[68. The Unmerciful Fellow-Servant]
Peter once asked Jesus: How often shall I forgive my brother that sins against me? Are seven times enough? Jesus answered: Not seven times, but seventy times seven. And He told the following parable: A king would make reckoning with his servants, and there came one that owed him ten thousand talents.[[5]] But as he had not wherewith to pay, the king commanded that he and his wife and children and all that he had should be sold, and payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him and said: Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And his lord, being moved with compassion, forgave him the debt. But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants that owed him a hundred shillings,[[6]] and he laid hold on him and took him by the throat, saying: Pay me what thou owest! So his fellow-servant fell down and besought him, saying: Have patience with me, and I will pay thee. And he would not, but went and cast him into prison. So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were exceeding sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord called him and said: Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou besoughtest me; shouldest not thou also have had mercy on thy fellow-servant, even as I had mercy on thee? And his lord cast him into prison, till he should pay all that was due. So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if you forgive not every one his brother from your hearts. (Matt. 18:21-35.)
[69. The Prodigal Son. The Lost Sheep]
The Pharisees considered themselves righteous, and were therefore offended because Jesus received publicans and sinners and ate with them. Jesus therefore spoke the following parables: A certain man had two sons. The younger said to the father: Father, give me that part of thy substance that falls to me. And he divided unto them. Not many days after, the younger son gathered all his goods and took his journey into a far country, and there he wasted his substance in riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that country, and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine ate; and no man gave him anything. When he came to himself he said: How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight. I am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose and came to his father. While he was yet far off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. The son said: Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight; I am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants: Bring forth the best robe, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet, and kill the fatted calf, and let us eat and make merry. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.
The elder son was in the fields, and as he came home and heard music and dancing, he asked one of the servants what these things might be. And he was told that the father had made a feast for his son who had returned. Then he was angry, and would not go in. His father came out and entreated him; but he answered: Lo, these many years do I serve thee, and I never transgressed thy commandments, and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends; but when this thy son came, who hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou killedst for him the fatted calf. But his father said: My son, thou art ever with me, and all that is mine is thine; but it was meet to make merry and be glad, for this thy brother was dead, and is alive; and was lost, and is found.
When a man has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does he not leave the ninety and nine, and go after the lost sheep? And when he hath found it, he lays it on his shoulders and bears it home, and rejoices more over that one than over the ninety and nine which were not lost. So shall there be greater joy in heaven over one sinner who repenteth, than over ninety and nine who need no repentance. (Luke 15.)
[70. The Rich Man and Lazarus]
There was a rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a poor man named Lazarus, that was laid at his gate, full of sores, and he desired to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table; yea, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died, and he was carried away by the angels into Abraham’s bosom. The rich man died also, and was buried. When he lifted up his eyes in hell, being in torments, he saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said: Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame. But Abraham answered: Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime hast received thy good things, and Lazarus likewise evil things; but now here he is comforted, and thou art in anguish. Besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that they who would pass from hence to you may not be able, and that none may cross over from thence to us. And he said: I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house—for I have five brothers—that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham answered: They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. But he said: Nay, Father Abraham; but if one go to them from the dead they will repent. Abraham answered: If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rise from the dead. (Luke 16:19-31.)
[71. The Pharisee and the Publican]
To certain who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and set all others at naught, Jesus spake this parable: Two men went up into the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed thus: God, I thank Thee, that I am not as the rest of men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, and give tithes of all that I get. But the publican, standing afar off, would not lift his eyes unto heaven, but smote his breast and said: God, be merciful to me a sinner! I say unto you: This man went down to his house justified, but not the Pharisee; for every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. (Luke 18:9-14.)