The Grace Commentary – Your free verse-by-verse Bible commentary Matthew 18

Matthew 18:1

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

(a) Greatest; see entry for Matt. 18:4.

(b) The kingdom of heaven; see entry for Matt. 3:2.

Matthew 18:2

And he called a child to himself and set him before them,

In the other Gospel accounts, little children or infants were brought to Jesus (Mark 10:13, Luke 18:15).

Matthew 18:3

and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

(a) Children are helpless. The original word (paidion) means a little child. Little children can’t do anything for themselves other than cry for help. All who call on the name of the Lord with the helplessness of a child will be saved.

Further reading: “Become like a little child?”

(b) The kingdom of heaven; see entry for Matt. 3:2.

Matthew 18:4

“Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

(a) Humbles himself. The only way to approach God our Helper is with the helplessness of a little child. We must acknowledge that there is nothing we can do and no sacrifice we can bring that might save us. We are saved by grace alone.

(b) Greatest in the kingdom. Those who acknowledge their total dependence on God are recognized for their faith. Conversely, those who boast about their performance or try to stand on their own merits, are dismissed as deluded.

Matthew 18:5

“And whoever receives one such child in my name receives me;

One such child. A believer, someone who depends on the Lord. To receive or serve a Christian is to receive or serve Christ himself (Matt. 25:40). “Whoever receives you receives me” (Matt. 10:40).

Matthew 18:6

but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

(a) Whoever causes. Those who cause Christians to fall from grace.

Examples include the accursed teachers who preached “another gospel” to the Galatians causing them to stumble and those in the circumcision group who caused Peter to withdrew from the Gentiles and come under condemnation (Gal. 1:6–9, 2:11–12).

(b) Little ones. A believer, someone who depends on the Lord (see Matt. 18:3–4).

(d) Millstone. Tying weights to people’s necks and drowning them was something the Romans did in special cases of infamy. Jesus is basically saying, “Because the business of saving lives is such a serious business, whoever causes an ambassador of mine to stumble does incalculable harm.” Consider the damage that might have been done if Peter had remained under condemnation and had not been confronted by Paul.

Further reading: “The one about the millstone and the sea”

Matthew 18:7

“Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!

(a) Woe is an expression of grief, not judgment; see entry for Matt. 23:13.

(b) World. Fallen humanity; see the entry for Matt. 4:8.

The world is lost and in need of salvation. Since the good news of a Savior is revealed through God’s “little ones” or disciples, those who cause Christians to stumble are hindering people from being saved. Just was weeds among the wheat reduce crop yields, stumbling blocks diminish the gospel harvest (Matt. 13:24–30). This is a great tragedy (Luke 17:1).

Matthew 18:8

“If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire.

(a) Cut it off; see entry for Matt. 5:30.

(b) Enter life. Two kinds of life are described in the Bible; the psuche– or soul life we inherited from Adam and the everlasting zoe– or spirit life that comes from God (John 5:26). It’s the second kind of life that is described here. See entry for New Life.

(c) Eternal Fire. Jesus often spoke of fire in connection with Judgment Day (Matt. 5:22, 13:42, 50, 18:9, 25:41, Mark 9:43, Luke 17:29–30, John 15:6). He did not dread this fire but he looked forward to it knowing that it would spell the end of sin and usher in eternity (see entry for Luke 12:49).

Matthew 18:9

“If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be cast into the fiery hell.

(a) Pluck it out; see entry for Matt. 5:30.

(b) Enter life; see previous verse.

(c) Fiery hell. The Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:14), a.k.a. the eternal fire (see previous verse) or the unquenchable fire (Matt. 3:12, Mark 9:43–44, 46, 48, Luke 3:17). Hell/Gehenna should not be confused with Hades/Sheol, the Old Testament abode of the dead. See entry for Matt. 5:22.

Matthew 18:10

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven.

(a) Little ones. A believer, someone who depends on the Lord (see Matt. 18:3–4).

(b) Their angels. Angelic beings who serve as ministering spirits and provide divine protection (Ps. 91:11, Heb. 1:14).

(c) See the face. The seraphim cover their faces in awe of God’s glory (Is. 6:2), but the angels who watch over us have a direct line of communication with the Father. They are ready to receive and immediately respond to his instructions.

