From: Daniel 3:25, 34-43 (NAB)
Daniel 3:2, 11-20 (RSVCE and New Vulgate)
Prayers of the Young Men in the Fiery Furnace
[11] “For thy name’s sake do not give us up utterly,
and do not break thy covenant,
[12] and do not withdraw thy mercy from us,
for the sake of Abraham thy beloved
and for the sake of Isaac thy servant
and Israel thy holy one,
[13] to whom thou didst promise
to make their descendants as many as the stars of heaven
and as the sand on the shore of the sea.
[14] For we, O Lord, have become fewer than any nation,
and are brought low this day in all the world because of our sins.
[15] And at this time there is no prince, or prophet, or leader,
no burnt offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense,
no place to make an offering before thee or to find mercy.
[16] Yet with a contrite heart and a humble spirit may we be accepted,
as though it were with burnt offerings of rams and bulls,
and with tens of thousands of fat lambs;
[17] such may our sacrifice be in thy sight this day,
and may we wholly follow thee,
for there will be no shame for those who trust in thee.
[18] And now with all our heart we follow thee,
we fear thee and seek thy face.
[19] Do not put us to shame,
but deal with us in thy forbearance
and in thy abundant mercy.
[20] Deliver us in accordance with thy marvellous works,
and give glory, to thy name, O Lord!”
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Commentary:
3:1-68. As we have said, this section comes from the Greek versions and the
New Vulgate translates it from Theodotion’s version; it contains two pieces in
verse; the first is a penitential piece, attributed to Azariah only (3:3-22); the se-
cond is a canticle of thanksgiving (3:29-68) sung by the three young men. Each
piece is introduced by a prose description of the scene in the furnace (3:1-2;
23-28). The whole episode bears out the truth of what God told Israel in Isaiah
43:2: “When you walk through fire you shall not be burned.”
3:3-22. As is conventional in penitential psalms, this begins by proclaiming that
God is just in all his dealings, even when he punishes his people (vv. 3-5; cf. Ps.
32). Then it accepts that the people’s sins justify all that has befallen them (even
giving them over to the most wicked king in all the earth, vv. 6-10: perhaps a re-
ference to Antiochus IV). Finally, it asks for God to take action on the grounds
of the Covenant made with their ancestors (vv. 11-13) and the fact that the peo-
ple have been brought so low and do repent their sins (vv. 14-48); God’s good-
ness and mercy must now be revealed; his very honor requires that he rescue
them (vv. 19-22).
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
From: Matthew 18:21-35
Forgiveness of Injuries. The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
[23] “Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven may be compared to a king who wished
to settle accounts with his servants. [24] When he began the reckoning, one was
brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; [25] and as he could not pay,
his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and
payment to be made. [26] So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Lord,
have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ [27] And out of pity for him
the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. [28] But that same
servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a
hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ [29]
So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, ‘Have patience with me, and I
will pay you.’ [30] He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay
his debt.
[31] When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly dis-
tressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. [32]
Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you
all that debt because you besought me; [33] and should not you have had mercy
on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ [34] And in anger his lord deli-
vered him to the jailers, till he should pay all his debt. [35] So also My Heavenly
Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your
heart.”
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Commentary:
21-35. Peter’s question and particularly Jesus’ reply prescribe the spirit of under-
standing and mercy which should govern Christians’ behavior.
In Hebrew the figure of seventy times seven means the same as “always” (cf. Ge-
nesis 4:24): “Therefore, our Lord did not limit forgiveness to a fixed number, but
declared that it must be continuous and forever” (Chrysostom, “Hom. on St Mat-
thew”, 6). Here also we can see the contrast between man’s ungenerous, calcu-
lating approach to forgiveness, and God’s infinite mercy. The parable also clearly
shows that we are totally in God’s debt. A talent was the equivalent of six thou-
sand denarii, and a denarius a working man’s daily wage. Ten thousand talents,
an enormous sum, gives us an idea of the immense value attaching to the par-
don we receive from God. Overall, the parable teaches that we must always for-
give our brothers, and must do so wholeheartedly.
“Force yourself, if necessary, always to forgive those who offend you, from the ve-
ry first moment. For the greatest injury or offense that you can suffer from them
is nothing compared to what God has pardoned you” (St. J. Escriva, “The Way”,
452).
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.