Matthew 18:31

So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.

So {G1161} when his {G846} fellowservants {G4889} saw {G1492} what was done {G1096}, they were very {G4970} sorry {G3076}, and {G2532} came {G2064} and told {G1285} unto their {G846} lord {G2962} all {G3956} that was done {G1096}.

When the other servants saw what had happened, they were extremely distressed; and they went and told their master every thing that had taken place.

When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and recounted all of this to their master.

So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were exceeding sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.

Matthew 18:31 KJV describes the reaction of the other servants in Jesus' Parable of the Unforgiving Servant. After witnessing the servant who had been forgiven an immense debt refuse to forgive a much smaller debt owed to him by a fellow servant, their deep sorrow and subsequent report to their lord set the stage for divine judgment.

Context

This verse is a crucial turning point within the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, which Jesus tells in response to Peter's question about how many times one should forgive a brother (Matthew 18:21-22). The parable illustrates the boundless mercy of a king (representing God) who forgives a servant an unpayable debt of "ten thousand talents." However, this same servant then cruelly demands repayment from a fellow servant who owed him a mere "hundred pence" and had him thrown into prison. Verse 31 highlights the moral outrage and grief felt by those who observed this profound lack of compassion.

Key Themes

  • Witnessing Injustice and Lack of Mercy: The fellowservants' reaction underscores the universal human understanding of fairness and the inherent wrongness of unforgiveness, especially when great mercy has been received. Their "sorrow" signifies their deep distress over the unforgiving servant's cruelty.
  • The Role of Accountability: By reporting the incident to their lord, the fellowservants act as witnesses to the unforgiving servant's actions. This highlights the principle that actions, particularly those demonstrating a lack of mercy after receiving it, do not go unnoticed in the Kingdom of God and ultimately lead to accountability.
  • Divine Awareness and Judgment: The fact that the lord is informed signifies that God is aware of how His followers treat one another. This directly precedes the lord's wrath and judgment upon the unforgiving servant, emphasizing the serious consequences of failing to extend the same forgiveness we have received (Matthew 6:14-15).

Linguistic Insight

The KJV phrase "very sorry" translates the Greek word perilypoi (περίλυποι), which means "deeply grieved" or "exceedingly sorrowful." It's a strong term, indicating not just mild regret but profound distress and indignation at the unforgiving servant's harshness. This intense emotional response from the witnesses emphasizes the gravity of the unforgiving servant's sin in the eyes of God and others.

Practical Application

Matthew 18:31 serves as a powerful reminder for believers today. Just as the fellowservants observed and were grieved by the unforgiving servant's actions, our own attitudes towards forgiveness are observed, both by fellow believers and by God. This verse challenges us to consider:

  • Are we extending the same measure of grace and forgiveness to others that we have received from God (Ephesians 4:32)?
  • Do we allow bitterness or resentment to take root, despite having been forgiven an immeasurable spiritual debt?
  • Our actions have consequences, not only for ourselves but also in how they reflect on God's character and affect the community of faith. The sorrow of the fellowservants should prompt us to live lives characterized by mercy and compassion, reflecting the heart of our Lord.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Romans 12:15

    Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

  • Hebrews 13:3

    Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; [and] them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.

  • Mark 3:5

    And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched [it] out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

  • Luke 14:21

    So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.

  • Psalms 119:136

    ¶ Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.

  • Genesis 37:2

    These [are] the generations of Jacob. Joseph, [being] seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad [was] with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.

  • Jeremiah 9:1

    ¶ Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

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