(b) My Father; see entry for Matthew 5:16.

Matthew 18:11

[“For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.]

(a) The Son of Man; see entry for Matt. 8:20.

(b) Lost. Through the prophets God had promised that he would search for his lost sheep and bring back the strays (Eze. 34:11, 16). To be lost is to be valued. The lost sheep belongs to the shepherd (Luke 15:4), the lost coin belongs to the woman (Luke 15:8), and the lost son belongs to the father (Luke 15:24).

Matthew 18:12

“What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying?

(a) What do you think? Jesus engages his disciples with a direct question. What follows is the parable of the Lost Sheep which Jesus told on more than one occasion. Here the parable is directed to his disciples and it concerns straying Christians. In Luke’s Gospel, the parable is directed to the Pharisees and scribes and it is concerned with those they dismissed as “sinners” (Luke 15:3–7).

(b) A hundred sheep is a substantial flock. To lose one sheep might be considered an acceptable loss, but a good shepherd values every one. He will not accept the loss of a single sheep but will search for those that stray.

(c) Gone astray. Like sheep, Christians sometimes stray. They might get misled by a false prophet or teacher, or they may become distracted and drift away.

(d) The ninety-nine. Some leaders might be untroubled by the loss of a single believer. They see the ninety-nine who are healthy and give little thought to the one who has wandered. But a good leader, one with the heart of the Good Shepherd, will search for the one who has strayed.

Matthew 18:13

“If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray.

(a) If. There is no certainty that the straying Christian will be brought back to the fold.

(b) Rejoices. Restoration is always an occasion for joyous celebration.

Matthew 18:14

“So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.

(a) The will of your Father is to go after straying believers. Don’t write them off, but seek to bring them back.

If the old covenant was characterized by negligent shepherds (Jer. 23:1–2, Eze. 34:2–4), the new covenant is characterized by Christlike shepherds who nurture the sheep and rescue the strays (Jer. 23:4, Gal. 6:1).

(b) Your Father; see entry for Matthew 5:16.

(d) Perish or be lost. The original verb (apollumi) is sometimes translated as lost (e.g., Luke 15:4, 6).

Matthew 18:15

“If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.

(a) If your brother sins. In the church, our default position is to be fervent in our love for one another, “because love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Pet. 4:8). But that does not mean turning a blind eye to sinful and destructive behavior. Our brothers and sisters will sin from time to time. So will we. Jesus tells us how to act when that happens.

(b) Show him his fault in private. Since love covers a multitude of sins, our default response is to always protect and cover those who have lost their way. Do unto them what you would want done to yourself. Expose the fault. If he listens, deal with it and be done with it.

Sadly, this does not always happen in practice. When some sin is committed a whistle-blower alerts the leaders and the sinner is called out in public. Maybe the pastor drops a few hints in their sermon that they are aware of some ongoing issue. The sinner feels guilty, confesses, and is brought up the front to repent in public. Their humiliation is meant to serve as a warning to others. It’s the modern equivalent of the scarlet letter, and Jesus is encouraging no such thing here. Church discipline ought to be gentle and restorative, rather than confrontational and punitive.

(c) You have won your brother. Real love speaks out (Pro. 27:5). If you deal with the issue in a sensitive and caring manner, they will love you for looking out for them.

Matthew 18:16

“But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that “by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed.”

(a) If he does not listen to you, don’t run to the church leaders or write letters to your denominational board. Be discrete. Get his friends involved. Convince him that this is a real issue that needs to be addressed before he hurts himself.

(b) Two or three witnesses will be more convincing; see Deu. 19:15.

Matthew 18:17

“If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

(a) Tell it to the church. If he refuses to repent, take steps to protect the community from the consequences of his sinful action. Don’t normalize or validate his destructive behavior.

The Corinthians famously did not do this. One of their number was engaged in sexual immorality and instead of confronting the man some in the church boasted of their tolerance (1 Cor. 5:1–2, 6). Paul was horrified. “Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough?” (1 Cor. 5:6).

(b) Church; see entry for Matt. 16:18.

(c) Gentile and a tax collector. If he refuses to listen to the church, his heart is obviously not with you. Don’t hate the guy. Just treat him as you would treat any other sinner. Love him, pray for him, but don’t put him on the worship team or give him any sort of platform. In extreme examples, you may have to ask him to leave (1 Cor. 5:2).

