Smoodock's Blog

It may be surprising to some folks that Jesus actually puts Peter in the place of the unforgiving servant! Think about it. Throughout chapter 18 of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus has been teaching about one brother offending another brother and whether or not the second forgives the first. Jesus began by saying, if his disciples wished to be a part of the Kingdom of Heaven, they must change and become as a child, vis-à-vis one who is eager both to learn and to practice what he has been taught (Matthew 18:1-3). Once in the Kingdom, Jesus told his disciples to beware of offending one another, for every disciple who has entered the Kingdom of Heaven is described as a little one (Matthew 18:6). In fact, it would be better for each of them to enter into Life, Kingdom Life, spiritually impaired than to offend one’s brother (Matthew 18:7-9).

All little ones are likened to a sheep who had gone astray, and it’s because of them that Jesus had come, vis-à-vis to seek them out and save them (Matthew 18:10-14). Then turning the tables, Jesus teaches from the point of view of the offended brother. He is given the responsibility of forgiving his erring brother (Matthew 18:15-20). Both are indebted to one another, because the first needs to repent for offending his brother, and the second is indebted to the first, because he has strayed from the beginning and Christ came, found him and saved him. Once saved, he was given the responsibility of forgiving his brother who offended him, because Christ also came to save him and salvation cannot be fully embraced and enjoyed among folks who abuse and despise one another. Therefore, Jesus places Peter, who is keeping of list of offenses or debts owed him, in the place of the unforgiving servant!

Therefore, Jesus likens Peter’s question to a situation that has developed in the Kingdom of Heaven, wherein a certain King (Christ) decides to take his servants (plural) into account. One servant, vis-à-vis Peter, was brought before him, and he owed the King 10,000 talents.[1] However, since the debt couldn’t be paid in full, the King ordered that his servant (Peter) should be sold, together with his wife and children and all they owned, in an effort to regain a partial payment (Matthew 18:23-25).

Nevertheless, the servant (Peter) fell down before the King in worship and pleaded, saying he would pay the debt in full, if given the time. Surprisingly, however, the King through his compassion for his servant, forgave the total debt his servant owed him, making Peter completely free of all his debts (Matthew 18:26-27).

Now, completely free of any indebtedness, that servant (Peter, who keeps a list of offenses) saw one of his brethren (fellow servants), who owed him one hundred pence,[2] and grabbed him by his throat and demanded payment (Matthew 18:28). The second servant pleaded for mercy, just as the first (Peter) did earlier with the King). However, the first showed no mercy toward his fellow-servant and had him cast into prison until the debt was paid (Matthew 18:29-30).

Seeing what was done, the other servants felt badly and went and told the King what had occurred (Matthew 18:31). Therefore, the King (Christ) called for his servant (Peter) a second time and rebuked him, saying that he had forgiven him a huge debt he was unable to pay and sent him away free, because he had compassion on him. Why, then, didn’t he (Peter) forgive his fellow-servant (his brother) of the much smaller debt owed himself? Shouldn’t he have behaved similarly and had take pity on his brother, just as pity was showed him (Matthew 18:32-33)?

Therefore, the King (Christ) delivered his servant (Peter) over to the tormentors, until he (the brother Peter had cast into prison) paid all that was due him (Peter).[3] Similarly, Jesus warned his disciples, their Father in heaven would treat them, if “from their hearts” don’t forgive the offenses of another brother, because one who has forgiven from his heart doesn’t keep a list of wrongdoings (Matthew 18:34-35; cp. 1Corinthians 13:4-7)!           [EB1] 

[1] According to Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary, 10,000 talents would have been equal to over a million and a half sterling, if Attic talents are meant in the verse, but if Jewish talents are meant, the sum would be much larger. In American dollars the sum listed would be over two million dollars. Since the implied income is that of a servant’s salary, Peter could never hope to pay back the debt in his lifetime.

[2] A hundred pence is equal to one pound sterling or about $1.30 in American currency (roughly at the time when the above commentary was written.

[3] In other words, if Peter forgives his brother, then both the brother and Peter are released from their “prisons.”