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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Matthew 18:28-32

MATTHEW—NOTE ON Matthew 18:28 A hundred denarii was still a large amount (equivalent to about 20 weeks’ wages for a common labor), but it was very little compared to the debt the wicked servant owed (see note on v. 24). The servant’s unwillingness to forgive this smaller amount revealed that he had not been transformed by the forgiveness that his master had given him.

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See also Matthew 18:28-32 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Matthew 18:28. _A HUNDRED PENCE_] Rather _denarii_. The _denarius_ was a Roman coin, worth about _seven-pence halfpenny_ English. The original word should be retained, as our word _penny_ does...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    BUT THE SAME SERVANT WENT OUT, AND FOUND ONE OF HIS FELLOW-SERVANTS WHICH OWED HIM AN HUNDRED PENCE - Greek, δεναριον denarion; Latin, denarius; a Roman silver coin in common use. When Greece became s...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    6. INSTRUCTIONS TO HIS DISCIPLES. CONCERNING FORGIVENESS. CHAPTER 18 1. Concerning the Little Ones and Offences. (Matthew 18:1 .) 2. The Son of Man to Save What is Lost. (Matthew 18:11 .) 3. The Chu...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    THE DUTY OF FORGIVENESS ILLUSTRATED BY THE PARABLE OF THE UNGRATEFUL SERVANT. With Matthew 18:21 _ cf._ Luke 17:4, which makes repentance a condition. The Rabbis taught (_Yoma,_ 86_ b)_ that one must...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS (Matthew 18:1-35) Matthew 18:1-35 is a most important chapter for Christian Ethics, because it deals with those qualities which should characterize the personal relationships o...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    Then Peter came and said to him, "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I tell you not up to seven times, but up to seventy times s...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    FOUND. sought and found. OWED. was owing. PENCE. Greek. _denaria._ See App-51. LAID HANDS ON. seized. TOOK HIM BY THE THROAT. began throttling him. THAT. what....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _found_ perhaps, even sought him out. _one of his fellowservants_ By this is meant the debt of man to man, offences which men are bound to forgive one another. _an hundred pence_ i. e. _denarii_. The...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Forgiveness of Sins. Luke 17:3-4 God's forgiveness of sinners suggests the duty of forgiveness among men....

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ΕὟΡΕΝ, ‘found,’ perhaps even sought him out. ἝΝΑ ΤΩ͂Ν ΣΥΝΔΟΎΛΩΝ. By this is meant the debt of man to man, offences which men are bound to forgive one another. ἙΚΑΤῸΝ ΔΗΝΆΡΙΑ. The _denarius_ was a day...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    FORGIVENESS OF SINS Luke 17:3-4 God’s forgiveness of sinners suggests the duty of forgiveness among men....

  • Catena Aurea Commentary

    Ver 23. "Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. 24. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten tho...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _THE HEART OF A CHRISTIAN IS CHARACTERIZED BY FORGIVENESS MATTHEW 18:21-35:_ Jesus taught us just to keep on forgiving (seventy times seven). (Matthew 18:22) Are we like the man that owed several mill...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΈΞΕΛΘΏΝ _aor. act. part. (сопутств.) от_ ΈΞΈΡΧΟΜΑΙ (G1831) выходить, ΕΎΡΕΝ _aor. ind. act. от_ ΕΎΡΊΣΚΩ (G2147) находить, ΏΦΕΙΛΕΝ _impf. ind. act. от_ ΟΦΕΊΛΩ (G3784) быть должным, ΔΗΝΆΡΙΟΝ (G1220) д...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    WHICH OWED HIM AN HUNDRED PENCE— The Roman _penny,_ or _denarius,_ here spoken of, being in value about _seven-pence halfpenny_ of our money, the whole sum which was due to him did not much exceed thr...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    Section 46 JESUS TRAINS THE TWELVE IN PERSONAL RELATIONS (Parallels: Mark 9:33-50; Luke 9:46-50) TEXT: 18:1-35 A. Humility and True Greatness 1 In that hour came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Wh...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    B. JESUS ANSWERS: NO LIMIT: MERCIFULNESS IS THE RULE IN GOD'S KINGDOM! (18:22-35) Matthew 18:22 JESUS SAITH UNTO HIM, I SAY NOT UNTO THEE, UNTIL SEVEN TIMES; BUT, UNTIL SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN. On another...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. BUT THE SA...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    16 See Deu_19:15; Joh_8:17; 2Co_3:1. 18 See Mat_16:19. 19 The Lord continues in the same vein. If we should attempt to apply these privileges and promises now it would only bring reproach on His name...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    OFFENDING THE LITTLE ONES. THE UNMERCIFUL SERVANT 1-14. Ambition reproved, and humility taught by the example of a little child (Mark 9:33; Luke 9:46)....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE UNMERCIFUL SERVANT (peculiar to St. Matthew). The lesson is that, inasmuch as God has forgiven us the great and unpayable debt which as sinners we owe to Him, so we also must forgive our brethren...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    AN HUNDRED PENCE] (_denarii_), i.e. about £2 15s. _Od.,_ an insignificant sum, representing the trifling character of offences against man, compared with those against God....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    MATTHEW’S GOOD NEWS MATTHEW’S *GOSPEL _HILDA BRIGHT_ CHAPTER 18 Chapter 18 is the fourth section of what Jesus taught. It ends in the same way as the other sections ‘Now when Jesus had finished...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    WHICH OWED HIM AN HUNDRED PENCE. — Here the calculation is simpler than in Matthew 18:24. The “hundred pence” are a hundred Roman _denarii_ (the _denarius_ being equal to sevenpence-halfpenny), a hund...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    _The other side of the picture_....