Matthew 18:19

“Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.

(a) My Father; see entry for Matthew 5:16.

(b) It shall be done. The God Jesus revealed is a listening and responsive Father (Matt. 6:8, 7:11, Luke 11:13, John 15:16, 16:23, 26). He hears your prayers and knows your needs even before you ask him (Matt 6:8).

Matthew 18:21

Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

(a) My brother. When someone sins against us, are we supposed to forgive them? If so, how many times? Is there a point where we say, “I’m all out of forgiveness?”

Jesus has been teaching his disciples how to deal with a brother or sister who sins against them (Matt. 18:15–17). Peter wants to know if there is a limit to forgiveness. Jesus answers his question with the Parable of the Unforgiving Slave. This parable is sometimes called the Unmerciful Servant, the King and the Servant, or the King Settling Accounts.

(b) Forgiven. The Greek verb aphiemi means “to send away” or “to release.” Forgiveness is not merely ceasing to be angry, but a deliberate dismissal of a debt or offense.

See entry for Forgiveness.

(c) Up to seven times? The rabbis taught that a person should forgive a brother up to three times, but Peter felt he could go as high as seven. He is essentially asking, “Is my standard of forgiveness good enough?” Which is to say, “Am I good enough?” His question betrays a hint of self-righteousness. To be self-righteous is to rely on your own standard of goodness. It’s trusting in your moral performance and living by rules. “I can forgive seven times.” It’s comparing yourself favorably to others. “I’m way more forgiving than the rabbis.”

It is the nature of the flesh to be self-righteous and to judge ourselves as good and decent. In this regard, Peter was no different from the rest of us; he just had the misfortune of getting his self-righteous boasts recorded in the Bible. (“Even if all others reject you, Lord, I never will” (Matt. 26:33).) God bless Peter for his brash mouth because he got Jesus talking, and what Jesus said next is good news for self-righteous promise-breakers like Peter and the rest of us.

Matthew 18:22

Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

Up to seventy times seven. “Just seven times?! Try seventy times seven.” Jesus raises the bar to an impossible height to show Peter that no one can consistently deliver the sort of performance that God expects. We may brag about our capacity to forgive, but what happens when life demands more than we can give? To trust in our own goodness is to tread a dangerous path. To drive the lesson home, Jesus tells a story about impossible forgiveness.

Matthew 18:23

For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.

(a) For this reason. “Peter, let me explain what I mean by unlimited forgiveness.”

“For this reason” is one of Jesus’ favorite sayings; see entry for Matt. 6:25.

(b) The kingdom of heaven. The Parable of the Unforgiving Slave is not a travel guide to the kingdom of heaven, nor is it a morality tale about doing good deeds. It is a revelation of the boundless mercy and compassion of God.

The kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God refers to the reign of God revealed through his Son. In this present age, it is expressed through the body of Christ, the church. See entry for Matt. 3:2.

(c) Compared. The parable is an analogy that compares one thing—the kingdom of heaven—to another—a king who wished to settle accounts.

(d) A king. A better title for this parable may be the Forgiving King, since the king is the star of this story. There has never been a king who forgives like this one.

(e) Settle accounts. A desire to settle accounts is a desire to balance the books, clear every debt, and move forward in a relationship. Unlike Pharaoh, who used debt to enslave his entire nation (Gen. 47:19–21), this king wants his subjects to be debt-free.

(f) Slaves. The Greek word doulos describes someone who belongs to a master. The Bible mentions several types of slavery, including household slaves, temple slaves, palace slaves, and foreign slaves. The treatment of slaves varied greatly depending on the culture and context. Some Bibles translate doulos as “servant,” but “slave” is more accurate. Slaves belonged to their masters, while servants were employees who were free to come and go.

The slaves in Jesus’ parables had a variety of occupations. They included field hands (Matt. 13:27), agricultural agents (Matt. 21:34), heralds (Matt. 22:3), security staff (Luke 12:36–37), shepherds (Luke 17:7), cooks (Luke 17:8), business partners (Matt. 25:14), estate managers (Mark 13:34), and investors (Luke 19:13). In this parable, the slaves appear to be public servants and government officials in the service of the king.

Matthew 18:24

“When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.

