Introduction
Forgiveness is one of the most powerful yet demanding commands of Christian discipleship. In Matthew 18:21-35, the Lord Jesus delivers a compelling lesson on forgiveness through a dialogue with Peter and a profound parable. This passage forms part of the fourth Kingdom Discourse in Matthew, in which the Lord deals with practical issues of living with others under the authority of the Kingdom of Heaven. Its focus is intensely and directly relevant to how believers are to live as representatives of Christ on earth. At the heart of this discourse lies the truth that forgiveness is not merely a duty; it is a demonstration of the kingdom life, a mark of divine likeness, and a test of genuine transformation. If we truly belong to the King, we will be like Him.
Context of Peter’s Question (Matthew 18:21)
Peter’s question, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”1 follows the Lord’s instruction about seeking reconciliation with a brother who has sinned against you (vv15-20). The theme of this passage is about restoring broken relationships within the community of believers. Peter’s inquiry arises in this context of reconciliation but reveals a human tendency to set boundaries on mercy. He may have thought himself generous – Rabbinic teaching recommended forgiving three times – but Jesus responds with a standard that transcends human limitation.
Peter’s question has shades of the lawyer’s question in Luke 10:29, who, willing to justify himself, asked, “Who is my neighbour?” Both queries seek to define the limits of responsibility rather than to embrace self-giving love. In response, the Lord dismantles the boundaries of forgiveness.
Limitless Forgiveness (Matthew 18:22)
He responds, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Whether, as some commentators suggest, this is 77 times (the Greek is exactly as in Genesis 4:24 LXX) or 490 (70×7) times, the clear implication is that forgiveness must be limitless. Believers are not to keep accounts but are called to imitate limitless divine grace.
Interestingly, the number 490 resonates deeply with Israel’s history. For 490 years, the nation failed to observe the sabbatical year (2Ch 36:21), a season set aside in the Old Covenant for debt release and mercy (Deu 15:1-11). This national failure to forgive led to the Babylonian captivity. God’s judgment was righteous, but even then, He intended restoration through the promise of a New Covenant (Jer 31:31-34), in which He would “forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.” Thus, even in judgment, God moved toward mercy. The principle is clear: If God forgave His people time and again – ultimately at the cost of His Son – how can we who claim His name withhold forgiveness?
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:23-35)
The Lord Jesus illustrates His point with a parable that contrasts divine mercy with human hardness.
The Great Debt Forgiven (vv23-27)
A king settles accounts with his servants, and one is brought before him who owes 10,000 talents – a staggering debt, equal to approximately 200,000 years of labour. This is a picture of our sin-debt before God – immeasurable and insurmountable. Unable to pay, the servant faces judgment: he, his family and all he has will be sold. Though the Mosaic Law provided for a debtor to be sold into servitude, the practice was strictly regulated to prevent oppression, and release was guaranteed in the year of Jubilee (Lev 25:39-41). The servant pleads desperately for patience, promising repayment – a promise which would be impossible to fulfil. Moved by compassion, the king does more than grant an extension; he forgives the entire debt and releases the servant. This dual act of forgiveness, cancelling the debt and releasing the debtor, reflects God’s own dealings with repentant sinners. God does not merely postpone our judgment; He removes it.
The Lesser Debt Withheld (vv28-30)
But the story takes a dark turn. The forgiven servant encounters a fellow servant who owes him a mere 100 denarii – around three months’ wages. Compared to the 10,000 talents, this is negligible. Yet the forgiven man seizes his debtor and demands repayment. Despite hearing the same plea he once made, “Have patience with me, and I will repay you,” he refuses and has the man imprisoned. This is a stunning picture of hypocrisy. He who was forgiven a mountain of debt shows no mercy for a molehill. The tragedy is not only the lack of forgiveness but the failure to recognize that he had been forgiven. His action shows no change of heart, no evidence that he had grasped the gravity of his debt nor the abundance of his own pardon.
