Parable of the Unmerciful Servant: 10,000 talents vs.100 denari Matthew 18:21-35
In this story, a king comes to a servant to settle up. The servant owes him 10,000 talents. The man can’t pay. Under the law, the king has the right to sell the man’s wife and children as slaves to repay the debt. That was the law. But when the man fell to his knees and begged for more time, the king took pity. He extended grace. He did more than give more time — he cancelled the debt altogether.
The same man, who had received this huge gift of grace then goes out and finds a fellow servant who owes him only 100 denari. (By comparison, it takes 6000 denari to make up just one talent). It’s a huge distinction– in our economy, millions of dollars compared to just a few dollars.
He not only demands payment, but even gets physical – grabbing the man and choking him. The man begs for more time. But instead of giving more time–or even cancelling the debt as had been done for him, he throws the man in prison.
Both men had the right legally to throw the debtor into prison or to sell relatives into slavery. But the king – even with such a huge amount owed – chose to extend grace.
We hear that story and it fills us with a bit of outrage. We want to go after that unmerciful, unforgiving servant. We celebrate a bit when we see the king at the end of the story goes back and has him thrown into prison.
Because he received grace, he should have been happy to extend grace.
But the reality is…you and I are that man who owes 10,000 talents – our sin tips the scales. It can’t be measured. We owe a debt we cannot pay. But Jesus paid our bill. He forgave our sin. He extended grace even though we didn’t deserve it.
John 1:16: “From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.”
An awareness of the blessing upon blessing, the grace upon grace we have received should prompt us to give because we have received.
The woman of God extends grace because she has received grace.
Join me for the next five days, as I share five Give-Out-Grace pearls to encourage you in your journey of faith to be a giver of grace.