(a) One who owed. To owe such a large amount suggests the debtor was a thief of the highest order. Perhaps he was an embezzling tax minister or a corrupt governor. He represents a sinner with an unpayable debt of sin.

To someone with an old covenant mindset, sin is like a debt that must be repaid. In the Lord’s Prayer, Matthew records Jesus saying, “Forgive us our debts” (Matt. 6:12), while Luke writes, “Forgive us our sins” (Luke 11:4). To live under the obligations of the law is to live in a permanent state of indebtedness. In this parable about debtors who are shown mercy, we glimpse a greater story about sinners who are forgiven.

(b) Ten thousand talents. The word most often used to describe this debt is “astronomical.” It represents a sum greater than ten times the total revenue of first-century Israel. The Greek word for “ten thousand” (murios) means innumerable or countless (see 1 Cor. 4:15). It was used to describe quantities too vast to measure. A talent was the largest monetary unit in circulation. In other words, the debt was “the largest number you can imagine” multiplied by “the largest unit of money.” The debt isn’t just astronomical; it is absurdly, almost comically large and totally unpayable.

(c) Talents. A talent was a unit of weight used in ancient times, roughly equivalent to what a man could carry (2 Kings 5:23). Estimates for the weight of the Hebrew talent during the time of Christ range from 60–80 pounds (28–36 kilograms). When applied to gold or silver, a talent becomes a measure of value. In the Roman world, it is generally accepted that a talent was worth about 6,000 denarii. Since a denarius was a day’s wage for a laborer (Matt. 20:2), 10,000 talents would have been equivalent to roughly 200,000 years’ worth of wages.

Matthew 18:25

“But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made.

(a) He did not have the means to repay. Just as no one could repay such a debt, no one can atone for their sins. Our sin is an impossible debt that leaves us enslaved.

(b) Commanded him to be sold. In the Old Testament, people were sometimes sold to settle debts (see 2 Kings 4:1, Is. 50:1).

(c) Repayment to be made. This just and lawful king understands that for society to function, creditors must be protected and debts must be settled. However, since the debt is so large, there is no chance the man will ever repay it. His debt has condemned him to a lifetime of slavery.

Matthew 18:26

“So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’

(a) Prostrated himself. The debtor kneels before the law-giving king. Life, as he knows it, is over. His house, chariot, and everything down to his silk slippers will be seized. He will never see his wife and children again. He has been reduced to nothing, and he has no hope. “The king has spoken. Who can challenge him?” (see Ecc. 8:4).

(b) Have patience with me. “Just give me time.” This would be a reasonable request if it weren’t for the impossible size of the debt. Even if the slave worked for a thousand years, he could never repay what he owes. In the same way, we cannot pay for our sins. Some believe that good works and confession will balance the books with God. But life is short, and the debt is huge.

(c) I will repay. Instead of pleading for mercy, the debtor makes a pathetic promise: “I can pay this debt. I’m good for it.” This is the boast of the self-righteous. “If I try harder, I can make things right.” The groveling man is so lost he doesn’t even know it. He’s drowning in an ocean of debt, yet he foolishly believes he can save himself.

Matthew 18:27

“And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt.

(a) The lord. The original noun kyrios means “the one who is supreme in authority.” The king holds the power of life and death over his slave.

(b) Compassion. The king is moved by the pleading of his slave (Matt. 18:32). Compassion stirs within his bowels just as it did with Christ when he encountered the lost sheep of Israel (Matt. 9:36). His compassion is a prelude to mercy. Knowing that the man has no chance of repaying his debt, he decides to release him.

Compassion is one of God’s signature qualities. As the psalmist said, “You, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God” (Ps. 86:15a, NIV). To have compassion is to identify with someone in their suffering. It’s the king descending from the throne, as Christ descended from heaven, and standing beside the man, ready to help.

See entry for Compassion.

(c) Released him. With a word, the king sets the man free. The law condemned him to a lifetime of slavery, but the king blessed him with liberty. What a beautiful picture of how Jesus has redeemed us from the curse of the law so that we might be free (Gal. 3:13, 5:1).

(d) Forgave him the debt. To forgive means to send away. The king took the man’s debt, made it his own, and carried it away. It is an astonishing act of mercy.

