Translation & Sermon by Nate Wilson for Christ The Redeemer Church, Manhattan, KS, 27 Jan 2013
18:21 Then,
Peter, having approached Him, said,
“Lord, how many times is my brother going to sin against me and will I forgive
him? Up to seven?”
18:22 Jesus says to him,
“To you I’m not saying up to seven times, but rather up to seventy times seven.
18:23 As a result, the kingdom of the heavens is similar to a man – a king – who wanted to settle accounting with his servants.
18:24 So, once he started to make settlements, one owing 10,000 year’s-wages was brought up to him.
18:25 Now, since he did not have means to pay back, his master commanded to be paid back thus: for him to be sold, with his wife and the children and whatever all he had owned.
18:26 The servant therefore, fell down and was bowing before him, saying, ‘Start being patient with me and I will pay you back all.’
18:27 Then the master of that servant, moved with compassion, let him go and forgave him of the loan!
18:28 However, after that servant went out, he found one of his fellow-servants who owed him one hundred day’s-wages, and he grabbed hold [of him and] was choking him, saying, ‘Pay me back, since you are obligated!’
18:29 Therefore, his fellow-servant, after falling down, called him off, saying, ‘Start being patient with me, and I will pay you back.’
18:30 But, as for him, he didn’t want to. Instead he went off and threw him into prison until whenever he might [be able to] pay back what was owed.
18:31 Well, having observed these happenings, his fellow-servants were really upset, and they went and explained all the happenings to each one’s master.
18:32 Then the master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant, I forgave you all that obligation since you called me off;
18:33 wasn’t it proper for you to have mercy on your fellow-servant, like I myself also had mercy on you?’
18:34 And his master, since he was angry, delivered him to the tormentors until whenever he might [be able to] pay back all that was owed to him.
18:35 Thus also my Father who is above the heavens will do to y’all, unless each one of you happen to forgive your brother, from your hearts.”
Jesus took Peter, James, and John on a special hike up a mountain and showed Him His exclusive glory, then Jesus returned to Capernaum to stay at Peter’s house. The tax collectors come by Peter’s house and Jesus sends Peter off to go fishing for the tax money. While Peter is gone, his brother Andrew comes up and says, “Hey Jesus, you’ve been treating Peter as though he is more special than me. He’s not really any more special is he?” And Jesus launches into a tirade about how they should quit jockeying for position in the kingdom of God and just be humble like children. Well, Peter comes back from paying his tax and finds out that Andrew has been trying to make him look less important to Jesus, and Peter gets upset. Perhaps this explains how his question comes about in Matthew 18:1.
18:21 Then, Peter, having approached Him, said, “Lord, how many times is my brother going to sin against me and will I forgive him? Up to seven?”
Τοτε προσελθων αυτω[1] ο Πετρος ειπεν Κυριε ποσακις[2] ‘αμαρτησει εις εμε ‘ο αδελφος μου και αφησω αυτω ‘εως ‘επτακις;
18:22 Jesus says to him, “To you I’m not saying up to seven times, but rather up to seventy times seven.
Λεγει αυτω ‘ο Ιησους Ου λεγω σοι ‘εως ‘επτακις αλλ’ ‘εως ‘εβδομηκοντακις ‘επτα.
18:23 As a result, the kingdom of the heavens is similar to a man – a king – who wanted to settle accounting with his servants.
Δια τουτο ‘ωμοιωθη ‘η βασιλεια των ουρανων ανθρωπω βασιλει ‘ος ηθελησεν συναραι[6] λογον μετα των δουλων αυτου
18:24 So, once he started to make settlements, one owing 10,000 year’s-wages was brought up to him.
αρξαμενου δε αυτου συναιρειν προσηνεχθη αυτω εις οφειλετης μυριων[7] ταλαντων
18:25 Now, since he did not have means to pay back, his master commanded to be paid back thus: for him to be sold, with his wife and the children and whatever all he had owned.
μη εχοντος δε αυτου αποδουναι εκελευσεν αυτον ‘ο κυριος αυτου[9] πραθηναι και την γυναικα αυτου3 και τα τεκνα και παντα ‘οσα ειχεν[10] και αποδοθηναι
18:26 The servant therefore, fell down and was bowing before him, saying, ‘Start being patient with me and I will pay you back all.’
