And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt. Matthew 18:27
“Mammon’s work is the exact opposite of God’s work. Given this opposition, we understand why Jesus demands a choice between Mammon and God. He is not speaking of just another power, just any other god; He is speaking of the one who goes directly against God’s action, the one who makes “nongrace” reign in the world. Of course any other power and any other god is in a sense God’s opposite, but none is more opposite than Mammon from the standpoint of behavior…
We are always trying to bring about, one way or another, a conciliation of the two, but it is out of the question. The parable of the unforgiving servant shows this [Matthew 18:21-35]. When he had received grace (remission of his debt, renunciation of the creditor’s rights), this debtor entered the world of grace. This assumed a new behavior on his part: mercy expressed in giving. If we refuse grace for others, we refuse it for ourselves also, which means that we have not yet entered the world of grace.”
Jacques Ellul in Money and Power (Wipf & Stock: Eugene, 2009) 88.
I am shifting my focus to see what biblical scholars and theologians say about debt. Ellul reminds us that parables like the unforgiving servant bring to life the difference between Mammon and mercy. The former takes (nongrace) while the latter gives (grace). “If we refuse grace for others, we refuse it for ourselves also, which means that we have not yet entered the world of grace.” The world of grace offers remission of unfathomable debts.
So what does this mean for us as we think about generosity? We must consider three applications: (1) Extend compassion or mercy rather than condemnation to others, if we want to receive compassion and mercy from God. (2) Release others from debts they owe us, even as we want others to release us from debts. (3) Forgive others, like we we to be forgiven. If we do those three things, our generosity will indeed reflect God’s generosity toward us: mercy-filled giving. Make it so Lord Jesus.