The king doesn’t cancel the debt, for that would be unlawful; he forgives it. In effect, he says, “I will bear the loss.” And it is no small loss. It’s a king’s ransom and then some. To free this man, the king may have to sell his castle, give up his lands, and even relinquish his crown. His forgiveness is a kind of death, for he gives up his rightful claim to that which was owed.

The forgiving king takes a hit, and it’s a big one. This is not the seven-times forgiveness of a well-intentioned disciple, but the seventy-squillion-times-seven, limitless forgiveness of a gracious God. Such forgiveness comes at an immense cost. Which begs the question: why did the king do it? Since the debtor has nothing to commend him—he’s reckless with money, hopelessly indebted, and full of empty promises—there can be only one answer: love. It is the king’s love for the debtor that moves him to give up what he has so that the man and his family may go free.

Of course, no earthly king would act this way, but this is what our compassionate King has done for us. Though rich, Jesus became poor so that we might be free from sin (Luke 4:18, 2 Cor. 8:9). We owed a debt we could not pay, but on the cross the Forgiving King bore all our sin and cleared all the charges against us (Col. 2:14). He did this because he loves us with a love that endures all things and because he wants us to be free.

Matthew 18:28

“But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’

(a) But that slave went out. The forgiven man turns his back on the king’s hand of friendship.

The slave has been forgiven an impossible debt, yet he doesn’t fall to his knees in gratitude. Perhaps he doesn’t grasp the magnitude of the gift he has been given. By paying off his debts, the king is offering him a new life. The law condemned him to bondage, but the king has set him free. The king is his new best friend, and he ought to be leaping for joy. Instead, he gets up and leaves.

Perhaps he leaves because he is angry. He asked for time to prove himself, but received something he didn’t want—undeserved forgiveness. He’s fuming at the indignity of what he has suffered. Humiliated before the court, he burns with pride. “I don’t want the king’s charity. I said I would repay, and I will.”

(b) Owed him a hundred denarii. A denarius was a day’s wages (see Matt. 20:2), so 100 denarii was equivalent to about three months’ wages.

(c) Seized him and began to choke him. His anger towards the king finds a new target. Grabbing his fellow slave by the throat, he presses his fingers into his windpipe and snarls, “Give me my money!” It’s as if he’s never met the king.

(d) Pay back what you owe. A hundred denarii is a trifle compared to the fortune he has just been forgiven. Why is he so worked up over such a small debt? “It’s the principle of the thing,” he would say. “The law demands payment of debts, no matter how small.”

This man strikes us as a hypocrite, but in his mind, there is no double standard. He told the king he would pay, and he expects others to do the same. “If these shirkers were more diligent in settling their accounts with me, my own debt would be sooner paid.” Or maybe his anger masks his shame. He hates being helpless to resolve his debt, so he lashes out at others. Either way, his actions reveal that he has no interest in the king’s forgiveness. He is a bookkeeper who measures life in debits and credits. Scores are for settling, not forgiving.

Matthew 18:29

“So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’

(a) Fell to the ground. What took place in the throne room is replayed on the street with the roles reversed. This time, the slave is not the groveler but the one with the power to release and forgive.

(b) I will repay you. His fellow slave repeats the promise that he himself made to the king (Matt. 18:26).

Matthew 18:30

“But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed.

(a) He was unwilling. The king was moved with compassion, but the unforgiving slave has a heart of stone. He does not forgive because he does not believe in forgiveness. He is an unrepentant debtor who scorns the very grace that might save him. “I don’t need the king’s aid, and nor do you. We stand or fall on our own merits.”

(b) Threw him in prison. The man distances himself from the sinner. “You’ll rot in prison until you’ve repaid every penny.”

The slave’s cruelty stands in stark contrast to the king’s mercy. The forgiving king sets debtors free, but this man locks them away. By imprisoning others, he is rebelling against the king’s good rule.

(c) He should pay back. The king was willing to forgive him, but he is not willing to forgive others. The king gave mercy, but he gives punishment. “What’s wrong with that?” he might say. “Show mercy to this debtor and he’ll just run up bigger debts next time.” In other words, give grace to sinners and they’ll sin more. It never occurs to him that grace has the power to set people free from sin and sinning.

Matthew 18:31

“So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened.