Πεσων ουν ‘ο δουλος [12] προσεκυνει αυτω λεγων Κυριε[13] μακροθυμησον επ εμοι και παντα σοι[14] αποδωσω.
18:27 Then the master of that servant, moved with compassion, let him go and forgave him of the loan!
Σπλαγχνισθεις δε ‘ο κυριος του δουλου εκεινου[15] απελυσεν αυτον και το δανειον[16] αφηκεν αυτω
18:28 However, after that servant went out, he found one of his fellow-servants who owed him one hundred day’s-wages, and he grabbed hold [of him and] began choking him, saying, ‘Pay me back, since you are obligated!’
εξελθων δε ‘ο δουλος εκεινος ‘ευρεν ‘ενα των συνδουλων αυτου ὃς ωφειλεν αυτω ‘εκατον δηναρια και κρατησας αυτον επνιγεν[17] λεγων Αποδος [μοι[18]] ει[19] τι οφειλεις.
18:29 Therefore, his fellow-servant, after falling down, called him off, saying, ‘Start being patient with me, and I will pay you back.’
Πεσων ουν ‘ο συνδουλος αυτου [22] παρεκαλει αυτον λεγων Μακροθυμησον επ’ εμοι και [23] αποδωσω σοι.
18:30 But, as for him, he didn’t want to. Instead he went off and threw him into prison until whenever he might [be able to] pay back what was owed.
‘ο δε ουκ ηθελεν αλλα απελθων εβαλεν αυτον εις φυλακην ‘εως οὗ[24] αποδω το οφειλομενον[25]
18:31 Well, having observed these happenings, his fellow-servants were really upset, and they went and explained all the happenings to each one’s master.
Ιδοντες δε[26] ‘οι συνδουλοι αυτου τα γενομενα ελυπηθησαν[27] σφοδρα και ελθοντες διεσαφησαν[28] τω κυριω ‘εαυτων[29] παντα τα γενομενα
18:32 Then the master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant, I forgave you all that obligation since you called me off;
Τοτε προσκαλεσαμενος αυτον ‘ο κυριος αυτου λεγει αυτω[30] Δουλε πονηρε πασαν την οφειλην[31] εκεινην αφηκα σοι επει παρεκαλεσας με
18:33 wasn’t it proper for you to have mercy on your fellow-servant, like I myself also had mercy on you?’
ουκ εδει [32] και σε ελεησαι τον συνδουλον σου ‘ως και εγω σε ηλεησα;
18:34 And his master, since he was angry, delivered him to the tormentors until whenever he might [be able to] pay back all that was owed to him.
Και οργισθεις ‘ο κυριος αυτου παρεδωκεν αυτον τοις βασανισταις ‘εως οὗ αποδω παν το οφειλομενον αυτω[33].
18:35 Thus also my Father who is above the heavens will do to y’all, unless each one of you happen to forgive your brother, from your hearts.”
‘Ουτως και ‘ο πατηρ μου ‘ο επουρανιος[37] ποιησει ‘υμιν εαν μη αφητε[38] ‘εκαστος τω αδελφω αυτου απο των καρδιων ‘υμων [39].
[1] Not in Sinaiticus, and therefore not in some Critical editions. The person whom Peter is approaching is obvious from the ensuing vocative, “Lord,” so no change in meaning, but omission in only one manuscript, however ancient, is not a strong case for omission in a GNT edition, in my opinion.
[2] posakis “how oftKJV/how many timesNIV – used in LXX of 1 Kings 22:16, when King Ahab told the prophet Micaiah, “How many times must I tell you to tell me the truth?!” and later in Mt. 23:37, when Jesus said, “Oh Jerusalem, How often I have wanted to just gather your children under my wings like a mother hen.”
