Delivered him to the tormentors— Βασανισταις, the executioners of justice. Heylin. The word does not only signify executioners, or persons who put criminals to the torture; but also gaolers, who had the charge of prisoners and examined them. Imprisonment is a much severer punishment in the Eastern parts of the world than here: state-prisoners especially, when condemned to it, are not only forced to submit to a very mean and scanty allowance, but are frequently loaded with clogs, or yokes of heavy wood, in which they cannot either lie or sit at ease; and by frequent scourgings, and sometimes racking, are quickly brought to an untimely end! There is probably a reference to this in the present passage. It may perhaps seem at first a very improper method pursued by the lord, of obtaining payment in these circumstances;yetwhenit is considered that the man's behaviour to his fellow-servant shewed him to be a wretch, not only of the most barbarous disposition, but extremely covetous; his lord had reason to suspect that he had secreted his money and goods, especially as nothing appeared in his possession; wherefore he wisely ordered him to be tormented on the rack, till he should discover with whom they were lodged, and make complete payment.—Besides, it may be considered in the light of a punishment incomparablyheavier than that which was to have been inflicted on him purely for his insolvency: for though the debt was immense, yet whilst it appeared to have been contracted not by fraud, but by extravagance and bad management, he was only to be sold with his family for a certain term of years, that payment might be made as far as their price would go: but now that he added to his former misbehaviour, covetousness, and unmercifulness in the exaction of a trifling debt from a fellow-servant, to whom he ought to have been more indulgent for the sake of their common lord, who had been so kind to him; there was all the reason in the world to suspect, that in his lord's affairs he was more fraudulent than negligent; for which cause he was delivered to the tormentors, to be punished in the manner his crimes deserved; than which a stronger representation of God's displeasure against men of unmerciful, unforgiving, and revengeful dispositions cannot be set forth, or even conceived, by the utmost force of human imagination. May it not be proper to put it here to the consciences of some, and to ask, whether rigour in exacting temporal debts, in treating without mercy such as are unable to satisfy them, and confining them in a miserable prison, where they are totally incapacitated from any probability of satisfying them;—whetherthis can be allowed to aChristian, who is bound to imitate his God and Father?—to a debtor, who can expect forgiveness only on the condition of forgiving others?—to a servant, who should obey his master?—and to a criminal, who is in daily expectation of his judge and final sentence? See Macknight, Hesychius, and Samedo's China, p. 225.
Inferences.—How great and common a misfortune is it for men to think of nothing but their own greatness, and how to raise themselves above others! If the Apostles, who had forsaken all, and who had so long enjoyed the daily instructions and edifying example of Christ, were not void of this passion, who ought not to be afraid?
Either Christ is not truth itself, or without a true conversion and humility (Matthew 18:3.) there is not the least hope of any place in heaven. What is it to be an evangelical child, but to be pure in mind and body? to wish ill to none, to be ready to do good to all, and to have no projects for advancement, riches, honours, fortunes, &c.? This Christian childhood will make us great in the kingdom of heaven. But alas! how low do we debase ourselves, in order to be great on earth! To be great in heaven, how little do we do it! The humility which pleases God, is that of choice, or of acceptance, not a natural meanness of heart and spirit; and the first place is promised to this virtue, which seems the most easy, and to the exercise of which external things are least needful; on which account we are certainly the less to be excused, if we be found deficient in it.
It is melancholy to think, that many who have by their office been employed to read and explain this lesson to others, and who have not been children in understanding, seem to have learned so little of it themselves, as if it had never been at all intended for that order of men to whom however it was immediately addressed! If there be any such yet remaining in the Christian ministry, (and would to God there were not too many!) let them seriously weigh the woe denounced on that man by whom the offence cometh, Matthew 18:7. We can never too earnestly pray that the mercies of God may be extended to all professing Christians, who wholly give themselves up to worldly pursuits and projects; but especially to those who make the church of Christ only a kind of porch to the temple of Mammon. May the divine grace deliver us from such fatal snares, and form us to that self-denial and mortification, without which we cannot be the true disciples of Christ, but after having pierced ourselves through with many unnecessary sorrows here, shall plunge ourselves deep into eternal perdition.