(a) They were deeply grieved. The other slaves are outraged, and we are too. We are appalled by the slave’s cruelty. His lack of mercy is an affront to the king who forgave him. Like a vandal defacing a masterpiece, he has marred something beautiful.

(b) Came and reported to their lord. The other slaves inform the king about the psychopath terrorizing the neighborhood. Who will he attack next? If there is to be justice in the land, the king must act.

Matthew 18:32

“Then summoning him, his lord said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.

(a) Summoning him. Twice in the story, the slave comes to the king, and both times he is summoned. He never comes of his own volition, and why would he? This self-righteous man has nothing in common with the forgiving king. If he must face the king, he would rather do so on his own terms—not as a groveler, but as a man who pays his bills.

(b) You wicked slave. The unforgiving slave is not only a menace to society, he’s subversive and seditious.

To be wicked is to be cut from the same rebellious cloth as the devil and his demons. Yet the original adjective ponēros can also mean “toilsome” or “burdensome.” It comes from a verb meaning “to toil” or “to weary.” The wicked slave is toilsome in that he burdens others. The king brings relief to debtors; this man enslaves them.

(c) I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. To which the proud slave might reply, “I never asked for forgiveness. I said I would repay, and I will.”

Matthew 18:33

‘Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’

(a) Should you not also have had mercy? The king is as perplexed as we are. “Haven’t you heard the Parable of the Two Debtors (Luke 7:40–43)? The one who is forgiven much is supposed to love much, but you have no love at all.”

Just as God looked for Adam in the garden, the king is searching for the man who is lost. This is the critical moment. Everything hangs on what the slave does next. Accused but not yet condemned, he is given a chance to speak. The wise response would be, “Your majesty, I was wrong. I should have shown mercy. Let me run to the prison and set things straight.” But the slave says nothing. There’s no apology, no explanation, nothing. He stands silent and defiant before the king as if to say, “I don’t need to explain myself to you.”

(b) I had mercy on you. The king gave the slave mercy, but his gift was rejected. By refusing mercy, his slave has essentially asked for judgment, and judgment he shall have (Jas. 2:13).

(c) Mercy. Mercy is showing compassion towards those in need. Mercy is one facet of God’s grace. Just as God is rich in grace (Eph. 1:7, 2:7, Jas. 4:6), he is rich in mercy (Luke 1:58, Eph. 2:4, Jas. 5:11, 1 Pet. 1:3). He is the God of all grace (1 Pet. 5:10) and the Father of all mercies (2 Cor. 1:3).

See entry for Mercy.

Matthew 18:34

“And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him.

(a) Moved with anger. If there is one kind of wrath for breaking the law, there is greater wrath for scorning grace. “I paid a fortune to set you free, and this is how you thank me?”

It is not the man’s debt that provokes the king’s wrath, but his refusal to receive the king’s forgiveness. In the same way, it is not our sins that condemn us, for all our sins were carried by Jesus. It’s our stubborn refusal to believe that God has paid a great price to clear our debts and save us (John 3:36, Heb. 3:18–19).

(b) Handed him over to the torturers. His self-righteous quest to pay the unpayable will torment him for as long as he lives.

The Parable of the Unforgiving Slave contains three surprising elements. The first is the extravagant forgiveness of the king. Who could be so generous? The answer is that only God can forgive impossible debts. But just as we are feeling all warm and comforted by the grace of God, we are hit with the second and third surprises: the king changes his mind and hands the debtor over to the torturers. What does this volte-face say about the goodness of God? Is God fickle? Does he forgive us one day only to torture us the next?

There are no torturers in the kingdom of God, but there are torments outside it, and this is where the unforgiving slave prefers to live. His torment is self-inflicted, for sin and pride are their own punishment. He will bear the weight of his impossible debt for as long as he refuses grace.

What can the king say to such a man? There is only one thing: “You reject grace? Very well, you shall have law. In the way you have judged, you will be judged. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Off to jail with you!”

Recall that Jesus is telling this story to Peter, who had been bragging about his ability to forgive his brother (Matt. 18:21). “Seven times, Peter? What will you do on the eighth? Choke him and throw him in prison?” Human forgiveness has limits. Eventually, our patience runs out, and our promises prove hollow because we cannot give what we haven’t received. The only way to forgive the unforgivable is by receiving the unconditional forgiveness of the Father (Col. 3:13).

