Matthew 18:33

33 Should you not also have shown mercy to your fellow slave as I also showed mercy to you?'

Matthew 18:33 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 18:33

Shouldest not thou also have had compassion.
&c.] It is but reasonable, what ought to be, and may be expected, that such who have received mercy, should show mercy; and as the Lord had compassion on this man, and had forgiven him such an immense sum, and saved him, his wife and children, from being sold for bondslaves, the least he could have done after this, would have been to have followed such an example, and have had mercy, as his Lord says to him,

on thy fellow servant;
between whom, and him, there was not so great a distance, as between him, and his Lord; and the sum so small that was owing to him, as not to be mentioned with his:

even as, I had pity on thee;
such an instance of pity and compassion did not only set him an example, worthy of his imitation, but laid him under an obligation to have acted such a part.

Matthew 18:33 In-Context

31 So [when] his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were extremely distressed, and went [and] reported to their master everything that had happened.
32 Then his master summoned him [and] said to him, 'Wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you implored me!
33 Should you not also have shown mercy to your fellow slave as I also showed mercy to you?'
34 And [because he] was angry, his master handed him over to the merciless jailers until he would repay everything that was owed.
35 So also my heavenly Father will do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from your hearts!"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.