In angerThe master's anger reflects divine justice and righteousness. Throughout Scripture, God's anger is often depicted as a response to sin and injustice (e.g.,
Psalm 7:11). This anger is not capricious but is a measured response to the servant's failure to show mercy, mirroring the divine expectation of forgiveness as seen in
Matthew 6:14-15.
his master
The master in this parable represents God, who is sovereign and just. The relationship between master and servant is a common biblical motif illustrating God's authority over humanity. This reflects the cultural context of the time, where masters had significant control over their servants, paralleling God's ultimate authority over creation.
turned him over to the jailers
The act of turning the servant over to the jailers signifies the consequences of unrepentant sin. In biblical times, jailers were responsible for enforcing punishment, often in harsh conditions. This imagery underscores the severity of divine judgment for those who fail to extend the grace they have received.
to be tortured
Torture here symbolizes the spiritual and emotional torment resulting from separation from God's grace. It reflects the severe consequences of unforgiveness, as seen in the broader biblical narrative where sin leads to suffering and alienation from God (Isaiah 59:2).
until he should repay all that he owed
This phrase highlights the impossibility of repaying the debt, symbolizing the insurmountable debt of sin that humanity owes to God. It echoes the earlier part of the parable where the servant's debt was forgiven, emphasizing the necessity of grace and the futility of attempting to earn salvation through works (Ephesians 2:8-9). Theologically, it points to the need for Christ's atoning sacrifice, as only through Him can the debt of sin be truly settled.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
The Unforgiving ServantThis parable character is central to the teaching of
Matthew 18:34. He is a servant who, after being forgiven a massive debt by his master, refuses to forgive a fellow servant a much smaller debt.
2.
The MasterRepresents God in the parable. He initially shows mercy by forgiving the servant's debt but later enacts justice when the servant fails to show the same mercy to others.
3.
Fellow ServantsThey witness the unforgiving servant's actions and report back to the master, highlighting the communal aspect of accountability.
4.
The JailersThey are tasked with imprisoning the unforgiving servant until he can repay his debt, symbolizing the consequences of unforgiveness.
5.
The Kingdom of HeavenThe setting of the parable, illustrating the principles of God's kingdom, particularly regarding forgiveness and mercy.
Teaching Points
The Seriousness of UnforgivenessUnforgiveness is not a trivial matter; it has serious spiritual consequences, as illustrated by the servant's punishment.
Reflecting God's MercyAs recipients of God's immense mercy, we are called to extend the same mercy to others, mirroring God's character.
Accountability in CommunityThe role of the fellow servants shows the importance of community in holding each other accountable to live out Christian values.
The Cost of UnforgivenessUnforgiveness can lead to spiritual imprisonment, where one is bound by bitterness and resentment, unable to experience true freedom in Christ.
The Call to ForgiveForgiveness is a command, not an option, for believers. It is a reflection of our understanding and acceptance of God's grace.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Matthew 18:34?
2.How does Matthew 18:34 illustrate the consequences of unforgiveness in our lives?
3.What does the "jailers" symbolize in the context of Matthew 18:34?
4.How can Matthew 18:34 guide us in forgiving others as Christ forgave?
5.Compare Matthew 18:34 with Ephesians 4:32 on forgiveness and mercy.
6.How can we apply the lesson of Matthew 18:34 in daily relationships?
7.What does Matthew 18:34 reveal about God's view on forgiveness and mercy?
8.How does Matthew 18:34 align with the overall message of the New Testament?
9.Why does the master in Matthew 18:34 react so harshly to the servant?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Matthew 18?
11.Why did Peter sever Malchus's ear?
12.Did Jesus speak secretly? John 18:20 says no, but Mark 4:34 and Matthew 13:10-11 suggest he explained parables privately to his disciples.
13.Matthew 18:3-4 - How is the transformation into a childlike state to enter the kingdom of heaven scientifically or psychologically plausible?
14.What are the Bible's teachings on forgiveness?What Does Matthew 18:34 Mean
In angerGod’s response here is not a quick-tempered flare-up but holy, righteous indignation.Psalm 7:11 says, “God is a righteous judge and a God who shows His wrath every day”. Having lavished mercy on the servant, the master’s anger is stirred by the servant’s refusal to extend that same mercy (Matthew 18:28-30).Romans 1:18 reminds us that wrath is God’s settled opposition to sin. Mercy spurned invites judgment.
his masterThe master in the parable pictures God Himself (Matthew 18:23). As Creator and King (Revelation 19:16), He possesses absolute authority over every servant.Luke 7:41-42 shows another picture of a creditor who forgives, reinforcing that God freely cancels debt yet still owns the right to call every account to order.
turned him overJudgment is not accidental; it is intentional.Romans 1:24 describes how God “gave them over” when people persisted in sin. Likewise,Hebrews 10:31 warns, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God”. The servant is handed to consequences he has chosen by his hard heart.
to the jailersThe “jailers” (or tormentors) point to confinement and custody. Jesus elsewhere speaks of imprisonment for unsettled accounts (Luke 12:58-59). Second Peter 2:4 notes that God “delivered [angels] to chains of darkness.” The picture is one of inescapable restraint—no more freedom to misuse mercy.
to be torturedJudgment is painful, not merely restrictive.Luke 16:23-24 records the rich man “in torment,” begging for relief.Revelation 14:10-11 describes smoke of torment rising forever for those who reject God’s grace. The severity here underscores how seriously God views unforgiveness.