(c) Until he should repay all. Is God’s forgiveness conditional or unconditional? Some say it’s both. “God has forgiven all your sins, but if you don’t forgive others, he will hold your sins against you.” In other words, if you harbor unforgiveness against others, God will harbor unforgiveness against you. This is pure law, straight out of the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 6:14–15). The good news declares that God has already forgiven us. On the cross, he dealt with our sins once and for all, and nothing we do can ever change that.

Forgiveness is offered to all, but not all receive it. The tragedy of the unforgiving slave is that he clings to his debt instead of embracing mercy. Because he refuses to say “thank you,” he will remain imprisoned until his debt is paid. Except his debt has been paid—the king paid it himself. His prison of pride is locked from the inside, and he can walk free at any time. But he won’t leave because he has hardened his heart to the king. Having rejected the grace that could save him, he is unlikely to come to the place of repentance (Heb. 6:4–6).

(d) Repay all that was owed him. In the misery of his waning years, the self-righteous slave imagines that God has set his hand against him. In a sense, God has, for the merciless law is his instrument for resisting the proud (see entry for Jas. 4:6). The unforgiving slave may rant and rail in a futile attempt to justify his rebellion, but the heavens will seem as though they are shut against him. For as long as he scorns grace, he will remain accursed, cut off from life, and beyond salvation (Rom. 2:1–3, Gal. 5:4).

Matthew 18:35

“My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”

(a) My heavenly Father will also do the same to you. These are troubling words. Is Jesus saying that God will torture us if we fail to forgive others? Commentators offer four explanations: (1) Jesus didn’t mean it; (2) Jesus was speaking only to old covenant Jews; (3) If you don’t forgive others, you were never truly saved; (4) You are saved, but if you don’t forgive, God will punish you. The first two explanations miss the mark because Jesus is talking about the kingdom of heaven (see Matt. 18:23). The latter two misrepresent the heart of Jesus, the Forgiving King.

The key word in this passage is you. You is not “the Jews” or “the church.” You is Peter. Peter aspired to be more forgiving than the rabbis (Matt. 18:21–22). “What if I forgive up to seven times, Lord? Aren’t you impressed?” But Jesus was not impressed. “Try seventy times seven.”

Jesus meant what he said, but his words are for those who, like Peter, are trying to impress God with their good works or law-keeping. If you insist on living by a law of forgiveness, you must be prepared to go the whole way—and no one can. Imagine telling victims of sexual and domestic abuse that God will not forgive them unless they forgive their abusers. Thankfully, there’s a better way. We can quit pretending that we can forgive the unforgivable and instead rest in the truth that we are fully forgiven according to the riches of God’s grace (Eph. 1:7).

(b) If each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 6:14–15) and here with Peter, Jesus preaches a law of conditional forgiveness. This law is meant to plow the pride out of our hearts so that we might see our need for grace. It’s as though Jesus were saying, “Peter, enough with this ‘seven-times-and-I’m-done’ business. That’s not love. How long would a friendship last if you did that? How long would a marriage endure? You’d be divorced in a week! There is a better way, Peter, and it’s me. I am the Way. On the cross, I will give you the greatest demonstration of forgiveness you’ve ever seen. And when you receive my grace, you will be empowered to forgive others—even your enemies.”

The wrong way to read the Parable of the Unforgiving Slave is to imagine that God will punish us if we fail to forgive, or that Jesus delivers underperforming Christians over to tormentors. The truth is far better. The Forgiving King has forgiven all your sins, including your many failures to forgive. If you feel tormented by a past hurt you can’t let go of, come boldly to the throne of grace to receive help in your hour of need (Heb. 4:16). There you will find the strength to forgive and the freedom to move on. Under the new covenant, we do not forgive in order to be forgiven. By the grace of God, we forgive as Christ has forgiven us (Eph. 4:32).

The Grace Commentary is a work in progress with new content added regularly. Sign up for occasional updates below. Got a suggestion? Please use the Feedback page. To report typos or broken links on this page, please use the comment form below.

“The Grace Commentary is full of God’s love notes to us.” We’re building the world’s first grace-based Bible commentary. Join the team and your support will help us complete the Grace Commentary and offer versions in multiple formats and languages.

Matthew 18