[3] Cf. Calvin: “[F]or when the Lord bids us wish our enemies well, He does not demand that we shall approve in them what He Himself condemns, but only wishes our minds to be purged of hatred… Secondly, we must add that Christ is not depriving believers of discretion, to be foolishly credulous at the merest word, but only wishes them to be fair and humane and to reach out a hand to the penitent when they show signs of being sincerely displeased with themselves… whenever a sinner gives probable sign of conversion, Christ wants him to be admitted to reconciliation and not to be broken and lose heart by being repulsed.”
[4] Abot. R. Nathan, c. 40. fol. 9. 3, cf. T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 36. 2. Mainion. Hilch. Teshuba. c. 3. sect. 5. As cited by John Gill.
[5] Leviticus 4:6,17; 8:11; 14:7,16,27,51; 16:14,19; Numbers 19:4; 2 Kings 4:35; 5:10
[6] Sunarai logon = take/reckonKJV/settle accounts – Matthew the tax collector is the only author in the Bible who uses this phrase, so I have to think they are specialized tax or accounting terms (cf. 25:19 – settling of accounts in parable of talents).
[7] Curiously, the Sinaiticus reads pollwn “many” instead of myriad “10,000.”
[8] I would contend that the masculine gender of eis “one” and opheiletas “debt” refers back to the masculine logon “account” in v. 23.
[9] Not in Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, D, L, or family 1 of minuscules, so not in Critical editions, but most modern translations based on the Critical editions (except the NIV) put the word “his” in there anyway upon the force of the definite article, so there is no change in meaning. Ditto with the second “autou” in this verse except substitute Θ for D.
[10] The Critical editions of the Greek New Testament follow the Vaticanus and Koriadethi manuscripts (+ family 1 minuscules) in spelling this verb in the Present Tense and Indicative Mood (εχει), but the support is overwhelmingly in favor of the majority reading above, which is in the Imperfect tense. The shade of meaning of past possession of these goods before the Master took them away is too small to even register as a difference in English translations anyway.
[11] On the other hand, Chrysostom suggested that the readiness of the king to absolve the debtor indicates that selling him into slavery was merely a threat the king didn’t intend to pursue, but which he uttered to bring the servant to his senses. I hesitate to affirm God making empty threats, however.
[12] Several manuscripts and versions have ekeinos “that” here (cf. v.28), but not included in any editions of the GNT (as far as I know).
[13] This vocative is not in the Vaticanus, Bezae, or Koriadethi manuscripts, nor is it in the Vulgate, so it is omitted in Critical editions, but I’m not sure this is enough support to deviate from the majority of manuscripts and versions. It doesn’t change the meaning either way, because the context makes it clear to whom this request is addressed.
[14] Not in Koriadethi and Beza manuscripts, which might be why it’s not included in the NIV translation, but Critical editions do not omit it. Context makes the addressee obvious, so still no difference in meaning.
[15] Omitted in Vaticanus and Koriadethi manuscripts as well as family 1 of minuscules, but this is not considered enough evidence by Critical editions to reject it as not part of the original text. As usual, it would not change the meaning anyway.
[16] Again, Matthew alone of the NT authors picks up on a specialized accounting term for a loan. It also occurs in the LXX of Deuteronomy 15:8-10 and 24:11, governing loans. Its more general synonym οφειλην (referring to any kind of obligation) is used instead in v.32
[17] A.T. Robertson and Wm. Hendriksen believe this Imperfect tense verb is Inchoative, translated, “began to choke” this is also the reading of the NASB.
[18] This word is in the majority of Greek manuscripts, including C, K, Γ, Δ, and f13 as well as the majority of old Syriac versions, but it is not included in Critical editions of the GNT. It does not change the meaning, however.
[19] Not found in the T. R., but in the Majority of Greek manuscripts; doesn’t make a difference in English versions.
[20] John Calvin estimates that 1 talent is more than 100 denaria. William Hendriksen said one talent was equal to 6,000 denaria. Ralph Earle estimated one denarius at 18 to 20 cents and therefore a total of $20.
[21] Vincent cites Livy 4:53, Cicero’s “Pro Cluentio” 21, and Cicero’s “In C. Verrem” 4:10.)
