Matthew Henry Commentary Matthew 18:21-35

"Then came Peter and said to him, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? until seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but, Until seventy times seven. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, who would make a reckoning with his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, that owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not [wherewith] to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And the lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him a hundred shillings: and he laid hold on him, and took [him] by the throat, saying, Pay what thou owest. So his fellow-servant fell down and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay that which was due. So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were exceeding sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. 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? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due. So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts." — Matthew 18:21-35 (ASV)

Although we live entirely on mercy and forgiveness, we are reluctant to forgive the offenses of our brothers and sisters. This parable shows how much provocation God receives from His family on earth, and how disobedient His servants are. There are three things in the parable:

1. The master's wonderful mercy. The debt of sin is so great that we are not able to pay it. See here what every sin deserves; this is the wages of sin: to be sold as a slave. It is the folly of many who are under strong convictions of their sins to imagine they can make satisfaction to God for the wrong they have done Him.

2. The servant's unreasonable severity toward his fellow servant, despite his lord's mercy toward him. This does not mean we may take lightly wronging our neighbor, for that is also a sin against God. However, we should not exaggerate the wrongs our neighbor does to us, nor seek revenge. Let our complaints, both about the wickedness of the wicked and the afflictions of the afflicted, be brought to God and left with Him.

3. The master rebuked his servant's cruelty. The greatness of sin magnifies the riches of pardoning mercy, and the comforting awareness of pardoning mercy greatly disposes our hearts to forgive our brothers and sisters.

We should not suppose that God actually forgives people and afterwards counts their guilt against them to condemn them. Instead, this latter part of the parable shows the false conclusions many draw regarding their sins being pardoned, though their subsequent conduct shows that they never entered into the spirit or experienced the sanctifying grace of the gospel.

We do not forgive our offending brother properly if we do not forgive from the heart. Yet this is not enough; we must also seek the welfare of even those who offend us.

How justly will those be condemned who, though they bear the Christian name, persist in unmerciful treatment of their brothers and sisters! The humbled sinner relies only on free, abounding mercy, through the ransom of the death of Christ.

Let us seek more and more for the renewing grace of God, to teach us to forgive others as we hope for forgiveness from Him.