Thomas Aquinas Commentary Matthew 18:23-35

"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 18:23-35 (ASV)

Here a parable is related, and He does three things:

1. The divine mercy is suggested.
2. Ingratitude is mentioned, where it is said, But when that servant was gone out, etc.
3. The punishment of ingratitude is mentioned, where it is said, Now his fellow servants seeing, etc.

Regarding the first of these (divine mercy), four aspects are detailed:

1. The assessment of the debts is related.
2. The size of each debt is related, where it is said, And when he had begun to take the account, one was brought to him, that owed him ten thousand talents.
3. The exactor’s justice is mentioned, where it is said, And as he had not with which to pay it, etc.
4. The remission of the debt is related, where it is said, And the lord of that servant being moved with pity, etc.

He says, therefore: Because you should always be ready to forgive, for this reason, you should understand this parable.

The kingdom of heaven is the law of the kingdom; the Word of God Himself is justice and truth: Who is made unto us wisdom and justice and sanctification and redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30).

Therefore, this Word was compared to a king when the Word was made flesh. Or, by the kingdom, the Church at the present time is designated, as was said above: They shall gather out of his kingdom all scandals (Matthew 13:41).

And it is suitably called a kingdom if we consider all the things that are in a kingdom. In a kingdom there is a king, servants, and similar things.

A king. This king is God, and may be understood to be either the Father, or the Son, or the Holy Spirit.

Who would take an account of his servants. By the servants of the Lord are understood the prelates of the Church, to whom the care of souls was committed: The faithful and wise steward, whom his lord sets over his family (Luke 12:42).

Therefore, what else does taking an account of things committed indicate, except that they are obliged to render an account? They watch as being to render an account of your souls (Hebrews 13:17).

Also, since to everyone his own soul is committed, anyone whoever can be called a servant; thus, Hast thou considered my servant, Job, etc. (Job 1:8).

Hence, every person is appointed to render an account of all the things committed to him, for it is necessary to render an account even for the least idle word, as was said above.

And when he had begun to take the account. The end of this account will be on Judgment Day; the beginning is when He brings tribulation upon us. Wherefore let them also that suffer according to the will of God commend their souls in good deeds to the faithful Creator (1 Peter 4:19). Begin ye at my sanctuary (Ezekiel 9:6).

Likewise, the careful examination of merits is mentioned. Let us search our ways (Lamentations 3:40), by which is understood the examination of consciences. In this examination, a servant was brought to the king who owed ten thousand talents.

If we apply these talents to the prelates, we take the talents to be the sins of their subjects, because as many times as one of their subjects sins through their negligence, they are made debtors of talents. Hence, it is said: Thy life shall be for his life (1 Kings 20:39).

Or, it can be said that a thousand is a perfect number because it is cubic. Likewise, by ten the Decalogue is understood. Similarly, by the talents, the gravity of sin is understood: And behold a talent of lead was carried (Zechariah 5:7).

Hence, by the talents is signified a man having a multitude of very great crimes. Thus, when God wishes to take an account and to examine a man’s conscience, He finds a mass of crimes: I have sinned above the sand of the sea.

Now, since this is an assessment of debts, three things are sought:

1. The reason for the assessment, or the reason for the punishment, is sought.
2. The punishment is described.
3. The result of the punishment is described.

A man is punished when he does not have of himself the means to repay the debt. Hence, He says, And as he had not wherewith to pay it, because all that he has does not suffice. Hence: What shall I offer to the Lord that is worthy? etc. (Micah 6:6).

For that reason, And as he had not wherewith to pay it, his lord commanded that he should be sold, etc., because the Lord takes an account with man, and man does not have the means to pay and atone God’s justice—or, more precisely, his punishment—He commands that he should be sold.

When he is sold, the price of his sins is his punishment, for a price is that which someone accepts for a thing. And so a man is sold when his punishment is inflicted: You are sold for your iniquities (Isaiah 50:1).

And his wife and children. From his wife, a man begets children. Now the children are his deeds, and the wife is concupiscence, or the root of sin.

And all that he had, which are God’s gifts. I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver, and gold, etc. (Hosea 2:8).

Therefore, he is punished for his wife, and children, and the gifts given to him. But to God the wicked and his wickedness are hateful alike . May his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow (Psalms 108:9).

But that servant falling down, besought him, saying. Here the Lord’s mercy is related. And firstly, the stirring up of His mercy, for what greatly stirs up mercy is prayer. Hence, when a man senses that he is in danger, he should turn to prayer: My son, hast thou sinned? do so no more: but for thy former sins also pray that they may be forgiven thee .

Now, this man's humility is commended, likewise his discretion, and moreover, his justice.

• His humility is commended, because it is said, falling down. The Lord hath had regard to the prayer of the humble (Psalms 101:18). Hence, he besought him. Origen writes that the words actually used here are, “He prayed to him.”
• His discretion is mentioned, because he did not ask that the whole debt be forgiven him, but instead merely asked for time; hence, he says: Have patience with me—that is, give me time so that I can pay back the debt. He was asking in this manner: Suffer me, therefore, that I may lament my sorrow a little (Job 10:20).
• Moreover, his justice is mentioned: And I will pay thee. Then shall they lay calves upon thy altar (Psalms 50:21).

