But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, “Pay me what you owe!” So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.” And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. Matthew 18:28-30
Freed from his debt the servant returns to his duties. What we now hear stuns us but it is the truth that the Lord desires us to see. It is the opposite of the fourth beatitude, the characteristics of those who will enter God’s kingdom.
That servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii We are not told what the servant is thinking but we are shown his behavior. In his wheeling and dealing he has incurred a huge debt but there are those in debt to him. Here the servant finds (the word means to discover after active searching) another servant (note they both have the same relationship to the master – neither one is a higher authority to the other). This servant is in debt – he owes 100 denarii, (one denarius is a servant’s wage for a day – about 16 cents) to the first servant.
He laid hands on him and took him by the throat The Lord says he grabs the servant and holds fast to him and begins to strangle and choke his debtor. Note the hate that exudes from the servant’s heart. Not only is he owed money but he hates the one who owes it to him.
Saying, “Pay me what you owe!” Payment is demanded immediately. The amount is owed, the obligation is just and the date for payment has come due. There will be no further delay.
So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him Déjà vu’! We heard this appeal for mercy before – from the very lips of the first servant. He is now confronted with his own words.
Have patience with me, and I will pay you all The debtor makes the same promise as the first servant. The only difference is this debt can be repaid. With a little time a 100 denarii is payable in full, even including interest.
And he would not The first servant shows a heart full of anger, pride and self-righteousness. He does not see himself in the second servant. The Greek says he is not willing to go along with this arrangement. He wants his money now!
Went and threw him into prison The blindness of the self-righteous is revealed. For a small debt the offender imposes the largest possible penalty, what he himself deserved but escaped.
Till he should pay the debt The imprisonment is only until the debt can be repaid. The problem is there is no possible way the servant can make money in prison to repay the debt. His situation is now as impossible as the first servant’s unpayable debt. He faces prison for eternity for 16 cents.
What can we learn? The Lord tells his audience in the Sermon on the Mount that the attitudes of the heart that allow a person to enter His kingdom are demonstrated by mercy shown to others. Here He gives us a shocking example of the unmerciful – those who freely ask for and expect mercy from God while denying it to their peers who owe them much less. Forgiven but not forgiving.