Lecture 3 — Parable of the wicked servant

^18:23^ Therefore the kingdom of heaven is likened to a king of men, who wished to take an account of his servants. [n. 1531]

^18:24^ And when he had begun to take the account, one was brought to him, who owed him ten thousand talents. [n. 1533]

^18:25^ And as he had nothing with which to pay it, his lord commanded that he should be sold, and his wife and children and all that he had, and the payment be made. [n. 1534]

^18:26^ But that servant, falling down, begged him, saying: have patience with me and I will pay you all. [n. 1535]

^18:27^ And the lord of that servant, being moved with pity, let him go and forgave him the debt. [n. 1536]

^18:28^ But when that servant had gone out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred pence, and laying hold of him, he throttled him, saying: pay what you owe. [n. 1537]

^18:29^ And his fellow servant, falling down, begged him, saying: have patience with me, and I will pay you all. [n. 1537]

^18:30^ And he would not, but went and cast him into prison, till he paid the debt. [n. 1537]

^18:31^ Now his fellow servants, seeing what was done, were very grieved, and they came and told their lord all that was done. [n. 1538]

^18:32^ Then his lord called him, and said to him: you wicked servant, I forgave you all the debt, because you begged me, [n. 1540]

^18:33^ should you not then have had compassion also on your fellow servant, even as I had compassion on you? [n. 1540]

^18:34^ And his lord, being angry, delivered him to the torturers until he paid all the debt. [n. 1541]

^18:35^ So also will my heavenly Father do to you, if every one of you does not forgive his brother from your hearts. [n. 1542]

1531. Therefore the kingdom of heaven is likened to a king. Here a likeness is set out; and he does three things:

first, the divine mercy is alluded to;

second, ingratitude is touched upon, at but when that servant had gone out;

third, the punishment of ingratitude, at now his fellow servants, seeing what was done.

Concerning the first,

first, the examination of debts is set out;

second, the magnitude of the debt, at and when he had begun to take the account, one was brought to him, who owed him ten thousand talents;

third, the justice of requiring payment, at and as he had nothing with which to pay it;

fourth, the forgiving of the debt, at and the lord of that servant, being moved with pity.

1532. He says then: since you should always be prepared to forgive, then you should understand this likeness: the kingdom of heaven is the law of the king; the very word of God is justice and truth. Who of God has made unto us wisdom, and justice, and sanctification, and redemption (1 Cor 1:30). Therefore, this is likened to a man who is King, when the Word was made flesh (John 1:14). Or, the kingdom indicates the present Church, as above, and they will gather out of his kingdom all scandals (Matt 13:41). And well is it named a kingdom, if we consider all the things which are in a kingdom.

In a kingdom there are the king, the servants, and so on. A king of men. This king is God, whether it be understood of the Father, or of the Son, or of the Holy Spirit. Who wished to take an account of his servants. By the Lord’s servants are understood the prelates of the Church, to whom the care of souls is entrusted. The faithful and wise steward, whom his lord sets over his family (Luke 12:42).

So what is it to take an account of the things entrusted except that they bind themselves to give an account? For they watch as being to render an account of your souls (Heb 13:17). And since to each man his own soul is entrusted, then anyone can be called a servant; hence, have you considered my servant Job? (Job 1:8). Hence anyone is set down here, that he may give an account of everything; for one must even give an account for any idle word, above (Matt 12:36).

1533. And when he had begun to take the account. The end of this account will be on the day of judgment; the beginning, when he first introduces a tribulation. Wherefore let them also who suffer according to the will of God, commend their souls in good deeds to the faithful Creator (1 Pet 4:19). Utterly destroy old and young, maidens, children and women: but upon whomever you see Thau, kill him not, and begin at my sanctuary (Ezek 9:6). Likewise, the diligent examination of merits is touched upon; let us search our ways (Lam 3:40), which means the examination of conscience.

