Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
Artist: Claude Vignon
1629
Painting
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant appears only in Matthew 18:23-35. The Apostle Peter had asked how many times one should forgive, "Till seven times?" and Jesus answered, "Not seven times but seventy times seven" (Matthew 18:21-22). The context of this passage is Jesus teaching His disciples about the "kingdom of heaven."
The servant whose lord forgave him much, ten thousand talents, equivalent to several millions of dollars, was unwilling to forgive another servant who owed him a hundred denarii. A denarius was a day’s wage and was worth approximately sixteen cents. Therefore, compared to what the first servant was forgiven, this was a very small amount. The principle here is, "the one forgiven much should forgive much." In other words, the principle of forgiveness is that grace or forgiveness to another is without limit. The disciples are not to count the number of times they forgive. Rather, as the parable teaches, they are to forgive much because God has forgiven much.
The Scribe Shaphan Reading The Book Of Law To King Josiah
Artist: Leonaert Bramer
c. 1662
Painting
This painting measures 7 ½ x 11 5⁄8 in. (19 x 29.5 cm.). It is housed in a private collection after an Anonymous sale; Couturier & de Nicolay, Paris, and a second Anonymous sale; [Property of a Private Collection], at Sotheby's, New York, 22 January 2004, lot 28, where acquired by the present owner.
Shaphan, son of Azaliah, is the name of a scribe or court secretary mentioned several times in the Hebrew Bible (2 Kings 22:3–14 and 25:22; and parallels in 2 Chronicles 34:8–20. Shaphan is one of three leaders sent by King Josiah of Judah to repair the temple in Jerusalem,using the temple funds to commission the necessary work. When the chief Temple priest Hilkiah discovers an ancient Torah scroll, he gives it to Shaphan, who in turn brings it to King Josiah. Josiah reads it aloud to a crowd in Jerusalem, resulting in a great religious revival. Many scholars believe this was either a copy of the Book of Deuteronomy or a text that became a part of Deuteronomy as we have it; as a result the event is known as the Deuteronomic reform.
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