Matthew 18:32

32 Then his lord, having called him to [him], says to him, Wicked bondman! I forgave thee all that debt because thou besoughtest me;

Matthew 18:32 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 18:32

Then his Lord, after that he had called him
Or ordered him to be called, and brought before him,

said unto him, O thou wicked servant!
Munster's Hebrew Gospel reads, "thou servant of Belial"; thou cruel and hard hearted man to thy fellow servant, and ungrateful creature to me, on whom my goodness to thee has not made any impression, nor taken any effect:

I forgave thee all that debt:
all that vast debt of ten thousand talents, and that freely:

because thou desiredst me:
not to forgive the debt, but to have patience, and give time, and therefore unasked forgave the whole sum, every farthing of it; which was such an instance of pure goodness, as was enough to have wrought upon an heart of stone, and engaged the most tender concern and pity for a fellow creature, as well as filled with thankfulness to the kind benefactor. The favour so lately bestowed on him is justly observed as an aggravation of his wickedness.

Matthew 18:32 In-Context

30 But he would not, but went away and cast him into prison, until he should pay what was owing.

31 But his fellow-bondmen, having seen what had taken place, were greatly grieved, and went and recounted to their lord all that had taken place.

32 Then his lord, having called him to [him], says to him, Wicked bondman! I forgave thee all that debt because thou besoughtest me;

33 shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-bondman, as *I* also had compassion on thee?

34 And his lord being angry delivered him to the tormentors till he paid all that was owing to him.

Footnotes

• [a]. The word denotes more a consequence or motive than a cause: see 'since,' ch. 27.6; 'forasmuch,' Luke 1.1. Hence used when a negative cause, so to speak, is spoken of, as Luke 1.34; Rom. 11.6.