And in this examination, one was brought to him, who owed him ten thousand talents. If we refer these talents to the prelates, we understand the sins of those who are under them: for as often as those under him sin through his negligence, he is made a debtor who owes talents. Hence it says, your life shall be for his life (1 Kgs 20:39). Or it can be said that one thousand is a perfect number, because it is cubic. Likewise, by ten is understood the number of the decalogue. And by a talent is understood a sin’s gravity. And behold a talent of lead was carried, and behold a woman sitting in the midst of the vessel. And he said: this is wickedness (Zech 5:7–8). Hence it signifies a man who has a multitude of the greatest crimes; hence when God wishes to take an account, and to examine his conscience, he finds a great mass of crimes. For the sins I have committed are more in number than the sand of the sea (1 Chr 21:8).

And when this examination of debt takes place, three things are set down: first, the cause of the examination is indicated, or the cause of punishment; second, the punishment is described; third, the fruit of the punishment.

1534. Someone is punished when he does not have of himself what he needs to make satisfaction; hence it says, and as he had nothing with which to pay it, since the whole of what he has is not enough. Hence, what shall I offer to the Lord that is worthy? (Mic 6:6). And as he had nothing with which to pay it, his lord commanded that he should be sold, since when the Lord takes account with a man, and the man has nothing to pay with, and he considers God’s justice and considers what the punishment is, he commands that he be sold. When he is sold, the reward of sin is punishment: a reward is what someone receives for something. And thus he is sold when punishment is inflicted. Behold you are sold for your iniquities (Isa 50:1). And his wife and children. He begets children from his wife. Now, the children are works, the wife concupiscence, or the root of sin. And all that he had, which are the gifts of God. I gave her corn and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver, and gold (Hos 2:8). Therefore, he is punished for his wife, and children, and for the gifts given to him. But to God the wicked and his wickedness are hateful alike (Wis 14:9). May his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow (Ps 108:9).

1535. But that servant, falling down, begged him, saying. Here the lord’s mercy is set out. And first, that which calls forth mercy is set out: for what calls forth mercy is prayer. Hence when a man sees himself in danger, he should run back to prayer. My son, have you sinned? Do so no more: but for your former sins also pray that they may be forgiven you (Sir 21:1).

And this man’s humility is commended; likewise his discretion is commended; also, his justice is commended. Humility, **falling down; he has had regard to the prayer of the humble (Ps 101:18). Hence, begged him. Origen writes, prayed him.

Likewise, his discretion is touched upon, because he did not beg that the whole debt be forgiven him, but only begged for time; hence he says, have patience with me, i.e., give me time, so I can make satisfaction. Job prayed in the same way, suffer me, therefore, that I may lament my sorrow a little (Job 10:20). Likewise, justice is touched upon: and I will pay you all. Then will they lay calves upon your altar (Ps 50:21).

1536. Likewise, the mercy of the lenient lord is set down: and the lord of that servant, being moved with pity, let him go and forgave him the debt. Hence the penitent’s sorrow does not cause forgiveness, but rather the Lord’s mercy; hence, so then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy (Rom 9:16). And the lord . . . being moved with pity. Notice that the Lord gives more than a man dares to ask; as it is said in the prayer, you who far exceed the merits and wishes of those who plead. Hence he let him go, i.e., absolved him, and forgave him the debt, i.e., sins. For there can be such great contrition that he forgives the whole.

1537. There follows the ingratitude: but when that servant had gone out, and five things are set down which make his ingratitude worse. For first, it is made worse by the time, for if this had happened after nine or ten years it would be no marvel; but since he offended on the same day, he is made ungrateful, as with a sinner who, when his sins are forgiven, returns to his sins on the same day. Hence it says, **gone out; for he beheld himself, and went his way, and presently forgot what manner of man he was (Jas 1:24). Likewise by pretense, because he was humble in the lord’s gaze, but when he went out he immediately showed what sort of man he was. I will go forth, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets (1 Kgs 22:22).