How happy are the meanest servants of Christ, in the care and favour of their blessed Master, and in the angelic guard (Matthew 18:10.) which by his high command are continually attending even the lambs of his flock! So condescending are the blessed spirits above, that even the greatest of them do not disdain to minister unto the heirs of salvation: how then shall the wisest and greatest of men dare to despise those, whom angels honour with their guardianship and care; especially, since God hath loved them so exceedingly, as to give even his own Son for them! Matthew 18:11. Who can either doubt or wonder as to God's sending his angels for the service of souls, after he has sent his own Son to serve them even with his blood! They do what they can to destroy the workmanship of Christ, who, by the means of scandal and offence, cause those to relapse into sin, whom he by his labours and sufferings has rescued and cleansed from it.
It is a rule to be observed by pastors, to apply themselves most to those souls whose wants are greatest. The good shepherd left the ninety and nine, to seek the sheep that was lost. In order to comprehend our good shepherd's joy on the recovery and conversion of a sinner, it is necessary to comprehend his love towards souls. But who is able to do this? If we would have some idea of it which comes near the truth, let us judge of it by his descent from heaven to be incarnate, by the labours of his life, and by the pain and ignominy of his death.
What could have been happier for the church of Christ than the observation of that plain and easy rule which he has given for ending disputes among his followers? Matthew 18:15-17 and yet, who that sees the conduct of the generality of Christians, would imagine that they had ever heard or read of such a rule?—Instead of this private expostulation, which might often bring a debate to a speedy and amicable conclusion, what public charges! what passionate complaints! what frequent and laboured attempts to take, if the least scandalous, yet not the least pernicious kind of revenge, by wounding the characters of those whom we imagine to have injured us! Alas! what is there of the spirit of Christianity in all this? If from the private carriage of man to man, we carry our reflections to proceedings of a more public nature, in what Christian nation are church censures conformed to this rule? Is this the form in which ecclesiastical judgements appear, in the popish or even the protestant world? Are these the methods used by those who boast the most loudly of the authority of Christ to confirm their sentence? Let us earnestly pray, that this dishonour to the Christian name may be wiped away, and that true religion and even common humanity, may not with such solemn mockery be destroyed, in the name of the Lord.
God is found in union and agreement: nothing is more efficacious than prayer, (Matthew 18:19.) when we are united to Jesus Christ, and offer up our prayers through his mediation. It is He himself who prays, His merits which ask, His love which intreats, His heart which groans, His blood which intercedes; and it is the Son who obtains all from his Father. This shews the advantages of prayer made in common by Christian societies, where God is served as it were with one heart, and one soul; but above all, by the great society of the church, where we are united in the body and by the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
Where love is, there is Christ; where division is, there is the evil spirit. A Christian family, which, like that of Tobias in choosing the state of marriage, seeks God alone, which brings up children only for him, and which does all the good that lies within its sphere, may be assured, by virtue of this promise, that Christ is present in the midst of them in a very particular manner. None but an omnipresent, and consequently a divine Person could say, wherever two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them: His power and his goodness can never be impaired: be it therefore our encouragement to social prayer; and let the remembrance of our Redeemer's continual presence and inspection always encourage us to behave ourselves agreeable to the relation which we claim to him, and to those expectations from him which we profess.
How unreasonable and how odious does a severe and uncharitable temper appear, when we view it in the light of this just and convincing parable! Matthew 18:23, &c. which may be considered as our Lord's explication of the fifth petition of his own prayer. There are three things in it opposed to each other; the lord to his servant,—an immense sum to a trifle,—and the most extraordinary clemency to the greatest cruelty. The application of the parable therefore is easy, and sufficient to overturn all the arguments whereby evil minds would justify revenge; particularly those taken from the nature and number of the offences committed, or from the benefits conferred on the persons who commit them. For, in the first place, what are men compared with God? In the second place, how immense a debt does each of us owe to him?—A debt, which from infancy we began to contract, and are daily increasing in our ripening years. And in the third place, how trifling are the offences which our brethren commit against us, perhaps through inadvertency, or in consequence of some provocation received from us! most unworthy therefore of the divine mercy are weak mortals, who, notwithstanding they are themselves weighed down with an infinite load of guilt, are implacable towards their fellow-creatures, and will not forgive them the smallest offence.
