Matthew 18:34 - Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

Bible Comments

“And his lord was justly angry, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay all that was due.”

Jesus points out that his lord was justly angry. The servant had failed to benefit by the compassion shown to him, and had not himself become compassionate. Thus his last state was worse than his first. Instead of being sold off, and then at least forgotten, he was handed over to the torturers. Their first task was to torture him in order to make him reveal what assets he might have hidden away. Then it would be done in order to make him an object of pity so that family and friends might come to his aid and help to pay off his debt. But it was a debt too heavy to be paid. There was no hope of release from his tormentors.

It should be noted that this was a regular method among many Gentiles for dealing with once wealthy debtors. It was a matter of screwing out of the man whatever could be obtained. But the point is that it would never have happened to him if he had not himself been unmerciful. What a man sows he will reap. But we should note that this is a part of the story demonstrating the consequences of being unmerciful. It is not an indication of what God does to us. (Indeed there would be little point. God knows of anything that we might wish to ‘hide away' and He knows well enough that no one else can contribute towards our debt. They have too much debt of their own to be concerned about).

Matthew 18:34

34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.