21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. 23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. 24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. 29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. 32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: 33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? 34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. 35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. (Matthew 18:21-35 KJV)
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
This part of the discourse on offenses concerns personal wrongs, which we have the power to forgive. Peter asks, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” (Matthew 18:21). He assumes he must forgive, remembering what Christ taught earlier (Matthew 6:14-15). He knows he must not hold a grudge but remain a true friend, forgetting the injury. He likely thinks seven times is generous—perhaps in total, not per day (contrast Luke 17:4). He may have drawn from Proverbs 24:16 or Amos 1:3, where numbers are used symbolically. There is a natural tendency to limit forgiveness, despite how much we ourselves have been forgiven.
Jesus answers, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22), meaning an unlimited number. Keeping count of offenses, even with the intent to forgive, implies a readiness for revenge once the limit is reached. God keeps an account because He is Judge (Deuteronomy 32:34), but we must not. Forgiveness must become habitual, like God’s own mercy toward us (Psalm 78:38-40).
Jesus then tells a parable to show the necessity of forgiving others. It reflects the kingdom of heaven—the church under the administration of the gospel. God is the Master, and we are His servants. The parable illustrates how much offense God endures from His people. A servant who owed his master ten thousand talents was brought to account (Matthew 18:23-27). This teaches several truths:
First, every sin we commit is a debt to God—not like a debt to an equal, but to a superior, like a subject to a king or a servant to a master. We owe God satisfaction and are accountable under His law.
Second, an account is kept of our sins, and we will be called to give an account. God uses our consciences to do this now. Conscience is God’s internal auditor, and a truly awakened person asks, “How much do I owe my Lord?” A final day of reckoning is coming, and only the blood of Christ can settle the account.
Third, the debt of sin is enormous, and some are deeper in debt than others. The servant owed ten thousand talents—a sum equal to nearly two million pounds sterling. This reflects the seriousness of sin—both the gravity and the multitude of the sins. Who can count their sins or fully understand them? (Psalm 19:12; 40:12).
Fourth, the debt of sin is beyond our ability to repay. The servant “had nothing to pay.” We are spiritually bankrupt; neither wealth (Psalm 49:6-7) nor good works can settle our debt. We are helpless.
Fifth, if God treated us strictly by justice, we’d be condemned as insolvent debtors. The king commanded the servant to be sold, along with his family and possessions, to make a partial payment. Every sin deserves this. Those who sell themselves to sin are sold to destruction. Though such payment could never cover the debt, it shows that not even eternal condemnation would fully satisfy divine justice.
Sixth, convicted sinners must humble themselves and plead for mercy. The servant fell down and begged, “Have patience with me, and I will pay everything.” He knew he was in debt but had not been concerned until called to account. Sinners often neglect the seriousness of their sin until awakened by a word from God, a tragedy, or the approach of death. Then even the proudest heart will melt. The servant doesn’t deny the debt but begs for time. Many under conviction mistakenly think they can repay God with their efforts, imagining they can earn forgiveness. Though they are convinced of sin, pride remains.
Seventh, God is full of mercy and ready to forgive those who humble themselves. The lord of that servant, moved with compassion, forgave the debt completely. The servant only asked for more time, but the master went further and canceled the entire debt. Forgiveness comes from God’s mercy (Luke 1:77-78). He has mercy because He chooses to. He sent His Son to redeem humanity and accept penitent individuals because they are aware of their misery. There is forgiveness with God even for the greatest sins if they are repented of. The servant was loosed—freed not only from the penalty but restored to freedom. Yet though released from judgment, he was still a servant. Forgiveness strengthens our duty to serve God with gratitude (Luke 1:74; Psalm 116:16).
Yet the forgiven servant then assaulted a fellow servant who owed him only a hundred pence (Matthew 18:28-30). Compared to his own forgiven debt, this was insignificant. Our sins against God are infinitely greater than any wrongs done to us. David overlooked personal wrongs but wept over sin against God.
The man seized and choked his fellow servant, demanding payment. Though legally entitled, he acted with cruelty. Justice without mercy is not righteousness. The debtor begged for patience—exactly as the first servant had done—but was refused and thrown into prison. This was harsh and pointless, revealing a heartless spirit.
Other servants, witnessing this, were deeply grieved (Matthew 18:31). We should be troubled by both cruelty and suffering. Like Solomon, who was moved by the tears of the oppressed (Ecclesiastes 4:1), we must not ignore injustice. Rather than confronting the offender directly, they reported it to their lord—appealing to the one with true authority to act for the oppressed against the oppressor. Note: What gives us reason for sorrow should also give us reason to pray. Let our complaints about the wickedness of people and the sufferings of the afflicted be brought to God and left with Him.
The master was justly angry at the cruelty his servant had shown. If the other servants were deeply troubled, how much more would the master be, whose compassion is far greater than ours.
He reproved his servant’s cruelty (Matthew 18:32-33): “You wicked servant.” Note: Being unmerciful is wickedness—serious wickedness. He reminds him of the mercy he had received: “I forgave you all that debt.” Those who abuse God’s kindness may expect to be reproached for it. The greatness of our sin highlights the richness of God’s mercy. We should remember how much has been forgiven us (Luke 7:47). He then uses that mercy to show the obligation to be merciful to others: “Shouldn’t you have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?”
It is rightly expected that those who have received mercy should show mercy. He should have been more compassionate because he had experienced the same distress. We better understand others when we’ve been in their shoes. The Israelites knew the heart of a stranger because they were once strangers; this servant should have known the heart of someone in debt. He should also have followed the example of his master, having benefited so greatly from his kindness. The comforting sense of God’s pardoning mercy helps us forgive others. On the Day of Atonement, the jubilee trumpet sounded a release of debts (Leviticus 25:9); we must show the same compassion to our brothers that God has shown to us.
The master revoked the servant’s pardon and handed him over to be punished until his debt was fully paid (Matthew 18:34). This judgment was just, matching the servant’s own lack of mercy—he who would not forgive is not forgiven. God’s wrath far surpasses human punishment; The worst he did to his fellow servant was throw him into prison, but he himself was delivered to tormentors. Our debts to God are never partially forgiven; they are either completely pardoned through Christ or fully punished. Sin dishonors God’s justice, and the debt it creates must be paid, either by the sinner or a substitute.
Here is the application of the whole parable (Matthew 18:35): “So likewise shall my heavenly Father do to you.” The title Christ gives to God here was also used in Matthew 18:19 in a comforting promise: “It shall be done for them by my Father in heaven.” Here, however, it is part of a serious warning. If God’s government is fatherly, then it is also just, and it does not mean that it will not be strict. Under His rule, we must be kept in reverence by the fear of His wrath. When we pray to God as our Father in heaven, we are taught to ask for forgiveness as we forgive others.
The duty of forgiving—we must forgive from the heart. We do not truly or acceptably forgive unless we forgive from the heart, for that is what God looks at. No hatred should be hidden in the heart, no grudge against anyone. There should be no secret thoughts of revenge, even if outwardly we appear reconciled. And that is not enough; we must truly desire and seek the good of those who have wronged us. The danger of not forgiving is that God will withhold pardon from those unfit to receive it, even if they appear humble or think they are forgiven. Those who refuse to forgive show they have never truly repented or believed the gospel. They will face judgment without mercy (James 2:13). Forgiveness and mercy are essential to true faith and godly wisdom. Those who act harshly toward others while claiming to follow Christ will face serious consequences, even condemning themselves when they pray the Lord’s Prayer.