until he should repayJesus borrows courtroom language (compareMatthew 5:26) to show duration. The debt is so enormous that repayment is impossible; the phrase therefore signals an unending sentence.Psalm 49:7-8 admits, “No man can redeem his brother… the redemption of his soul is costly.” Only divine pardon can settle the ledger.
all that he owedThe servant’s entire obligation comes back on his own head. Our “debt” is sin (Matthew 6:12), an amount we could never cover.Colossians 2:14 celebrates that Jesus “canceled the record of debt… nailing it to the cross,” but that cancellation applies only to those who, in turn, forgive others (Matthew 18:35).
summaryMatthew 18:34 teaches that rejecting God’s mercy by withholding forgiveness invites God’s righteous wrath. The Master who once released the servant’s impossible debt now enforces full payment, illustrating the unpayable cost of sin apart from grace. Genuine recipients of divine forgiveness will reflect that same forgiveness to others; failure to do so places a person under severe, even eternal, judgment.
(34)
Delivered him to the tormentors.--The words seem deliberately vague. We dare not say that the "tormentors" are avenging angels, or demons, though in the hell of mediaeval poetry and art these latter are almost exclusively represented as the instruments of punishment. More truly, we may see in them the symbols of whatever agencies God employs in the work of righteous retribution, the stings of remorse, the scourge of conscience, the scorn and reproach of men, not excluding, of course, whatever elements of suffering lie behind the veil, in the life beyond the grave.
Till he should pay all that was due unto him.--As inMatthew 5:26 (where see Note), the words suggest at once the possibility of a limit, and the difficulty, if not impossibility, of ever reaching it. How could the man in the hands of the tormentors obtain the means of paying the ten thousand talents? And the parable excludes the thought of the debt being, as it were, taken out in torments, a quantitative punishment being accepted as the discharge of what could not otherwise be paid. The imagery of the parable leaves us in silent awe, and we only find refuge from our questionings in the thought that "the things that are impossible with man are possible with God" (Matthew 19:26).
Verse 34. -
Was wroth. This, as we said above, is the prerogative of God. Man is pained and grieved at sin; God is angry.
Tormentors;βασανισταῖς:
tortoribus. These are not the gaolers, prison keepers, but persons who put prisoners to the torture. Neither Jewish nor Roman law at that time recognized any such officials; neither were those in confinement treated thus in either community. The idea is taken from the practice of Oriental despotism, which might thus punish an offence considered supremely detestable. In a mystical sense these are the ministers of Divine vengeance who carry out the behests of the King.
Till he should pay;until he should have paid (
ἕως οῦ ἀποδῷ). Some editors omit or bracket
οῦ, but the sense is the same with or without the relative. The debt never could be paid, so practically the punishment would last forever. Commentators, mediaeval and modern, see here an argument for the eternity of future punishment; others see in the clause an intimation that sin may be forgiven in the other world, though not repented of or pardoned in this present life. The words give no support to the latter interpretation.
Until, etc., does not necessarily signify that the condition specified is certain to be fulfilled. As Bengel says, on
Matthew 1:25, "Non sequitur ergo post." And in the present case there could be no possibility of payment. A criminal delivered to the tormentors would have no opportunity or means of raising the necessary funds. If this is a picture of the final judgment, it is parallel to our Lord's statement in
Matthew 5:26, "Thou shalt by no means come out thence till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing;" for, as the Preacher says, "There is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave whither thou goest" (
Ecclesiastes 9:10).
All that was due [
untohim] (
πᾶν τὸ ὀφειλόμενον αὐτῷ). Modern editors reject
αὐτῷ: Vulgate,
universum debitum. This is more general than "all that debt" in ver. 32. It is usually taken to refer to the old debt now redemanded. But a difficulty has been found in the fact that this old debt had been freely forgiven and utterly done away, and therefore could not, in equity, be again exacted. Hence some commentators have explained the clause as referring not at all to the former debt, but to a new debt incurred by a new offence, viz. ingratitude and unmercifulness. But the spiritual truth seems to be that, although sins once absolutely forgiven are not again imputed, they make subsequent sins more heinous, as in a human law court previous conviction increases the penalty of a fresh transgression. Falling from grace, a man passes into enmity with God, and so far cancels his pardon, and is in a state of condemnation (see
Ezekiel 18:24, 26).
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek
In his anger,ὀργισθεὶς(orgistheis)Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3710:To irritate, provoke, be angry. From orge; to provoke or enrage, i.e. become exasperated.hisαὐτοῦ(autou)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846:He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.masterκύριος(kyrios)Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2962:Lord, master, sir; the Lord. From kuros; supreme in authority, i.e. controller; by implication, Master.turned him overπαρέδωκεν(paredōken)Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3860:From para and didomi; to surrender, i.e yield up, intrust, transmit.to theτοῖς(tois)Article - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.jailers to be tortured,βασανισταῖς(basanistais)Noun - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 930:One who tortures, a tormentor, jailor. From basanizo; a torturer.untilἕως(heōs)Preposition
Strong's 2193:A conjunction, preposition and adverb of continuance, until.he should repayἀποδῷ(apodō)Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 591:From apo and didomi; to give away, i.e. Up, over, back, etc.allπᾶν(pan)Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3956:All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.thatτὸ(to)Article - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.he owed.ὀφειλόμενον(opheilomenon)Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3784:Or, its prolonged form opheileo probably from the base of ophelos; to owe; figuratively, to be under obligation; morally, to fail in duty.
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NT Gospels: Matthew 18:34 His lord was angry and delivered him (Matt. Mat Mt) 
