Matthew 18:23
in Matthew 18Because of this, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, who would make a reckoning with his servants.
KJV
Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
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This verse in Matthew 18
Commentary
18 notes on this verse(Verse 23.) Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is likened to a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. It is customary for the Syrians and especially the Palestinians to connect all their speech with parables, so that what cannot be understood by the listeners through a simple commandment may be understood through similarity and examples. Therefore, he instructed Peter using the comparison of a king and master, and servants. The servant, who owed ten thousand talents, begged the master for forgiveness and obtained it; so he also should forgive his fellow servants for their lesser sins.
This site's exposition
the kingdom of heaven is like a king
on Matthew 18:23-25
Ten thousand talents is the largest sum named in the parables. Older commentators reckon a talent at fifteen to twenty years of a laborer's wages, so the debt could never be repaid. The debt's size stands for what no one could ever pay God.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
The Son of God, as He is wisdom, righteousness, and truth (vid. 1 Cor. 1:30.), so is He a kingdom; not indeed any of those which are beneath, but all those which are above, reigning over those in whose senses reigns justice and the other virtues; these are made of heaven because they bear the image of the heavenly. This kingdom of heaven then, i. e. the Son of God, when He was made in the likeness of sinful flesh, was then like to a king, in uniting man to himself. The servants, in these parables, are only they who are employed in dispensing the word, and to whom this business is committed.
Or, by the kingdom of heaven is reasonably understood the holy Church, in which the Lord works what He speaks of in this parable. By the man is sometimes represented the Father, as in that, The kingdom of heaven is like to a king, who made a marriage for his son; and sometimes the Son; but here we may take it for both, the Father and the Son, who are one God. God is called a King, inasmuch as He created and governs all things. Or, by the servants of this King are signified all mankind whom He has created for His own praise, and to whom He gave the law of nature; He takes account with them, when He would look into each man's manners, life, and deeds, that He may render to each according to that He has done; as it follows, And when He had begun to reckon, one was brought unto Him which owed Him ten, thousand talents.
For it is customary with the Syrians, especially they of Palestine, to add a parable to what they speak; that what their hearers might not retain simply, and in itself, the instance and similitude may be the means of retaining.
Wherefore also He went on to say, "The Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, he commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and his children, and all that he had." Then after this man had enjoyed the benefit of mercy, he went out, and "took by the throat his fellow-servant, which owed him an hundred pence;" and having by these doings moved his lord, he caused him to cast him again into prison, until he should pay off the whole. Seest thou how great the difference between sins against man and against God? As great as between ten thousand talents, and a hundred pence, or rather even much more. And this arises both from the difference of the persons, and the constant succession of our sins. For when a man looks at us, we stand off and shrink from sinning: but when God sees us every day, we do not forbear, but do and speak all things without fear. But not hereby alone, but also from the benefit and from the honor of which we have partaken, our sins become more grievous.
"For there was brought unto Him," it saith, "one which owed ten thousand talents, and when he had not to pay, He commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and his children." Wherefore, I pray thee? Not of cruelty, nor of inhumanity (for the loss came back again upon himself, for she too was a slave), but of unspeakable tenderness. For it is His purpose to alarm him by this threat, that He might bring him to supplication, not that he should be sold. For if He had done it for this intent, He would not have consented to his request, neither would He have granted the favor. Wherefore then did He not do this, nor forgive the debt before the account? Desiring to teach him, from how many obligations He is delivering him, that in this way at least he might become more mild towards his fellow servant. For even if when he had learnt the weight of his debt, and the greatness of the forgiveness, he continued taking his fellow-servant by the throat; if He had not disciplined him beforehand with such medicines, to what length of cruelty might he not have gone? What then saith the other? "Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And his Lord was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt." Seest thou again surpassing benevolence? The servant asked only for delay and putting off the time, but He gave more than he asked, remission and forgiveness of the entire debt. For it had been his will to give it even from the first, but he did not desire the gift to be his only, but also to come of this man's entreaty, that he might not go away uncrowned. For that the whole was of him, although this other fell down to him and prayed, the motive of the forgiveness showed, for "moved with compassion" he forgave him. […]
11 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers1 voice
The servants in this case are the dispensers of the word. When he demands an account of the servants, the king also asks those who have borrowed from the servants, whether a hundred measures of grain or a hundred jars of oil or whatever those outside the king's stewardship have received. For the fellow servant of the unjust steward, according to the parable, will not be found to be the one who owes a hundred measures of grain or a hundred jars of oil, as is clear from the words "How much do you owe my master?" Consider that each good and fitting deed is like a profit and a gain, but each bad one is like a loss. And just as one gain can be a gain of more money and another of less and there is a difference between the more and the less, so in the case of good deeds there is a kind of valuing of greater or lesser gains.