Likewise, it is shown by knowledge, because **he found one of his fellow servants. Man to man reserves anger, and does he seek remedy of God? (Sir 28:3). Likewise, by the smallness of the debt: that owed him a hundred pence. Hence there was a difference in number, for he himself owed ten thousands; in weight, because that man owed pence, and this man talents. Hence the sins which are committed against God are both more numerous and heavier than the sins which are committed against man, which are light, since they arise from weakness. Hence there is a difference in heaviness, just as there is a difference in heaviness between talents and pence. For it would be more grave to strike a king than a member of one’s family. Likewise, cruelty in demanding is indicated: and laying hold of him, since he dragged him into a lawsuit, and troubled him and throttled him, and did not let him breathe.

Likewise, by cruelty, because he would not let up. Hence first, the debtor’s pleading is set down; second, his cruelty, at and he would not, but went and cast him into prison. One should notice that everything this servant did for the lord, this man did for him; hence falling down, begged him. Above it says prayed, here begged, because above he rendered the honor which is owed to God, but here he touches upon the honor which is owed to man; for this reason, it says, besought. But it did him no good, hence it says, **and he would not. The bowels of the wicked are cruel (Prov 12:10). But went and cast him into prison, i.e., into affliction, till he paid the debt, i.e., for this purpose, that he would pay the debt. Because the jealousy and rage of the husband will not spare in the day of revenge (Prov 6:34).

1538. Now his fellow servants, seeing what was done. Here four things are touched upon:

first, the denunciation of this man’s sin is set down;

second, the reproach of the sin on God’s part, at then his lord called him;

third, the punishment, and his lord, being angry, delivered him to the torturers;

fourth, the likeness is applied, at so also will my heavenly Father do to you.

1539. He says then, now his fellow servants, seeing what was done. For we see that if one member suffers, the others suffer with it; hence seeing the man afflicted, they naturally suffered with him. I beheld the transgressors, and I pined away (Ps 118:158). Hence they **were very grieved. Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep (Rom 12:15). And they came and told their lord, i.e., they appealed to the divine justice. The Lord has heard the desire of the poor: your ear has heard the preparation of their heart (Ps 9:38).

1540. Next, the reproach is set down: then his lord called him. The Lord calls through death. You shall call me, and I will answer you (Job 14:14–15). And said to him. First, he upbraids his malice; second, the benefits received; third, he calls to mind what he should have done.

He says then, you wicked servant. Above, when he owed him money, he did not speak insults to him. But now, since he should have done what he did not do, he said, you wicked servant; for that a man should sin is human, but if he perseveres, this is diabolical. I forgave you all the debt. Here he upbraids him for benefits received, which above he had not given. Should you not then have had compassion also on your fellow servant? as though to say, you have received great things, and do you not want to grant little things?

1541. And his lord, being angry. And first, he treats of the punishment, by which separation from God comes about. Above, when the lord commanded that he be sold, he did not say that he was angry, because warnings are not from divine justice, but from mercy, while reproach is from God’s anger. As the roaring of a lion, so also is the anger of a king (Prov 19:12). Second, because he is subjected to the demons; hence he **delivered him to the torturers. He will render to him according to his judgment (Sir 33:14). Also, the everlastingness of the punishment is touched upon: until he paid all the debt, and this will be forever. For if the punishment should not cease until satisfaction is made for the debt, and no one can give satisfaction without grace, then the one who passes away without charity will not be able to give satisfaction.

1542. So also will my heavenly Father do to you. Here he applies the likeness. The Father is God, as above, our Father who art in heaven (Matt 6:9). Will . . . do to you, i.e., he shall not forgive your sins, if every one of you does not forgive his brother from your hearts.

Here he seems to imply that they pay for forgiven sins, just as Origen would have it that they pay for forgiven sins in some cases, as in the case of apostasy. Similarly, if a man is sorry that he repented. But this does not seem true, because the forgiveness has efficacy from the sacraments; for this reason, both manifest and hidden sins are forgiven. However, they are said to pay through ingratitude.