In my Bible reading I'm going through Matthew and the other night I was reading Matthew 18:21-35. I read a section in my MacArthur (NKJV) study Bible, read his footnotes, read the section again in my ESV Bible and then read the ESV footnotes, too. And I was blown away by the extreme debt we, as unbelievers have, and how God has forgiven all our debt and sees us through His Son and how we, as forgiven believers, ought to forgive others, as Christ has forgiven us. I'm going to write out the NKJV and the NKJV footnotes. Then I'm going to write out the ESV and the ESV footnotes. I would urge you to read at the vary least one of the Bible passages and both sets of footnotes because both sets of footnotes point out things that really made me think. Just take it all in, apply and be thankful and forgiving "Even as Christ forgave you"!
Matthew 18:21-35~ (NKJV)
"21 Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" 22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. 23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. 26 The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' 27 Then the master of the servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
"28 But that servant when out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!' 29 So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' 30 And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. 31 So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. 32 Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' 34 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.
35 "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses." "
MacArthur Footnotes~ (NKJV)
21~ Up to seven times. Peter thought he was being magnanimous. The rabbis, citing several verses from Amos (1:3,6,9,11,13) taught that since God forgave Israel's enemies only 3 times, it was presumptuous and unnecessary to forgive anyone more than 3 times.
22~ seventy times seven. Innumerable times.
23~ servants. Due to the large amounts of money involved, it is likely these "servants" would have been provincial governors who owed the king the money from taxation.
24~ ten thousand talents. This represents and incomprehensible amount of money. The talent was the largest denomination of currency, and "ten thousand" in common parlance signified and infinite number.
25~ that he be sold. A way to recover some of this loss was for the king to sell the family members into slavery.
27~ forgave him. Picturing this generous, compassionate forgiveness of God to a pleading sinner who owes him an unplayable debt.
28~ a hundred denarii. About 3 months' wages. This was not a negligible amount by normal standards, but it was a pittance in comparison to what the servant had been forgiven.
29~ Have patience...I will pay you all. The forgiven man heard the same pleading he had given before his master, but was utterly without compassion (v. 30).
31~ fellow servants...grieved. A lack of forgiveness is offensive to fellow believers. Most of all it offends God, who chastens His unforgiving children severely (vv. 32-34).
34~ his master was angry. Because He is holy and just, God is always angry at sin, including the sins of His children. torturers. Not executioners. This pictures severe discipline, not final condemnation. all that was due to him. The original debt was unplayable and the man still without resources. So it seems unlikely that the slave was saddled once again with the same debt he had already been forgiven. Rather, what he now owed his master would be exacted in chastening by mis master until he was willing to forgive others.
Matthew 18:21-35~ (ESV)
"21 Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" 22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.(1)
23 "Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.(2) 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.(3) 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant(4) fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii,(5) and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, 'Pay what you owe.' 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers,(6) until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."
ESV Footnotes~
(1) Or seventy-seven times
(2) Greek bondservants; also verses 28, 31
(3) A talent was a monetary unit worth about twenty years' wages for a laborer
(4) Greek bondservant; also verses 27, 28, 29, 32, 33
(5) A denarius was a day's wage for a laborer
(6) Greek tortures
Matthew 18:21-35~ (NKJV)
"21 Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" 22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. 23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. 26 The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' 27 Then the master of the servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
"28 But that servant when out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!' 29 So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' 30 And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. 31 So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. 32 Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' 34 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.
35 "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses." "
MacArthur Footnotes~ (NKJV)
21~ Up to seven times. Peter thought he was being magnanimous. The rabbis, citing several verses from Amos (1:3,6,9,11,13) taught that since God forgave Israel's enemies only 3 times, it was presumptuous and unnecessary to forgive anyone more than 3 times.
22~ seventy times seven. Innumerable times.
23~ servants. Due to the large amounts of money involved, it is likely these "servants" would have been provincial governors who owed the king the money from taxation.
24~ ten thousand talents. This represents and incomprehensible amount of money. The talent was the largest denomination of currency, and "ten thousand" in common parlance signified and infinite number.
25~ that he be sold. A way to recover some of this loss was for the king to sell the family members into slavery.
27~ forgave him. Picturing this generous, compassionate forgiveness of God to a pleading sinner who owes him an unplayable debt.
28~ a hundred denarii. About 3 months' wages. This was not a negligible amount by normal standards, but it was a pittance in comparison to what the servant had been forgiven.
29~ Have patience...I will pay you all. The forgiven man heard the same pleading he had given before his master, but was utterly without compassion (v. 30).
31~ fellow servants...grieved. A lack of forgiveness is offensive to fellow believers. Most of all it offends God, who chastens His unforgiving children severely (vv. 32-34).
34~ his master was angry. Because He is holy and just, God is always angry at sin, including the sins of His children. torturers. Not executioners. This pictures severe discipline, not final condemnation. all that was due to him. The original debt was unplayable and the man still without resources. So it seems unlikely that the slave was saddled once again with the same debt he had already been forgiven. Rather, what he now owed his master would be exacted in chastening by mis master until he was willing to forgive others.
Matthew 18:21-35~ (ESV)
"21 Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" 22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.(1)
23 "Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.(2) 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.(3) 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant(4) fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii,(5) and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, 'Pay what you owe.' 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers,(6) until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."
ESV Footnotes~
(1) Or seventy-seven times
(2) Greek bondservants; also verses 28, 31
(3) A talent was a monetary unit worth about twenty years' wages for a laborer
(4) Greek bondservant; also verses 27, 28, 29, 32, 33
(5) A denarius was a day's wage for a laborer
(6) Greek tortures
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