Persons of this monstrous disposition should seriously consider the conclusion and application of the parable before us: So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if you from your hearts, that is to say, really, inwardly, and not in word or tongue only, forgive not every one, however great, or rich, or powerful you may be, his brother their trespasses—A most aweful denunciation! which ought, and surely must strike terror into men of fierce and implacable minds: for, whatever they may think, it will in its utmost extent be executed upon all, who will not be persuaded by the consideration of the divine mercy fully to forgive, not their fellow-servants merely, but their own brethren, such petty trespasses as they may happen to commit against them. O let us think seriously on that aweful moment, wherein we shall fall down at the feet of our Judge, there to receive the sentence of our eternal fate,—insolvent debtors as we are, without any plea but the infinite merits of the adorable Jesus; and then we shall have but little inclination to insult those whom we see prostrate before us; we shall discharge our hearts of every sentiment of rancour and revenge, nor ever allow a word, or even a wish that favours of it: and to this end give us, Lord of love, that Christian heart, whose bottom is all charity and mercy, whose works are all mildness and indulgence!
REFLECTIONS.—1st, The disciples, deeply tinctured with Jewish prejudices, entertained very false conceptions of the Messiah's kingdom, and had, in the way to Capernaum, been disputing which of them should have the precedence in it. Jesus, who knew what had been the subject of their contention, now asked them concerning it. And, after some silence and shame at being discovered, see Mark 9:33-34 they,
1. Propose to him the question in dispute, which of them should be promoted to the first post of honour in his kingdom; for each had formed some pretence to this distinguished place: and so ready are we all to be partial in our own favour; instead of being humbly content, in the views of our real deserts, to sit down with the least and the lowest.
2. By an apposite emblem Christ seeks to rebuke their vanity, and teach them what spirit they should put on. He took a little child and set him in the midst of them, that they might look and learn while he commented on the case; assuring them, that such was the nature of his kingdom, that none could enter therein, or partake of its honours and privileges, unless their hearts were converted, and turned from the affectation of earthly grandeur and greatness, and, like little children, they became dead to the contentions of ambition, and the vain desires of outward wealth and eminence: while the way to secure the most honourable place among his members upon earth, and the highest throne next his own in glory, was by sinking lowest in their own apprehensions of themselves, and, instead of affecting magisterial dominion over others, becoming humble, teachable, and ready to sit down at the feet of the meanest. Hard lessons these for human pride! Note; (1.) The way to honour is humility. The lowliest souls are dearest to the Lord; they most resemble him; while pride made angels devils, defaced God's image from the human soul, drove man from paradise, and bars the gate against his return.
3. Christ expresses his high regard and tender concern for those who in this childlike spirit are his disciples indeed. If any shall shew them the least kindness for the sake of their relation to him, he will regard it as if the favour had been shewn to his own person; while if any offend one of these, persecute or oppress them, take advantage of their simplicity or meekness to trample on them, or of their weakness to endeavour to deceive or discourage them, the most dreadful of judgements will be the punishment of such an offender: and better were it for him to have come to the most fearful death by the hands of the public executioner, even to be thrown into the sea with a milstone about his neck, than with such guilt to fall into the hands of an avenging God, under whose wrath he must perish, both body and soul, in hell. Note; (1.) Christ has the tenderest care for his poor people; and a cup of cold water given to the meanest in his name shall not lose its reward. (2.) It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a jealous God. They who now oppress and oppose the meek disciples of Jesus, little think against whom they offend, and the vengeance which awaits them.
2ndly, We have the woe denounced against the world because of offences: under which is comprehended whatever has a tendency to seduce or affright the soul from the good ways of the Lord, or to discourage and grieve the hearts of the righteous.
