Matthew 18:24

And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.

And {G1161} when he {G846} had begun {G756} to reckon {G4868}, one {G1520} was brought {G4374} unto him {G846}, which owed {G3781} him {G846} ten thousand {G3463} talents {G5007}.

Right away they brought forward a man who owed him many millions;

As he began the settlements, a debtor was brought to him owing ten thousand talents.

And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, that owed him ten thousand talents.

Commentary

Commentary on Matthew 18:24 KJV

The verse Matthew 18:24 introduces the central character and the overwhelming problem in Jesus' Parable of the Unforgiving Servant. It sets the stage for a profound lesson on divine mercy and human responsibility in forgiveness.

Context

This verse is part of Jesus' extended teaching on forgiveness, which begins in Matthew 18:21 with Peter's question about how many times one should forgive. Jesus responds by telling the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, which illustrates the immense debt of sin we owe to God and the expectation that we, in turn, extend forgiveness to others. The king in the parable represents God, and the servant represents humanity.

Key Themes

  • Immeasurable Debt: The "ten thousand talents" represents an astronomical, unpayable sum, symbolizing the vastness of humanity's sin and spiritual debt before a holy God.
  • Divine Reckoning: The phrase "when he had begun to reckon" highlights God's ultimate authority and the certainty of a divine accounting for all actions.
  • The King's Authority: The master's power to call for an accounting and to demand such a large sum underscores God's absolute sovereignty and justice.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "ten thousand talents" (Greek: myriades talanton) is crucial for understanding the parable's impact. A "talent" was not a coin but a unit of weight, typically for gold or silver, and represented an enormous sum of money. Scholars estimate one talent could be worth 6,000 denarii, with a denarius being a common laborer's daily wage. Therefore, ten thousand talents would equate to many billions in modern currency, an utterly unpayable debt for an individual. This hyperbole emphasizes the sheer impossibility of the servant ever repaying what he owed, mirroring the spiritual truth that humanity cannot atone for its own sins.

Significance and Application

This verse powerfully sets up the contrast between the servant's insurmountable debt to the king and a much smaller debt owed to him by a fellow servant in later verses. It forces the listener to confront the magnitude of their own spiritual debt to God. Just as the servant could never earn his way out of such a financial burden, we cannot earn our way out of our sin through good works. This profound realization of our own unpayable debt is foundational to appreciating God's incredible mercy and the grace of salvation. The parable then proceeds to illustrate that having received such immense forgiveness, we are obligated to extend forgiveness to others, as highlighted in the parable's conclusion in Matthew 18:35.

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Cross-References

  • Psalms 38:4 (6 votes)

    For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

  • Psalms 130:3 (4 votes)

    If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?

  • Psalms 130:4 (4 votes)

    But [there is] forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.

  • Luke 13:4 (2 votes)

    Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?

  • Luke 16:5 (2 votes)

    So he called every one of his lord's debtors [unto him], and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?

  • Ezra 9:6 (2 votes)

    And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over [our] head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.

  • Psalms 40:12 (2 votes)

    For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.