by binding, and Israel, scattered and homeless, have been delivered unto the

tormentors until the Lord's own good time shall come.

Thanks be to God that the forgiveness granted under the dispensation of the grace of God cannot be rescinded;

we are not forgiven as we forgive others. The teaching is reversed; we forgive others because, whether we forgive

or not, God in Christ has forgiven us (Eph. 4:32).

For the help of those who desire to take up the parable for detailed study the following outline may be of service:

A 21,22.

QUESTION REGARDING FORGIVENESS OF A BROTHER.



1a THE KING (23-26).



The debt of 10,000 talents.



Command to pay. Servant falls down, says



`Have patience', and promises to pay all.

applying the 

1b FORGIVENESS (27). Moved with compassion,



looses servant and forgives debt.



to the

2a THE SERVANT (28,29).

dispensational

The debt of 100 pence.



Taken by throat and payment demanded.

concerning  

Fellow servant falls down, says `Have

the kingdom 

patience', and promises to pay all.



of the

2b NO FORGIVENESS (30). Not moved with

heavens, and 

showing the 

compassion. Casts fellow-servant into

debt paid.



3a THE KING (32,33). Servant reminded that all