The Medieval Church3 voices
Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened, etc. Here the similitude is set forth, and he does three things. First, the divine mercy is indicated; secondly, the ingratitude is touched upon, at but when that servant had gone out, etc.; thirdly, the punishment of the …
It is one thing to give pardon to a brother when he seeks it, that he may live with us in social charity, as Joseph to his brethren; and another to a hostile foe, that we may wish him good, and if we can do him good, as David mourning for Saul. Allegorically; The servant here who owed the ten thousand talents, is the Jewish people bound to the Ten Commandments in the Law. These the Lord oft forgave their trespasses, when being in difficulties they besought His mercy; but when they were set free, they exacted the utmost with great severity from all their debtors; and of the gentile people which they hated, they required circumcision and the ceremonies of the Law; yea, the Prophets and Apostles they barbarously put to death. For all this the Lord gave them over into the hands of the Romans as to evil spirits, who should punish them with eternal tortures.
Therefore is the kingdom of the heavens likened unto a man who was a king, who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. The gist of the parable teaches us to forgive our fellow servants who have sinned against us, especially if they fall down …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Therefore is the kingdom of heaven,....
So the disciples here did, when they asked, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? They suppose that all who have a place in that kingdom are great, for it is a kingdom of priests. Note, Those are truly great who are truly good; and they will appear so at last, when Christ shall own them as his, though ever so mean and poor in the world.
The Nineteenth Century5 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened ... - The phrase, “the kingdom of heaven,” here has reference to the church, or to the way in which God will deal with his people. “It shall be in my church as it was with a certain king; or God will deal with the members of his church as a certain king did with his servants.” See the notes at Mat 3:2. This parable (see Mat 13:3) is related to show the duty of forgiving others.
In these verses the Lord Jesus deals with a deeply important subject, the forgiveness of injuries. We live in a wicked world, and it is vain to expect that we can escape ill-treatment, however carefully we may behave. To know how to conduct ourselves when we are ill-treated is of great moment to our souls. In the first place, the Lord Jesus lays it down as a general rule that we ought to forgive others to the uttermost. Peter put the question, “How oft shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Till seven times?”
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Therefore--"with reference to this matter." is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants--or, would scrutinize the accounts of his revenue collectors.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-run:17w-of-32
In these verses the Lord Jesus deals with a deeply important subject, the forgiveness of injuries. We live in a wicked world, and it is vain to expect that we can escape ill-treatment, however carefully we may behave. To know how to conduct ourselves when we are ill-treated is of great moment to our souls. In the first place, the Lord Jesus lays it down as a general rule that we ought to forgive others to the uttermost. Peter put the question, “How oft shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Till seven times?” He received answer: “I say, not unto thee till seven times, but until seventy times seven.” The rule here laid down must of course be interpreted with sober-minded qualification. Our Lord does not mean that offenses against the law of the land and the good order of society are to be passed over in silence; he does not mean that we are to allow people to commit thefts and assaults with impunity. All that he means is that we are to study a general spirit of mercy and forgivingness towards our brethren. We are to bear much, and to put up with much, rather than quarrel; we are to overlook much, and submit to much, rather than have any strife; we are to lay aside everything like malice, strife, revenge and retaliation. Such feelings are only fit for heathens: they are utterly unworthy of a disciple of Christ. What a happy world it would be if this rule of our Lord’s was more known and better obeyed! How many of the miseries of mankind are occasioned by disputes, quarrels, lawsuits, and an obstinate tenacity about what men call “their rights”! How many of them might be altogether avoided if men were more willing to forgive, and more desirous for peace! Let us never forget that a fire cannot go on burning without fuel; just in the same way it takes two to make a quarrel. Let us each resolve, by God’s grace, that of these two we will never be one.
