Parable of the Unmerciful Servant Drama

Parable of the Unmerciful Servant:  Matthew 18:23-35 ( page 110 in Gospel Parallels)

( A play performed by my puppet Deckham, and myself)

Narrator: Hello Deckham, what have you been up to now?

Deckham: (enters dressed a as pirate) I’ve writ another play

Narrator: No Deckham, I’ve WRITTEN another play.

Deckham: Have you done one too?

Narrator: (sighs) What’s it about.

Deckham: It’s from the bible, and it’s called ‘the Pirate King’s Right Hand Man’

Narrator: (pauses) I don’t know any story like that in the bible. Where do I find it? (looks

                         through the bible)

Deckham: Well it’s not called that, but the story’s the same, I just like pirates that’s all.

Narrator: Well go on then, let’s hear it! What part do you play?

Deckham: I’m the right hand man who owes the pirate king 10,000 pieces of gold! And

                  you’re the Narrator.

Narrator: OK! Off we go.

Deckham: “DON’T SELL ME AND MY FAMILY, TO PAY THE DEBT I OWE TO THEE,

                   PLEASE SHOW MERCY UNTO ME, I’LL PAY YOU BACK EVENTUALLY!”

Narrator: Out of pity, the pirate king released him and forgave him the debt. But as this

                  man left the Pirate King’s cabin, he met a fellow pirate, a cabin boy, who owed

                  him 100 pieces of gold, and he grabbed him by the throat, and said.           

Deckham:  “PAY ME WHAT YOU OWE, OR INTO JAIL YOU’LL GO!”

Narrator:  The poor cabin boy said,

                  “O PLEASE SHOW MERCY UNTO ME, I’LL PAY YOU BACK EVENTUALLY!” But he

                   replied,

Deckham: NO! INTO PRISON YOU SHALL GO!

Narrator:  The other pirates saw what happened, and went straight to the Pirate King

                    and reported him. The Pirate King called him, and this is what he said to him:

                    (aside: Deckham, who plays the part of the Pirate king?)

Deckham:  I do!

Narrator: I thought you might! (continues) So the Pirate King said to his right hand man:

Deckham: YOU WICKED MAN! I FORGAVE YOU WHEN YOU ASKED FOR MERCY

                   NOW YOU WILL WALK THE PLANK!

Narrator:  (pause) But Deckham, that’s not how it ends: in the story the owner throws him

                  into prison and has him tortured until he can pay the debt

Deckham: I think I’d rather walk the plank!

Narrator: You know Deckham, so would I! But I think what the story is really saying is

                  that when God forgives our sins, we should also be willing to forgive others.

Deckham: So did you like my play?

Narrator: I think it was the best yet!

© Sheila Hamil Thursday 23rd January 2014