The Parable of the two debtors It is a teaching given by Jesus to all his disciples, to show them how important it was to forgive with all their hearts and have mercy to his fellow man, since many of them still had residues of unforgiveness in their hearts.
That is why Jesus speaks not only to the disciples but to all humanity, so that they can see with compassion, pity, kindness to the people around youand forgive with all their hearts, since by not doing so they could not have that forgiveness from the Heavenly Father.
Parable of the two debtors
This parable arises as a substantial response to what Jesus responded to Peter, who asked how many times he should forgive the person who did him some damage, before that He replied that he should do it up to seven times seven.
“Lord, how many times will I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven? I do not tell you up to seven, but even up to seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:21-22).
These are urgent because Pedro was a person who had no patience and was temperamental in the face of situations that could happen around him. That is why Jesus wisely took this moment to narrate a story where reflect the value of knowing how to forgive, and the mercy that a person who wants to receive God’s forgiveness should have. And that is why he narrated the following parable:
“Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And beginning to make accounts, one was presented to him who owed him ten thousand talents. As he could not pay, his lord ordered him to sell him, his wife and his children, and all that he had, so that the debt could be paid.
Then that servant, prostrated, begged him, saying: Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything. The lord of that servant, moved with mercy, released him and forgave him the debt. But leaving that servant, he found one of his fellow servants, who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him, he strangled him, saying: Pay me what you owe me.
Then his fellow servant, prostrating himself at his feet, begged him saying: Be patient with me, and I will pay you everything. But he did not want to, but went and threw him in jail until he paid the debt. When his fellow servants saw what was happening, they were very saddened, and they went and reported to his lord all that had happened.
Then, calling his master, he said to him: Wicked servant, I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me. Shouldn’t you also have mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you? Then his lord, angry, handed him over to the executioners, until he paid everything he owed him. So also my heavenly Father will do to you if you do not forgive each one of your hearts his brother his offenses »(Matthew 18: 23-35)
Symbology of the Parable of the Two Debtors
Several things arise from this parable that are pertinent to detail, we present each of them below:
God is the king
In the spiritual aspect, the king who speaks the parable is God himself, who has all the power and economic bonanza without measureand that negligent servant are the people who irresponsibly every day sin before God becoming those debtors.
a big debt
The parable begins by saying that a king began to take accounts of the loans he had to his servants, and one was found who owed him ten thousand talents, note something here at that time one talent represented between 25 and 30 kilos of valueand they barely earned a daily denarius for their work, this means that many years would pass before they could pay off that debt.
Given this, a valid question arises. how could this servant accumulate such a huge debt? it can be said that he did not give importance to it over time, so that he accumulated it for many years, to such an extent that he reached that amount that was impossible to pay.
However, this parable does not refer to the earthly debts that on many occasions people can pay, Jesus is referring to the debt of the soul, which is priceless. And that is why Jesus narrates this teaching, warning everyone about how the soul cannot be paid even if they have all the money in the world.
«For what will a man gain, if he gains the whole world, and loses his soul? Or what reward will a man give for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26)
Jesus wanted to show that mankind owed an impossible debt to God, and it is only through He who could settlethrough the sacrifice on the cross, where that debt could be paid, paying everything in favor of the debtors: humanity.
A Debtor Person
This debtor was a servant of the king, who accumulated a debt as a result of his irresponsibility and disinterest, since he did not give importance to the king, until the moment he called him to collect the accumulated debt.
In the same way, it happened with the humanity that was immersed in sinto such an extent that the apostle Paul describes the daily struggle of the believer in God.
«Because what I do, I don’t understand; Well, I don’t do what I want, but what I hate, that’s what I do. And if what I do not want, I do this, I approve that the law is good. So that it is no longer me who does that, but the sin that dwells in me. And I know that in me, that is, in my flesh,
the good does not dwell; because wanting the good is in me, but not doing it. Because I don’t do the good that I want, but the evil that I don’t want, that’s what I do. And if I do what I don’t want, I no longer do it, but the sin that dwells in me. Therefore, wanting to do good, I find this law: that evil is in me” (Romans 7:15-21)
This describes that only through Jesus can one have freedom in people, which is the way to not to be dominated by sin, It is evidence that human beings live in a struggle, as Paul says. “what I don’t want to do that I do” that makes everyone become debtors, but they have been redeemed by Jesus.
The Form of Debt Payment
This king was very impatient in paying the debt, to the point that he gave him an order so that he could cancel it as soon as possible and it was the following:
“As he could not pay, his master ordered him to sell him, his wife and children, and all that he had, so that the debt could be paid.”
It could be said that it was a harsh punishment, since he and his family would be sold as slaves, but it was not so cruel, since he was able to send him to the stake or behead him, and still had mercy in leaving him alive. before that this man he asked for time to pay it, something the king knew was impossible.
The Servant received the King’s Pardon
The parable continues narrating that the servant felt cornered, so he prostrated himself before the king and began to begexplaining to him that he did not have the means to cancel the debt, and to have mercy on his life, not to sell it, to be patient with him.
“Lord, be patient with me, and I will pay you everything”
This servant insisted before the king, showing reverence before him, a situation that touched the king’s heart who forgave him the debt he had with him.
“The master of that servant, moved with mercy, released him and forgave him the debt.”
This situation shows that salvation is impossible to pay for, and can only be obtained by being at feet of the lordwho through his blood shed on the cross of Calvary, can be saved by fulfilling the word of God that says what is impossible for man is possible for God.
The Unforgiveness of the Servant Personified by the King
After receiving pardon from the king, this servant found himself with a fellow servant, who owed him a few denariidemanded the payment of the debt, forgetting the kindness and forgiveness received from the king
“But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him, he strangled him, saying: Pay me what you owe me.
This debt was small compared to the debt he owed to the king, and he did not act with mercy as they had with him, but he acted harshly, and wickedly at the plea of this man who begged him to give him more time to pay him. Debt.
“Then his fellow servant, falling down at his feet, begged him saying: Be patient with me, and I will pay you everything. But he did not want to, but went and threw him in jail, until he paid the debt. When his fellow servants saw what was happening, they were very saddened.”
This situation caused everyone in the kingdom to know the bad action of this servant, who did not act correctly, so the king he sent for him and told him the following:
“Wicked servant, I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me. Shouldn’t you also have mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?”
It can be seen how this man quickly forgot the forgiveness he had received from the king, and this happens on many occasions to believers, who do not they forgive what they have lacked but they hold a grudge against themturning away from the mercy with which God has forgiven him.
Importance of Forgiveness
This parable ends with a call for mercy and forgiveness, asserting that everyone should have a forgiving heart, this means that they should always be willing to forgive those who offend them, because in the same way they would receive God’s forgiveness.
“So also my heavenly Father will do to you if you do not forgive each of your brothers from your heart his offenses”
In this sense, the king in the parable, annoyed by the lack of mercy of this servant, handed over to executionersuntil he paid everything he owed him, this refers to the most severe punishment a person can receive and is the punishment of an eternity of pain and suffering in hell.
That is why the teaching seeks to learn to forgive in the same way that the Heavenly Father does. Is act with kindness, meekness, mercy and do it wholeheartedlyit is not just forgiving, it is doing it genuinely because when you do not forgive in a clean way, roots of bitterness begin to germinate that lead you to the condemnation of the soul.
You can also read: Parable of the Straw and the Beam
Finally, it can be said that the parable of the two debtors is the sample of a genuine forgiveness from God towards humanity, but it is also the teaching that all those who are forgiven must show love and mercy to their fellow men whom they must forgive for any damage, in the same way that God does on a daily basis.