Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 18:32-33

"Then his lord called him unto him, and saith to him, Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou besoughtest me: shouldest not thou also have had mercy on thy fellow-servant, even as I had mercy on thee?" — Matthew 18:32-33 (ASV)

The wretch was not condemned unheard; his lord only judged him after he had called him. His lord and king set the matter before him very clearly and appealed to his own judgment upon the case. He reminded him of what he appeared to have forgotten; at least, he had acted as if it had never happened. His lord addressed him in words of burning indignation, “O thou wicked servant.” It was atrocious wickedness of heart which had permitted him to indulge in such unworthy conduct. “I forgave thee all that debt.” What an all it was! How freely was the debt removed! “I forgave thee.”

The reason given was, “because thou desiredst me.” Not because you had deserved such leniency or could ever repay it. The inference from such abounding generosity was clear, strong, unanswerable. The last words of the verse are forcible in the highest degree, “Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant?” How readily should we forgive the little offenses from which we suffer, since our Lord has pardoned our grievous transgressions! No offense of a fellow servant can be compared with our sins against our Lord. What a model for our compassion is set before us in those words, “even as I had pity on thee!”

The culprit made no defense. What could he say? He was unable even to make another appeal to mercy. He had refused mercy, and now mercy refused him.