[22] Majority and Textus Receptus editions of the GNT insert here εις τους ποδας αυτου “to his feet,” but this is supported by only one uncial manuscript (W), and only one ancient version (Middle Egyptian), (plus the f13 minuscule manuscripts), so it’s not in Critical editions of the GNT. Since the verb “fell down” already implies this, it does not change the meaning.
[23] Patristic and Textus Receptus editions of the GNT include the word παντα “all” here, so it is in the KJV English translations, but it’s not in the majority of manuscripts, nor is it in the older manuscripts followed by Critical editions, so it’s not in the NAS, NIV, or ESV translations. But there is not an essential difference between “I will pay” and “I will pay all.”
[24] Not in Critical editions, following א, Β, C, and L, but not even translated in English versions which follow the Byzantine majority. “Until whenever/such time as. Still no change in meaning. Cf. v.34 where only B omits this word.
[25] This is a participle with a definite article, translated debtKJV,NIV/what was owedNAS – later in v.34, KJV translates the same word “what was due” and NIV switches allegiance to “what was owed.”
[26] Not in Vaticanus or Bezae, and Sinaiticus reads ουν (“therefore”), so not in Critical editions, but oddly, the NAS, which follows the UBS Critical edition includes the word anyway (“so”).
[27] sorryKJV/grievedNAS/distressedNIV – used of Herod’s grief over killing John, the disciples’ upset over hearing that Jesus would die, and of Jesus’s passion in the garden of Gethsemane.
[28] ToldKJV,NIV is a little weak. ReportedNAS,ESV is a little more robust. Ralph Earle notes that this is a specialized word , and indicates giving a full account. He prefers “explain.” The root word means to make “clear,” so the English “elucidate” might also be fitting. Only 3x in the Bible: here, Deut. 1:5 (Moses explaining the law he had previously given), and Mt. 13:36, where Jesus is asked to “explain” a parable.
[29] Several ancient manuscripts (D, L, Θ, F1, and f13) spell the word without the ε in front, making it less emphatic, and the Textus Receptus follow this. It makes no difference in the standard English translations, although it could indicate that some of these other slaves had a different master (i.e. “their own” vs. “his” master).
[30] - D, Θ
[31] Only occurs as a noun like this in the Greek Bible here and Romans 13:7 (tax), and 1 Corinthians 7:3 (marriage).
[32] D, Θ, P25, and Syriac insert “therefore” here, but editors of Patristic, T.R., and Critical GNT’s did not consider this part of the original text.
[33] This last word is not in B, D, Θ, f13, or the majority of Latin translations, so it’s not in Critical editions of the GNT. Curiously, the NAS, which usually follows the Critical edition, includes this word anyway. It doesn’t change the meaning, though, since it is implied already.
[34] Cf. N.T. Greek scholar A.T. Robertson, “Not to prison simply but to terrible punishment.” Classical Greek master, Dr. Marvin Vincent quotes from Livy (2:23) where an old centurion complains of being taken by his creditor and “tortured” by having his back whipped.
[35] According to Dr. Paul White, in his book series, Jungle Doctor.
[36] According to G.A. Henty, The Pirate City.
[37] א, B, D, K, and L read a shortened form of this word without the “epi-” prefix, thus it is not in Critical editions. It doesn’t make a difference in how the word is translated into English, though.
[38] Third class conditional expresses uncertainty. Judas Iscariot may have been the exception.
[39] Majority and Textus Receptus read τα παραπτωματα αυτων “their trespasses,” but early manuscript support is weak, with only W and C from the Uncials, no support from f1, and no early versions leaning this way (Majority of Latin and Syriac versions don’t include it). The context assumes this, so it doesn’t change the meaning.
[40] Continued from Chrysostom’s Homily: “[T]he more we are injured, so much the more should we lament for them that are injuring us. For to us many are the benefits hence arising, but to them the opposites. But did he insult thee, and strike thee before all? Then hath he disgraced and dishonored himself before all, and hath opened the mouths of a thousand accusers, and for thee hath he woven more crowns, and gathered for thee many to publish thy forbearance. But did he slander thee to others? And what is this? God is the one that is to demand the account, not they that have heard this. For to himself hath he added occasion of punishment, so that not only for his own sins he should give account, but also of what he said of thee…”