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    ἕνα τ. συνδούλων ἀ.: a _fellow_ -slave though a humble one, which he should have remembered, but did not. ἑκατὸν δηνάρια : some fifty shillings; an utterly insignificant debt, which, coming out from t...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    _Parable of unmerciful servant_....

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    FORGIVEN YET UNFORGIVING Matthew 18:21-35 _Seventy times seven_ is illimitable forgiveness. These numbers denote the perfection of perfection; and if God asks so much of _us,_ what is _He_ not prepa...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    What a sad state of heart prompted this question! How absolutely opposed to the whole genius of the Master's teaching and example! He replied by an act, and a statement growing out of that act. The ch...

  • Godbey's Commentary on the New Testament

    FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER Matthew 18:21-35. _“Then Peter, coming to Him, said, Lord, how frequently shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? until seven times? Jesus says to him, I do not say u...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    "Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? (22) Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until sev...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    Chapter 8, which opens the portion that comes before us tonight, is a striking illustration as well as proof of the method which God has been pleased to employ in giving us the apostle Matthew's accou...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    In chapter 18 the great principles proper to the new order of things are made known to the disciples. Let us search a little into these sweet and precious instructions of the Lord. They may be looked...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    BUT THE SAME SERVANT WENT OUT,.... From his Lord's palace and presence, immediately, directly, after he had got his pardon and liberty: AND FOUND ONE OF HIS FELLOW SERVANTS; a fellow creature and Chr...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took _him_ by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. Ver. 28. _...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _But the same servant_ Thus graciously freed from such an immense debt; _went out_ From the presence of his master; _and found one of his fellow-servants which owed him a hundred pence_ A hundred Roma...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    A HUNDRED PENCE; a very small sum compared with ten thousand talents....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    BUT THE SAME SERVANT WENT OUT AND FOUND ONE OF HIS FELLOW-SERVANTS WHICH OWED HIM AN HUNDRED PENCE; AND HE LAID HANDS ON HIM, AND TOOK HIM BY THE THROAT, SAYING, PAY ME THAT THOU OWEST....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The Revolting lack of mercy:...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    Though the Lord Jesus has been seen to forego His own rights, He who is by right infinitely great, the disciples show the opposite attitude in desiring some rights above those of others in the kingdom...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    PENCE: the Roman penny is the eighth part of an ounce, which after 5. shillings the ounce Isaiah 7.d. ob....

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    21-35 Though we live wholly on mercy and forgiveness, we are backward to forgive the offences of our brethren. This parable shows how much provocation God has from his family on earth, and how untowa...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    SEE POOLE ON "MATTHEW 18:35" The Roman penny is the eighth part of an ounce, which after five shillings the ounce is seven pence half penny. (MATTHEW 20:2)....

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Matthew 18:28 But G1161 that G1565 servant G1401 out G1831 (G5631) found G2147 (G5627) one G1520 his...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    “But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him a hundred denarii (one hundred day's wages for a low-paid worker), and he laid hold on him, and took him by the throat, s...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Matthew 18:28. AN HUNDRED PENCE _(denaries)=£3_ or $ 15. A comparatively small sum. The transgressions of our fellowmen against us are trifling in comparison to our sin against God. TOOK HIM BY THE...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Matthew 18:1-14 forbade offences _against_ the humble. This section teaches how the humble should deal with offences: (1.) as regards the Christian assembly (Matthew 18:15-20); (2.) as regards his own...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    A HUNDRED PENCE (εκατον δηναρια). A denarius was worth about eight and a half pence. The hundred denarii here were equal to some "fifty shillings" (Bruce), "about 4 pounds" (McNeile), "twenty pound...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Matthew 18:23 The Unmerciful Servant. The key-notes of this parable are to be found at the beginning and end. It was spoken in order to show that a man should set no limit to the forgiveness of injuri...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Sermon on the child text. Discipline in the church. Unity in prayer. Law of forgiveness. CHARACTERS: God, Jesus, Peter. CONCLUSION: Those are truly great who are truly humble and good, and...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Matthew 18:1. _Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?_ The comparative μειζων _greater,_ is put here for the superlative. By the kingdom of heaven, they meant the worldly glory of the church in...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    AND MET ONE OF HIS FELLOW SERVANTS. This one who had just been forgiven his huge debt, now meets a fellow servant who owes him a few dollars. [100 denarii would be worth maybe $180 in 1974 dollars.]...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants._ THE UNMERCIFUL SERVANT I. That we are all God’s debtors. Debt in the New Testament is a co...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL NOTES_ Matthew 18:22. UNTIL SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN.—That is, as often as there is a cause—a certain number is put for an uncertain (_John Wesley_). Matthew 18:24. TEN THOUSAND TALENTS.—The tal...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION MATTHEW 18:1 _Discourse concerning the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, and the mutual duties of Christians_._ _(Mark 9:33; Luke 9:46-42.)...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now at the same time there came disciples to Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? (Matthew 18:1) Oh, boy how they longed for this. You're talking about motivation, and the disc...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Deuteronomy 15:2; Ezekiel 45:9; Isaiah 58:3; Matthew 20:2; Nehemia

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    Found. Either went in search of him, as he himself had been sought out by his Lord, or came upon him accidentally in the street. A hundred pence [ε κ α τ ο ν δ η ν α ρ ι α]. Less than a millionth par...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    GOD'S FORGIVENESS FOR SINS Matthew 6:14; _Matthew 18:21_ INTRODUCTORY WORDS The question which the words of our first text propound, is, Is forgiveness conditional? In answering this query we would...

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