Matthew 18:26

27. And his master, pitying that servant, forgave him, and acquitted him of the debt. 28. But that servant, having gone out, found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him a hundred pence : and laying hands on him, and seizing him by the throat, he dragged him, saying, Pay me what thou owest. 29. And his fellow-servant, falling down, entreated him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 30. But he would not, but went out, and threw him into prison, till he should pay the debt. 31. And when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were deeply grieved, and came, and related to their master all that had been done. 32. Then his master called him, and said to him, Wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou didst implore me : 33. O Lightest not thou also to pity thy fellow-servant, even as I pitied thee ? 34. And his master, being enraged, delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that he owed him. 35. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do to you, if you forgive not every one his brother from your hearts their offences.

[Bible] Jesus saith to him, `I do not say to thee till seven times, but till seventy times seven. `Because of this was the reign of the heavens likened to a man, a king, who did will to take reckoning with his servants, and he having begun to take account, there was brought near to him one debtor of a myriad of talents, and he having nothing to pay, his lord did command him to be sold, and his wife, and the children, and all, whatever he had, and payment to be made. The servant then, having fallen down, was bowing to him, saying, Sir, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all; and the lord of that servant having been moved with compassion did release him, and the debt he forgave him. `And, that servant having come forth, found one of his fellow-servants who was owing him an hundred denaries, and having laid hold, he took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that which thou owest. His fellow-servant then, having fallen down at his feet, was calling on him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all; and he would not, but having gone away, he cast him into prison, till he might pay that which was owing. `And his fellow-servants having seen the things that were done, were grieved exceedingly, and having come, shewed fully to their lord all the things that were done; then having called him, his lord saith to him, Evil servant! all that debt I did forgive thee, seeing thou didst call upon me, did it not behove also thee to have dealt kindly with thy fellow-servant, as I also dealt kindly with thee? `And having been wroth, his lord delivered him to the inquisitors, till he might pay all that was owing to him; so also my heavenly Father will do to you, if ye may not forgive each one his brother from your hearts their trespasses.` Chapter 19 And it came to pass, when Jesus finished these words, he removed from Galilee, and did come to the borders of Judea, beyond the Jordan, and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them there.

The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him —or did humble obeisance to him. saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all —This was just an acknowledgment of the justice of the claim made against him, and a piteous imploration of mercy. 27. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt —Payment being hopeless, the master is first moved with compassion; next, liberates his debtor from prison; and then cancels the debt freely. 28. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants —Mark the difference here. The first case is that of master and servant; in this case, both are on a footing of equality. (See Matthew 18:33, below.) ## which owed him an hundred pence —If Jewish money is intended, this debt was to the other less than one to a million. and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat —he seized and throttled him. saying, Pay me that thou owest —Mark the mercilessness even of the tone. 29. And his fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all —The same attitude, and the same words which drew compassion from his master, are here employed towards himself by his fellow servant. 30.

Then Peter came to him and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? until seven times? Jesus says to him, I say not to thee until seven times, but until seventy times seven. For this cause the kingdom of the heavens has become like a king who would reckon with his bondmen. And having begun to reckon, one debtor of ten thousand talents was brought to him. But he not having anything to pay, [his] lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and his children, and everything that he had, and that payment should be made. The bondman therefore falling down did him homage, saying, Lord, have patience with me and I will pay thee all. And the lord of that bondman, being moved with compassion, loosed him and forgave him the loan. But that bondman having gone out, found one of his fellow-bondmen who owed him a hundred denarii. And having seized him, he throttled him, saying, Pay [me] if thou owest anything. His fellow-bondman therefore, having fallen down [at his feet], besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee. But he would not, but went away and cast him into prison, until he should pay what was owing. But his fellow-bondmen, having seen what had taken place, were greatly grieved, and went and recounted to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord, having called him to [him], says to him, Wicked bondman! I forgave thee all that debt because thou besoughtest me;

[Reformed Biblical] (14.) We should never be weary of forgiving our brethren, Matthew 18:22. We should do it cheerfully. We should do it always. We are never better employed than when we are doing good to those who have injured us. Thus doing, we are most like God. (15.) There will be a day in which we must give up our account, Matthew 18:23. It may wait long; but God will reckon with us, and everything shall be brought into judgment. (16.) We are greatly indebted to God—far, far beyond what we are able to pay, Matthew 18:24. We have sinned, and in no way can we make atonement for past sins. But Jesus the Saviour has made atonement, and paid our debt, and we may be free. (17.) It is right to pray to God when we feel that we have sinned, and are unable to pay the debt, Matthew 18:26. We have no other way. Poor, and needy, and wretched, we must cast ourselves upon his mercy, or die —die for ever. (18.) God will have compassion on those who do it, Matthew 18:27. At his feet, in the attitude of prayer, the burdened sinner finds peace. We have nowhere else to go but to the very Being that we have offended. No being but He can save us from death. (19.) From the kindness of God to us we should learn not to oppress others, Matthew 18:28. (20.) It is our true interest, as well as duty, to forgive those that offend us, Matthew 18:34. God will take vengeance; and in due time we must suffer if we do not forgive others. (21.) Christians are often great sufferers for harbouring malice.

## PARALLEL VI. Sinners are so far in Debt to God, that they are not able to make him satisfaction, they owe ten thousand talents, and have not one farthing to pay: the aggravation of sin lieth in this, viz., that it is against God; therefore that offence that is against Man is compared to an hundred pence, but that which is against God to ten thousand talents. "And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him which owed him ten thousand talents. And because he had nothing to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and the debt to be paid. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, lord refrain thine anger towards me and I will pay thee all. Then the Lord of that servant had compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants which owed him an hundred pence, and he laid his hands upon him, and took him by the throat, saying, pay me that thou owest," &c., Matthew 18:24-28 . METAPHOR VII. An ill Debtor, that is very far in debt, does not love to see nor meet his creditor, he will go some byeway, or go much about, rather than come near him, or meet with him.

