Luke 7:41Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Lord, through His parables, presents a scenario involving two debtors positioned against one another, subtly indicating that even he is in debt, albeit viewing himself as the lesser debtor. Yet, he remains indebted. Consequently, you, who are in debt to the lesser debtor, are unable to settle that obligation, as your pride prevents you from acknowledging your shortcomings, and neither can your wife. Thus, both are granted forgiveness. Who then will love more? Clearly, it is the one from whom much has been forgiven. With this statement, He silences the arrogant individual.

He instructed the Pharisee and everyone present that the Word, who is God, "came into the world in our likeness, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him." He came to forgive both significant and minor transgressions, showing compassion to all, so that no one was left out of His grace.

Our Lord, who discerningly searches the depths of the heart as the Creator, did not harshly reprimand the wicked one without cause; rather, he revealed hidden truths with gentleness. With a spirit of humility and profound grace, he subtly communicated his thoughts: "Simon, Simon, I will share a parable, and I invite you to discern the meaning of my words. There was a moneylender who had two debtors; one owed him fifty silver coins, while the other was in debt for five hundred. Both found themselves in dire circumstances. Yet, the merciful lender, recognizing their plight, graciously forgave the debts of both, demonstrating his immense compassion. How do you perceive these two debtors?

Who are the two debtors if not two nations? One is Jewish and the other Gentile, both indebted to the Giver of heavenly riches. The first owed five hundred denarii, while the second owed fifty. Great is the denarius that bears the image of the Sovereign and the victorious symbol of the Emperor. To the Giver, we do not owe mere material wealth, but the glory of our deeds, the currency of virtue, valued by the depth of our thoughts, the purity of righteousness, and the sound of our confessions. Woe to me if I lack what I have borrowed! Woe to me if I do not cry out: ‘Forgive me my debt’ (Matt. 6:12, Luke 11:4), for it is challenging to repay the Giver fully!

He illustrated that, similar to the previous example, you, with a minor debt, exhibited a minor love for Me, whereas she, burdened with a greater debt, displayed a profound love. Thus, I permitted her to approach Me as one who loved deeply, so that I could grant her a significant release. Here, ‘much’ encompasses everything.

Consider the profound wisdom of God: He refrains from mentioning the wife in order to protect the integrity of the response. He states, “One owed five hundred denarii, and the other five hundred and fifty.” This narrative approach is quite striking. Our lives serve as a record wherein our thoughts and actions, the wandering of our eyes, and the stirrings of our souls are kept in an invisible ledger. Yet, the merciful Lender who erases the record of our wrongdoings liberates us from anxiety. Not only does He erase them, but He also cleanses them with the waters of baptism, ensuring that not a single trace of letter or syllable remains as a reminder of our former sins. This brings to mind a discussion about the sinner's wife and the Pharisee.

Let us consider the insight that conquers this proud and haughty Pharisee. He is given a parable involving two individuals in debt, one owing a smaller amount and the other a larger sum. When both debts are forgiven, the question arises: which of them will demonstrate greater love for the lender? The Pharisee promptly responds, “I suppose the one to whom he forgave more.” In this moment, we can see that the Pharisee, impacted by his own reasoning, resembles a madman clutching the very rope that is meant to bind him.

I appeared to you as deserving of criticism for not admonishing the one who seeks to flee from her sins. However, Simon, your judgment is unjust. Reflect on what I am about to tell you, and discern: There was a certain lender with two debtors; one owed five hundred units, and the other fifty. When neither could repay their debts, the lender graciously forgave both. So, tell me, which of the two will show greater love? Who among them should declare, “You have rescued me from the stains of my deeds”?

Every faithful believer thus owes a debt to their Lord and Creator, and everything received from Him will be accounted for during His fearsome and profound judgment. On that day, all will stand before Him, whether rulers or the poor, stripped bare and humbled. Therefore, let us reflect on the gifts God has bestowed upon us. Among the countless blessings, the greatest and most complete are: liberation from condemnation, sanctification from sin, transition from darkness to His indescribable light, and through holy Baptism, the privilege of becoming His children, heirs, and members of His divine body, endowed with the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. This Spirit serves as the royal mark with which the Lord seals His flock.

Be still, for the Creator is among us! He holds the authority to judge His creations and possesses the power to absolve immense debts of sin, amounting to five hundred and fifty denarii. His strength and riches know no bounds. Yet, the Pharisee consistently overlooks this truth. He focuses on his neighbor's debt of five hundred denarii, neglecting his own fifty, failing to regard it as a burden at all. However, Divine Judgment reveals that both individuals are devoid of resources, and both desperately require the forgiveness of their debts.

While the Pharisee opined that Jesus could hardly be considered a prophet, the Lord redirected His comments toward him, revealing that no one's heart is concealed from Him, not even the Pharisee's. He had already discerned the sentiments of the repentant sinner in contrast to those of the 'righteous' individual, finding favor with the former. In the parable of the two debtors—one who owed 500 denarii and the other 50—He articulated the principles that guide His actions. All are sinners in His sight, all are debtors—some more acutely aware of their shortcomings than others. The Lord's redemptive love tends to draw nearer to those who have a deeper awareness of their sinfulness.

Around the same time that the Baptist sent his message to Christ, a Pharisee named Simon invited Jesus to a banquet at his home. The Lord accepted the invitation and took His seat at the table. This feast was open, allowing anyone to be present in the house as a spectator, in addition to the invited guests. Since Jesus had been called to this gathering, many people followed Him to hear His teachings or to seek healing from their afflictions, resulting in a large crowd desiring to attend the meal. Among those who entered was a woman marked as a sinner. At that moment, her heart was overwhelmed with deep and fervent remorse for her transgressions, and she approached the Lord with the intent of pleading for His forgiveness, shedding tears as she did so.

The all-knowing Jesus discerned the thoughts of the Pharisee, and to offer correction, He shared a parable: there was a creditor with two borrowers; one was in debt for five hundred denarii, while the other owed fifty.

The Pharisee kept his thoughts to himself, yet the Savior perceived his heart and understood his inner reflections. Despite recognizing the man's coldness and insensitivity, He chose not to rebuke him immediately. To direct the audience's focus to His message, He spoke to the teacher: "Simon, I have something to say to you." The teacher responded somewhat hesitantly, "Tell me, Master." Jesus continued, "A certain moneylender had two debtors; one was in debt for five hundred denarii, and the other for fifty. Since they were unable to repay their debts, he freely forgave both. Which of them, then, will love him more?" Simon did not realize that this inquiry could pertain to him, much like David had not recognized the implications of Nathan's parable when he judged it. He replied, "I suppose the one who was forgiven more."