Jesus declared that our forgiveness of others should have no limits: “No, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” (Mt 18: 22)
To further illustrate what limitless forgiveness means, Jesus tells the parable on the “Unmerciful Servant,” about the generous forgiveness of the king for a truly huge debt and the unwillingness of the servant whose huge debt was forgiven to do the same for a fellow servant for a much smaller debt.
In the king’s mercy to the debtor-servant, Jesus shows the almost limitless mercy and readiness of the heavenly Father to forgive the repentant sinner. At the same time Jesus stresses that we too must learn to be as forgiving as our heavenly Father.
The forgiving king in the parable became merciless on the unforgiving servant: “So will my heavenly Father do with you unless each of you sincerely forgive your brother or sister.” (Mt 18: 35)