## WICKED MEN DEBTORS ## WICKED MEN DEBTORS " Agree with thine adversary quickly, whilst thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily, I say unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing ," Matthew 5:25-26 . " And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents ," Matthew 18:24 . IN both these places sin is called a Debt, and the sinner a Debtor: the reason of which is showed under the head of metaphors concerning sin, where sin is compared to a Debt; unto which we refer you. ## METAPHOR I. A Debtor is one that oweth money, duty, &c., to his neighbour; also one that is a trespasser, an offender, or guilty person. A man may be a Debtor by office, Galatians 5:3 ; by duty, Romans 8:12 ; by the law of charity, Romans 15:27 ; by trespassing or offending, whether God or man, Matthew 6:12 . PARALLEL I. Man oweth all that he is, hath, or can do, unto God; he having received his very being, and all other good things that he enjoys, from God, as so many talents lent him, which he must be accountable to God for in the great day, &c., Matthew 25:19 . Man is a trespasser, an offender, or a guilty person, having broken the law, the penalty of which is eternal death; so that as a traitor, or flagitious person, by his heinous crimes he is become a Debtor to everlasting punishment.

Wherefore then did He not do this, nor forgive the debt before the account? Desiring to teach him, from how many obligations He is delivering him, that in this way at least he might become more mild towards his fellow servant. For even if when he had learnt the weight of his debt, and the greatness of the forgiveness, he continued taking his fellow-servant by the throat; if He had not disciplined him beforehand with such medicines, to what length of cruelty might he not have gone? What then saith the other? "Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And his Lord was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt." [2365] Seest thou again surpassing benevolence? The servant asked only for delay and putting off the time, but He gave more than he asked, remission and forgiveness of the entire debt. For it had been his will to give it even from the first, but he did not desire the gift to be his only, but also to come of this man's entreaty, that he might not go away uncrowned. For that the whole was of him, although this other fell down to him and prayed, the motive of the forgiveness showed, for "moved with compassion" he forgave him. But still even so he willed that other also to seem to contribute something, that he might not be exceedingly covered with shame, and that he being schooled in his own calamities, might be indulgent to his fellow-servant. 4. Up to this point then this man was good and acceptable; for he confessed, and promised to pay the debt, and fell down before him, and entreated, and condemned his own sins, and knew the greatness of the debt. But the sequel is unworthy of his former deeds. For going out straightway, not after a long time but straightway, having the bene fit fresh upon him, he abused to wickedness the gift, even the freedom bestowed on him by his master. For, "he found one of his fellow-servants, which owed him an hundred pence, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me what thou owest." [2367]

As many therefore as stand indebted to thee, either for money, or for trespasses, let them all go free, and require of God the recompense of such thy magnanimity. For so long as they continue indebted to thee, thou canst not have God thy debtor. But if thou let them go free, thou wilt be able to detain thy God, and to require of Him the recompense of so great self-restraint in bountiful measure. For suppose a man had come up and seeing thee arresting thy debtor, had called upon thee to let him go free, and transfer to himself thy account with the other: he would not choose to be unfair after such remission, seeing he had passed the whole demand to himself: how then shall God fail to repay us manifold, yea, ten thousand fold, when for His commandment's sake, if any be indebted to us, we urge no complaint against them, great or small, but let them go exempt from all liability? Let us not then think of the temporary pleasure that springs up in us by exacting of our debtors, but of the loss, rather, how great! which we shall thereby sustain hereafter, grievously injuring ourselves in the things which are eternal. Rising accordingly above all, let us forgive those who must give account to us, both their debts and their offenses; that we may make our own accounts prove indulgent, and that what we could not reach by all virtue besides, this we may obtain by not bearing malice against our neighbors; and thus enjoy the eternal blessings, by the grace and love towards man of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and might now and always, even forever and ever. Amen. [athron, "all at once."--R.] demde. chmai suromnon, al. erchomnon. Luke vi. 20. "And He lifted up His eyes on His disciples, and said." And ver. 27, "I say unto you which hear." tapeinn, LXX. Isa. lxvi. 2, LXX. Dan. iii. 39, LXX.; or Song of the Three Holy Children, ver. 16. exetrachelsthe. politeumeno. [idite.]

16. If one of your servants owed you an hundred pieces of gold; and some one again was indebted to him in a few pieces of silver; and if the servants' debtor were to come, and entreat and supplicate you that he might obtain indulgence, and you were to call in your own servant, and charge him, saying, "Forgive this man the debt, and from the sum thou owest me I will deduct this debt;" should that servant afterwards be wicked and shameless enough to seize on his debtor, could any one then rescue him out of your hands? Would you not most assuredly inflict a thousand stripes upon him, as having been insulted to the last extremity? And very justly too. This also God will do: for He will say to thee on That Day, "O wicked and villainous servant, yea, was it of thine own thou forgavest him? Out of what thou wert indebted to Me, thou wert ordered to account to him. For "Remit," He saith, "and I will remit unto thee! although, to speak truly, if I had not added this condition, it would have been even then thy duty to have remitted at the instance of thy Lord. But in this case, I did not command thee as a master, but I asked it as a favour from a friend; and I asked it out of My own property; and I promised to give greater things in return; and yet with all this, thou wert not made a better man." Moreover men, when they act in this manner, put down as much to their own servants' accounts, as the measure of the debt is