1. That there will be offences is certain. Considering the craft, malice, and vigilance of Satan, the perverseness of ungodly men and their rooted enmity to the Gospel, and, above all, the deep and desperate wickedness of every human heart by nature, it is morally impossible that offences should not come; and God, for wise ends, is pleased to permit them; but this will in no wise extenuate the guilt of those by whom the offence cometh, nor abate the severity of their judgement. Note; (1.) We are travelling a dangerous road: this world is full of evil, of snares and stumbling-blocks; the multitude lieth in wickedness, and many who pretend to know the path of safety only lie in wait to deceive. We need be jealous of our going, cleave to God's word alone, and neither be offended with the enmity of those that are without, nor the hypocrisy and falls of those that are professors within, remembering that the foundation of God standeth sure. He knoweth those that are his, and will keep his faithful saints that nothing shall offend them, Psalms 119:165. (2.) Though the deceived and the deceiver perish together, yet will they lie down under aggravated guilt who have been Satan's instruments to lead others into error or sin: the blood of the latter will be upon the heads of their seducers.
2. Whatever may be occasion of offence to ourselves or others, however near and dear to us it may be, we must part with it. The body of sin must be crucified. And though it may be as painful to mortify particular corruptions as to suffer the amputation of a hand or a foot, unrelenting severity is needful, where our own souls or others are in danger. And however acute the pain, or however sensibly felt the loss may be, it is better, infinitely better to endure the momentary pang of present self-denial, that we may escape eternal misery, and secure a life of never-ending glory, than for a transitory indulgence of appetite, and the sensual enjoyments of an hour, to be cast into devouring fire, and dwell in everlasting burnings. Note; (1.) In this state of corruption, not only the grosser pollutions which are in the world through lust must be abhorred, but every word, every action, be avoided, which may tend in the remotest way to inflame our own passions or ensnare others. (2.) It is highly useful for us, when in temptation, to look into the burnings of hell, and thence gain arguments to start from the most pleasurable sins. (3.) They only who have begun the life of grace, know experimentally what is meant by these severe operations of self-denial.
3. A particular caution is given to beware of despising the least of Christ's little ones, the weakest of his disciples. We must not be indifferent about our behaviour towards them, careless of what may offend them; must not treat them with contempt, as if regardless of their welfare, or slighting their weakness or infirmities; nor do ought to distress, discourage, ensnare, or lead them into sin; but we should shew our tenderness towards them, and our jealousy for them, by every expression of kindness in word and deed, and by a careful avoiding of whatever may grieve or hurt them.
4. He enforces his discourse with the consideration, that the meanest heir of salvation is attended by angelic ministers. And if those glorious spirits, who in heaven behold the face of God, and stand around his throne, the ready servants of his will, do not disdain to wait upon these little ones, much less should we think them beneath our regard; and may justly dread, if we should treat them ill, that these guardian spirits would be our accusers, and be employed as executioners of the divine displeasure against us.
3rdly, As we must be careful not to give offence, equally careful should we be to shew all Christian tenderness and charity when we are justly offended. Since in this frail and corrupted state even good men are but men, and liable to fall, transgressing the precepts of prudence, justice, or charity, we are therefore directed how to behave towards them in such cases.
1. If a brother, a professing member of our most holy faith, act unsuitably thereunto, and do us an injury, or give us cause of complaint against him, we must first give him a private and kind admonition of his fault, and mildly argue the case, desiring to bring him to repentance and amendment; more solicitous for his good, than the redress of our own wrongs. We may not in this case, through fear of offending on the one hand, be silent, and suffer sin upon our brother without rebuke; nor, on the other, give way to rash anger or revenge, and by a public reproof expose him to others, which, however true the charge, would serve not to recover, but exasperate him the more. In this way of mild and secret admonition we may hope for success; and if he express his sorrow, and desire reconciliation, then the rebuke will be esteemed a kindness, the friendship more strongly cemented, our brother recovered, and the offence forgiven and forgotten.
