Luke 7:42Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Lord, using parables and placing the two debtors before each other, subtly shows that he, too, is in debt, albeit he views himself as the lesser debtor. Yet, he is still a debtor. Thus, you, who are indebted to the lesser debtor, cannot settle the obligation (for you are held captive by pride and lack true confession), nor can your wife. Consequently, both will be forgiven. Who then will have greater love? Undoubtedly, it is the one to whom much has been forgiven. With this statement, He silences the arrogant individual.

He instructed the Pharisee and all who were present that the Word, which is God, ‘came into the world in our likeness, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.’ He arrived to absolve all debts, whether significant or minor, and to extend compassion to every individual, ensuring that none were excluded from His grace.

Our Lord, who thoroughly discerns the deepest aspects of human hearts as the Creator, did not harshly condemn the wicked at once, but instead revealed concealed truths with gentleness. With genuine humility and abundant grace, He conveyed to him in a mysterious manner the thoughts He had. "Simon, Simon, I will present to you a parable, and I would like you to evaluate my words. There was a certain creditor who had two debtors; one owed him fifty gold coins, while the other owed him five hundred. When they both found themselves in distress, the generous lender, recognizing their plight, forgave both debts equally, demonstrating his immense compassion towards them. How do you judge these two debtors? Which one of them will love the forgiver more?

Who are the two debtors if not two nations? One represents the Jewish people, while the other symbolizes the Gentiles, both indebted to the Lender of heavenly riches. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. The denarius, bearing the sovereign's likeness along with the victorious symbol of the Emperor, is indeed significant. To the Lender, we owe not material wealth, but the splendor of our actions, the currency of virtue, valued by the depth of our thoughts, the elegance of our righteousness, and the clarity of our confession. Woe to me if I do not possess 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 this Lender fully!

He emphasized that, similar to the previous illustration, you, who had a small debt, showed a small amount of love towards Me, while she, who bore a significant debt, expressed a great love. Therefore, I permitted her to approach Me as one who loved deeply, so that I could grant her a great release. In this context, 'much' signifies everything.

Have you observed the compassionate lender who generously gives without seeking repayment? Despite being wronged, he remains unresentful and reaches out to those in need. He does not insist on returning what is theirs but instead offers to those who lack, distinguishing between those who are without and those who simply do not desire. This illustrates that God requires nothing from us except for true repentance; He desires us to express gratitude continually and pursue a change of heart. When we yearn for repentance, it becomes evident that the weight of our sins indicates a frailty in our resolve to repent, leaving us unable to meet our obligations. This is not due to a lack of desire but rather a lack of resources.

Let us reflect on the reasoning that leads to the defeat of this boastful and haughty Pharisee. He is confronted with a parable concerning two people in debt, one owing a smaller sum and the other a larger one. When both debts are forgiven, the question arises: which of the two will show greater love for the creditor? He responds without hesitation, saying, “I suppose the one whom I forgave more.” Here, we should observe that the Pharisee, caught in his own reasoning, resembles a fool carrying a rope intended for his own binding.

I appeared to be deserving of criticism for not admonishing her who seeks to flee from her wrongdoings. However, Simon, your judgment is misguided. Reflect on what I am about to convey and form your own conclusion: There was a certain creditor with two borrowers; one owed him five hundred pieces of silver, while the other owed fifty. When they were both unable to repay, the creditor forgave their debts. Now, which of these two will have greater affection for him? Who would exclaim to him, “You have rescued me from the stains of my actions?”

Confession can be understood as the acknowledgment of our debts, as well as the admission of mistakes and the recognition of our own shortcomings, which represents the recognition of our spiritual neediness. As illustrated in the parable told by the Lord, “A certain lender,” the Lord explains, “had two debtors, and the one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty; but as they had nothing to pay, he forgave both.”

Fear not, for the Creator is here! It is He who holds the authority over His creation; it is He who can offer forgiveness for debts of five hundred and fifty denarii. His power is limitless, and His riches are boundless. Yet, the Pharisee often overlooks this truth! While he observes the debt of his neighbor, which amounts to five hundred denarii, he neglects to acknowledge his own smaller debt of fifty. He fails to recognize it as a debt at all, even though Divine Judgment reveals that both are destitute and in need of mercy for their obligations.

Although the Pharisee concluded that Jesus was not truly a prophet, the Lord directed His words to him, revealing that no one's heart, including that of the Pharisee, was hidden from His sight. He had already discerned the hearts of both the repentant sinner and the 'righteous one' and found favor with the penitent. Through the parable of the two debtors—one who owed 500 denarii and the other 50—He illustrated the principles guiding His actions. All stand as sinners before Him, all are indebted to Him, differing only in their awareness of their sinfulness; one recognizes it profoundly, while the other is less aware. The Lord’s redeeming love is drawn more toward those deeply conscious of their sins.

Around the same time that the Baptist sent his representatives to Jesus, a Pharisee named Simon extended an invitation to the Lord for a meal he had organized. Jesus accepted the invitation and entered Simon's home, taking His place at the table. This gathering was open, allowing anyone to be present in the house alongside the invited guests. As Jesus was welcomed to this meal, a crowd followed Him, eager to hear His teachings or to receive healing for their ailments, resulting in a significant number of attendees at the supper. Among them was a woman known to be a sinner. At that moment, she was overwhelmed by deep remorse for her sins and sought the Lord's forgiveness through her tears.

The Pharisee kept his thoughts to himself, yet the Savior discerned his heart and understood his intentions. Even though He refrained from immediately confronting the man's icy indifference and harshness, He sought to capture the attention of those present by speaking directly to the master: “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Tell me, Master,” Simon responded, a hint of tension in his voice. Jesus continued with a parable: “A certain creditor had two borrowers; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Since they had no means to repay, he graciously forgave both. Which of them will love him more?” Simon failed to realize that this inquiry could reflect upon himself, just as David had not perceived the implications for himself when passing judgment on Nathan’s story. “I suppose,” David answered, “the one who was forgiven more.”

He canceled both debts, promising that he would not seek repayment from them. The phrase He shall love Him refers to a broad understanding of love, encompassing feelings of gratitude, appreciation, respect, and a deep, personal affection.