Similarly, the pity of the forgiving master is related: And the lord of that servant being moved with pity, let him go and forgave him the debt. Hence, the sorrow of the one repenting does not cause the remission, but the Lord’s mercy; hence: It is not of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy (Romans 9:16). The lord being moved with pity, etc. Observe that the Lord gives more things than man dares to ask, so that in that Collect it is said: “Who does exceed both the merits and the desires of Your suppliants.” Hence, He let him go, meaning He freed him, and forgave him the debt of sin. For contrition can be so great that the Lord forgives one’s whole debt.

The servant’s ingratitude follows, But when that servant was gone out, etc., and five things are related which aggravate his ingratitude:

1. It is aggravated by the time. If it had happened after nine or ten years, it would not be surprising; but because he offends on the same day, he becomes ungrateful. He is like the sinner who, when his sins are forgiven, returns to his sins on the same day. Hence, it is said, Was gone out. For he beheld himself and went his way and presently forgot what manner of man he was (James 1:24).
2. His ingratitude is aggravated by his pretense. In his master’s opinion he was humble, but when he was gone out he immediately showed what kind of a man he was. I will go forth, and be a lying spirit, in the mouth of all his prophets (1 Kings 22:22).
3. Again, his ingratitude is aggravated by his relationship to the one he offended, for He found one of his fellow-servants. Man to man reserveth anger, and doth he seek remedy of God? .
4. Moreover, his ingratitude is aggravated by the smallness of the debt, because He owed him an hundred pence. Hence, there was a difference in the number, because he himself owed ten thousand; and there was a difference in the amount, for that man owed pence, but he himself owed talents. Hence, the sins which are committed against God are greater both in number and gravity than sins committed against a man, which are slight because they are committed out of weakness. Thus, the gravity is different, as between talents and pence, for it is more serious to strike a king than to strike a servant.
5. Similarly, his cruelty in exacting the debt indicates his ingratitude. For he was laying hold of him, because he was dragging him into litigation, bothering him, and he throttled him, not allowing him to breathe. And so his ingratitude is aggravated by his cruelty, in that he was unwilling to forgive.

Hence, two things are further related:

1. The supplication of the debtor.
2. The cruelty of the former servant, where it is said, And he would not, etc.

It ought to be observed that all things the former servant did to his master, this man did to him; hence, falling down, he besought him. Above it is said, “He prayed to him,” and here it is said, He besought him, because above, the first servant was rendering honor that is due to God; here, however, the second servant is dealing with honor that is due to a man. For that reason, He says, He besought him. But nothing sufficed for him; hence, it is said, And he would not. The bowels of the wicked are cruel (Proverbs 12:10). And he cast him into prison, meaning into affliction, till he paid the debt, meaning so that he would pay the debt. The jealousy and rage of a man will not spare in the day of revenge (Proverbs 6:34).

Now his fellow servants seeing. Here four things are mentioned:

1. His fellow servants’ disapproval of this sin is related.
2. The reproof of this sin on the part of God is related, where it is said, Then his lord called him.
3. The punishment is related, where it is said, And his lord being angry, delivered him to the torturers.
4. The parable is applied, where it is said, So also shall my heavenly Father do to you, etc.

He says, therefore, Now his fellow servants seeing, etc. For we see that if one member suffers, the others suffer also; hence, seeing the man afflicted, they naturally suffer with him. I beheld the transgressors, and pined away (Psalms 118:158). Hence, they were grieved. Rejoice with them that rejoice: weep with them that weep (Romans 12:15). And they came, and told their lord, meaning that they implored divine justice. The Lord hath heard the desire of the poor: thy ear hath heard the preparation of their heart (Psalms 9:17).

Afterwards the reproof is related, Then his lord called him, etc. The Lord calls at the time of death: Thou shalt call me, and I will answer thee (Job 14:15).

In this reproof, three things occur:

1. He upbraids his malice.
2. He rebukes him regarding the favor done to him.
3. He calls to mind what he should have done.

He says, therefore, Thou wicked servant. Previously, when the servant owed him, the lord did not reproach him; but now, when the servant ought not to have done what he did, the lord said, Thou wicked servant. For a man to sin is human, but to persist in sin is diabolical. I forgave thee all the debt. Here the lord upbraids him concerning the good deed he had received, which he himself failed to extend to his fellow servant: Shouldst not thou then have had compassion also on thy fellow servant? It is as if to say: You received great things, and you did not want to bestow little things.

And his lord being angry, etc. And here two aspects of the punishment are treated:

1. The punishment by which one is separated from God. When the lord commanded him to be sold, He did not say that he was angry, because warnings are not from Divine justice but from Divine mercy; however, a reproach is from God’s anger. As the roaring of a lion, so also is the anger of a king (Proverbs 19:12).
2. The punishment by which one is made subject to the demons; hence, delivered him to the torturers. He will render to him according to his judgment .

Likewise, the perpetuity of the punishment is mentioned: Until he paid all the debt; and this will be forever. For if the punishment is not to cease until satisfaction for the debt is made, and no one can make satisfaction without grace, then he who dies without charity will not be able to make satisfaction.

So also shall my heavenly Father do to you. Here He applies the parable. His Father is God, as it is said above: Our Father who art in heaven (Matthew 6:9). Shall do to you, that is, He will not forgive your sins, if you forgive not everyone his brother from your hearts.

Here He seems to suggest that forgiven sins may return, as Origen maintains, because forgiven sins do return to some people, for example, in the case of apostasy. But this does not seem to be true, because the remission of sins has its efficacy from the sacraments. For that reason, both manifest and hidden sins are forgiven; however, they are said to return through ingratitude.