2. If this method of reproof prove abortive, and he is obstinate against conviction, and displeased instead of humbling himself; then take two or three faithful impartial Christian brethren, and in their presence let the matter be discussed, that they may hear and judge, and add their weight to bring the party offending to due submission and reparation of the injury. Or if their sentiments be disregarded also, they will be evidences before the church of the steps which have been taken, and ready to confirm the truth of the just accusation of the injured person.
3. If every other method prove ineffectual, then the matter should be laid before the church, the society of faithful people among whom such a one associates, that he may have a public admonition for his offence, and be called upon to repent and amend of the evil that he has done.
4. If he still remain incorrigible, and persist in his iniquity, then he is to be excluded from the communion of the faithful, and no more connection and familiarity are to be maintained with him; for the charity which teaches us to forgive our enemies, does not forbid us to be on our guard against those who have used us ill, and refuse to repair the injury. From the whole we may learn, (1.) Under every injury received, to guard our own hearts against passion or revenge: this wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. (2.) Never to speak of another's faults behind his back, till we have in love and the spirit of meekness first admonished him to his face. (3.) To be ready under every provocation to forgive and forget, the moment real repentance appears in our brother. (4.) Not to endeavour to form a party in our favour, but in cases of offence, real or supposed, where the sentiments of brethren may differ about the facts, to let some common impartial friends hear and judge, before the matter be mentioned in public, or but whispered to others.
5. Christ delegates authority to his church thus to censure offenders, and ratifies the sentence which shall be pronounced in correspondence with this his revealed word: so that those who for their notorious evils are excluded from the society of the faithful now, shall be written among the reprobate, and for ever banished from the presence of God, unless they repent of their transgressions; and then they are again to be received into the bosom of the church, and all that is part to be intirely forgiven. The absolution pronounced on them by the ministers of God on earth shall be ratified in heaven, and, the correction having become effectual, the broken-hearted penitent is to be comforted, and restored to his former place, both in the church of God, and in our brotherly affection and regard.
6. For their encouragement in every religious concern, and especially with regard to the recovery of those who are fallen into sin, that they may be restored, our Lord declares the mighty efficacy of united prayer. Whatever, according to the divine will, two or three faithful souls shall meet together with joint supplications to beg at God's hands, he will assuredly hear, and will grant their requests. For wherever the smallest number of real believers assemble in Christ's name, depending on his promises, and desiring above all things the advancement of his glory, there will he ever be, quickening their prayers, strengthening their faith, enlivening their hopes, and comforting their hearts; and when he is one of the company, their supplications must be effectual, for him the Father heareth always; and what an encouragement is this to social prayer!
4thly, As our Lord had just given directions concerning the charitable conduct to be observed towards offenders, Peter, desirous to know how far this forgiveness of personal injuries extended, proposed to his Master the question, Whether, if the offence was repeated seven times, the forgiveness must be as often granted, on the repentance of the offender? He concluded this to be a great stretch of charity; but our Lord's answer shewed him how limited his apprehensions were: I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, until seventy times seven: intimating, that we must make no limitation to our forgiveness, but be always and in all cases ready to grant it, whenever the offender repents; imitating the divine compassions, which know no bounds, nor end. And, to enforce and elucidate this, he introduces a parable, wherein this godlike charity appears most eminent, and the guilt and danger of the opposite conduct is drawn in striking colours. The parable represents,