Therefore is the kingdom - In respect to sin, cruelty, and oppression, God will proceed in the kingdom of heaven (the dispensation of the Gospel) as he did in former times; and every person shall give an account of himself to God. Every sin is a debt contracted with the justice of God; men are all God’s own servants; and the day is at hand in which their Master will settle accounts with them, inquire into their work, and pay them their wages. Great Judge! what an awful time must this be, when with multitudes nothing shall be found but sin and insolvency! By servant, in the text, we are to understand, a petty king, or tributary prince; for no hired servant could possibly owe such a sum as is here mentioned.
The words behind it
17 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Διὰ | dia | Because of | G1223 → | 664 times |
| τοῦτο | touto | this | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| ὡμοιώθη | homoiothe | has become like | G3666 → | 15 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| βασιλεία | basileia | kingdom | G932 → | 162 times |
| τῶν | ton | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οὐρανῶν | ouranon | heavens | G3772 → | 272 times |
| ἀνθρώπῳ | anthropo | to a man | G444 → | 549 times |
| βασιλεῖ | basilei | a king | G935 → | 114 times |
| ὃς | hos | who | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἠθέλησεν | ethelesen | desired | G2309 → | 208 times |
| συνᾶραι | sunarai | to settle | G4868 → | 3 times |
| λόγον | logon | accounts | G3056 → | 329 times |
| μετὰ | meta | with | G3326 → | 461 times |
| τῶν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δούλων | doulon | servants | G1401 → | 129 times |
| αὐτοῦ. | autou | of him. | G846 → | 5565 times |
ΔιὰBecause of
diaG1223 →664 times
τοῦτοthis
toutoG3778 →1381 times
ὡμοιώθηhas become like
homoiotheG3666 →15 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
βασιλείαkingdom
basileiaG932 →162 times
τῶνof the
tonG3588 →19766 times
οὐρανῶνheavens
ouranonG3772 →272 times
ἀνθρώπῳto a man
anthropoG444 →549 times
βασιλεῖa king
basileiG935 →114 times
ὃςwho
hosG3739 →1405 times
ἠθέλησενdesired
ethelesenG2309 →208 times
συνᾶραιto settle
sunaraiG4868 →3 times
λόγονaccounts
logonG3056 →329 times
μετὰwith
metaG3326 →461 times
τῶνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
δούλωνservants
doulonG1401 →129 times
αὐτοῦ.of him.
autouG846 →5565 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Romans 14:12So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
it leads to
- Matthew 12:36
But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.
- 1 Peter 4:5
But they will have to give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
- Matthew 16:27
For the Son of Man will come in His Father’s glory with His angels, and then He will repay each one according to what he has done.
- Galatians 6:5
For each one should carry his own load.
- Ecclesiastes 11:9
Rejoice, O young man, while you are young, and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and in the sight of your eyes,…
- Matthew 12:36
Through
Matthew 3:2and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
it leads to
- Matthew 4:17
From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
- Mark 1:15
“The time is fulfilled,” He said, “and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe in the gospel!”
- 2 Corinthians 7:10
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
- Matthew 4:17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies18
About Matthew
This page draws on 16 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Gospels; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Matthew; Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 61; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 14.8; Rabanus Maurus, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Remigius of Rheims, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Matthew and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Matthew.