The Reckoning (vv31-34)
Witnesses to the injustice report the incident to the king. The king confronts the servant, calling him “wicked,” and reminds him of the mercy he had received. “Should you not have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?” Angered by the servant’s duplicity, the king delivers him to the jailers until the debt is paid. Given the size of the debt, this effectively means lifelong imprisonment. The unforgiving servant ends up enslaved, not by the king’s wrath but by his own merciless heart.
The Warning (v35)
The Lord concludes the parable with this solemn warning: “So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” This is not a doctrine of salvation by works. The Saviour is not saying that forgiveness is lost if we fail to forgive once. Rather, He is revealing a spiritual reality: a person who refuses to forgive may have never truly understood, or received, God’s forgiveness. Those who are forgiven are transformed. Forgiveness is not only something we receive; it is something we live.
The point is further emphasized by Paul in 2 Corinthians 2:6-8, where the apostle urges the Corinthian believers to reaffirm love and forgiveness to a repentant brother. Paul, a minister of the New Covenant, calls for the grace of forgiveness, not punishment. The ministry of the Spirit, unlike the letter, gives life (2Co 3:6). As forgiven people under the New Covenant, our lives must overflow with grace.
Key Lessons from the Parable
- The Measure of our forgiveness reflects our understanding of God’s grace. The parable draws a sharp contrast between the enormity of our debt to God and the relatively minor debts others owe us. If we truly appreciate the mercy we have received, our hearts should be inclined toward mercy and forgiveness for others. A hard-hearted refusal to forgive reveals spiritual insensitivity and potentially an unconverted state.
- Forgiveness is both a command and a characteristic of the Kingdom. The Lord makes it clear that forgiveness is not optional. It is part of the DNA of the kingdom of heaven. Just as the king in the parable was moved with compassion, so the citizens of His kingdom must imitate that compassion as evidence that they belong to Him.
- Forgiveness must be from the heart. The Lord’s final words in verse 35 are crucial. True forgiveness is not superficial or reluctant. It is not forgiveness with conditions, grudges or expectations of repayment. It must come “from the heart,” flowing from a deep awareness of our own need for grace. The implication of the Lord’s response to Peter’s question is that forgiveness which is either constrained or restrained is not forgiveness at all.
- An unforgiving Spirit leads to imprisonment. Ironically, the unforgiving servant, by refusing to forgive, ends up in prison himself. So too a person who refuses to forgive often finds themselves bound by bitterness, anxiety and resentment. While forgiveness may cost us pride or justice, unforgiveness costs us peace and joy.
Practical Implications for Today
- Forgiveness in Assembly Life. Matthew 18 is a community discourse. It addresses how believers are to treat one another in the church. Forgiveness is essential for maintaining unity. Grievances will arise, but reconciliation is always the goal. The process described earlier in the chapter – private confrontation, then witnesses, then church involvement – assumes a heart that is ready to forgive and reconcile.
- Forgiveness in Personal Relationships. Whether in marriage, family or friendship, forgiveness is the lifeblood of enduring relationships. We are called not only to forgive repeated offenses but to do so without counting. That doesn’t mean ignoring harmful behaviour or avoiding healthy boundaries, but it does mean refusing to harbour resentment.
- Forgiveness as Witness. Our readiness to forgive is a testimony to the world. In a culture increasingly marked by outrage and retaliation, gracious forgiveness stands out. When believers forgive as they have been forgiven, they put the gospel on display.
Conclusion
The parable of the unforgiving servant is both convicting and clarifying. It calls us to examine the reality of our own forgiveness and challenges us to reflect that forgiveness to others. Forgiveness is not natural; it is supernatural. It flows from hearts that have been transformed by the mercy of God.
As citizens of the kingdom of heaven, we must forgive, not seven times but seventy times seven. For in doing so, we not only reflect our Father in heaven but we participate in the joy, peace and freedom that come with living in His likeness. Let us, then, be those who forgive from the heart – freely, fully, repeatedly – just as we have been forgiven.
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the ESV unless otherwise noted.