1. The noble clemency of a great lord, who, looking into his affairs, and revising his own accounts, (which it were well if every great man did) found, among other debtors, one who owed him an immense sum, the least part of which he was unable to discharge. In consequence whereof, in course of law, according to the custom of those times, he gave orders that himself and family should be sold for slaves, and all that he had be disposed of for his use. But, terrified at the sentence, though just, the poor debtor intreats a respite, with many fair promises of payment; when, moved with his distress, the compassionate master generously and freely forgave him all, and delivered him at once from his terrors and his debt. And this may be applied to the case between God and the sinner. (1.) We are deeply in arrear to him: every sin is a debt, and we are overwhelmed with it: we are born with a sinful nature, and our thoughts, words, and deeds have been so perverse before God, so often and so greatly have we offended, that no computation can reach the number of our transgressions, nor can we conceive the greatness of our guilt or provocations. (2.) The misery of our case; and what renders it most deplorable, yea, desperate, is, that we have nothing to pay. Could we render by a perfect obedience the present debt of duty, this would make no compensation for part iniquity. (3.) God keeps an account of all: not a word is on our tongue, nor a thought in our hearts, but he knoweth it altogether; so that we can no more conceal our transgressions from him, than we can cancel them. (4.) If the divine law take its course, the consequence must be, that we should be sold to suffer for our iniquities, and in the place of torment, in body and soul, continue satisfying the justice of God to eternity. (5.) The discovery of this dreadful situation made to the sinner's soul by the preaching of the word to his conscience, or by some awakening providence, fills him with terror, and sets him crying for mercy. But frequently at first the cries of the awakened conscience are for a respite, with many promises of amendment, which the sinner sometimes foolishly thinks will be accepted in payment. And he does not see his own utter insolvency, but thinks, through the ignorance and self-righteousness of his heart, that he can make God some payment; till by and by the trial convinces him that his best is bad; and self-despair strips him naked at the foot of the cross of Christ. (6.) God's infinite compassions extend through the Redeemer to the most guilty and desperate. He freely and fully forgives all that is past: not that he does it without a satisfaction made to his justice; this the Son of his love, incarnate, and dying under the guilt of our sins, has paid; but the mercy of pardon, reconciliation, and deliverance from the bondage of guilt and corruption, is to us freely given, to the praise of the glory of his grace, without money and without price.
2. We are told the unsuitable conduct which this much-obliged servant shewed respecting a fellow-servant of his, who owed him a trifling debt. He no sooner obtained his own pardon and liberty, than he went out, seized and throttled his fellow-servant, till he was almost choked; and, with menaces and insolence demanded instant payment, or threatened him with a prison. In vain his poor brother begged a respite, and, in the very words that himself had used, desired only time, and the debt should be paid: he was deaf to intreaty, and thrust him into a jail—a piece of cruelty and oppression which the other servants beheld with grief and indignation; and they failed not to acquaint their lord with this inhuman behaviour. Note; (1.) Many professors, who presume upon God's forgiveness, shew, by their covetousness and rigorous censures of others, the hypocrisy of their hearts, and the vanity of their hopes. (2.) Offences done to us, compared with those which we have committed against God, are to trivial, that we should be ashamed to show rigour in exacting reparation. (3.) Pride and passion render men unmerciful: though they know that a prison pays no debts, they take delight in thus gratifying their insolence or revenge. (4.) The debtor must not complain, though he be dealt with rigorously; humble intreaty becomes his condition, especially when he suffers only the fruits of his folly or extravagance. (5.) A compassionate heart feels for the distresses of others, and, if it can afford no other relief to them, carries the case of the oppressor and the oppressed to God in prayer, and his ears are open thereunto; he will answer in mercy and judgment. (6.) It is especially grievous to a gracious person, to see in professors of religion a spirit of bitterness and unmercifulness; and he laments it before the Lord.
3. Just resentment fired the master's heart on hearing these tidings; and, instantly citing this hardened wretch before him, he charges him with his wickedness, and upbraids him with his cruelty and ingratitude for all the mercies that he had so lately received! expostulating with him on the case, and leaving him without excuse. In wrath, he bids him therefore instantly be seized and delivered to the tormentors; to be confined in prison, and suffer the most rigorous punishment, till all the former debt should be paid.
4. The whole parable is intended to shew us, that God will deal with us as we deal with our brethren; and if we shew an implacable and unforgiving spirit, whatever hopes of pardon we may entertain, they are delusive; his wrath hangs over us, and, in the great day of account, we shall be delivered to the tormentors. Most bounden are we therefore to forgive every injury, and never to cherish the least wish or desire of revenge; for we expect greater mercy and forgiveness from God than ever man can from us; and therefore a sense of his pardoning love should kindle ours.