THEMES FROM THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS AND THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES (a) You wicked servant; I forgave you all that debt because you besought me ? Outline the circ...

THEMES FROM THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS AND THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

(a) You wicked servant; I forgave you all that debt because you besought me ? Outline the circumstances that led to the above statement.

(b) State three reasons for which people find it difficult to forgive.

Answer Details

(a) The statement "You wicked servant; I forgave you all that debt because you besought me" was made by the king in a parable told by Jesus in response to Peter's question about how many times he should forgive his brother. The parable describes a king who forgave a servant a huge debt, but the same servant refused to forgive a fellow servant who owed him a smaller debt. When the king found out, he called the servant wicked and handed him over to be tortured until he could pay back the debt he owed. (b) Three reasons why people find it difficult to forgive are: 1. Pride: Sometimes people are too proud to forgive because they feel that it makes them appear weak or vulnerable. They may also feel that the other person does not deserve their forgiveness. 2. Hurt and anger: When people have been hurt or wronged, they may struggle to forgive because of the anger and bitterness they feel towards the person who hurt them. 3. Fear: People may fear that if they forgive someone who has wronged them, they may be taken advantage of again or that the person may not change their behavior. They may also fear that forgiving the person will mean they have to reconcile with them, which may be uncomfortable or unsafe.