Matthew 18:25Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

This individual was unfamiliar with any goodness and carried a heavy weight of transgressions; thus, it is written, "as he had nothing to pay with, the lord ordered him to be sold." From this, we can particularly discern the humanity of the lord, who both assessed the account and commanded his sale—actions taken not with the intent to actually sell him. How can this be demonstrated? By considering the outcome. If selling him had truly been his desire, who could have stopped him? The purpose behind the command, which he did not intend to execute, was to amplify the debtor's fear. By threatening him, the lord increased the debtor’s dread to compel him to beseech for mercy, and he prompted that appeal as a means to provide an opportunity for forgiveness.

The selling of a debtor along with his wife and children symbolizes a severance from God, for the one who is sold serves another master. Is not the wife a part of the flesh and the companion of the soul, while the children represent the sinful deeds committed by the body and spirit? Therefore, the Lord instructs that the flesh be handed over to Satan for annihilation, meaning it should endure the afflictions and torments inflicted by the adversary. Moreover, the children, referring to the manifestations of wickedness, must also be restrained. Consequently, if a person's hand engages in theft, God may wither it or constrain it through demonic influence. Thus, the wife, representing the flesh, and the children, symbolizing the forces of evil, are subjected to suffering so that the spirit may attain salvation, as such an individual can no longer continue in thievery.

The act of selling a wife, among others, represents a profound forsaking and utter disconnection from the joys intended by God. This implies that such a transaction reflects a severance from divine fellowship. Those involved stand as outsiders to God's presence, to whom the severe and sorrowful proclamation is directed: Depart from Me, you workers of iniquity, for I do not know you (Luke 13:27).

However, his directive was not issued out of malice, but from a place of empathy, so that he could seek and receive grace when confronted with such a verdict. Had he not declared this sentence with that intention, he would not have absolved the debt of the one who pleaded. But why did he wait to forgive until after the property was sold? Because if he had been granted forgiveness so readily, he would have missed the profundity of mercy. Thus, he placed him in dire circumstances, so that he might later reflect on the judgment he himself had escaped and, through his own trials, learn to show kindness to his debtor.

Adam incurred a burden, which we are obligated to settle, having partaken in what was forbidden, and even now, we, his descendants, bear this obligation equally. It was not sufficient for the creditor to retain the debtor; he also required the children to repay their father’s debt, seeking to expunge the household of the debtor by driving everyone out. Thus, we all turn to You, O Strong One: recognizing our profound poverty, may You, as the Abundant One, cover what we owe, O coming Adam, hear our plea!

This parable conveys that anyone who harbors anger towards their neighbor and refuses to pardon their wrongs not only faces the denial of God’s forgiveness for their own sins but also risks having their previously forgiven transgressions reinstated and recalled. The compassionate king canceled the debtor's obligation, yet due to his lack of mercy toward his fellow servant, the debt was reinstated, and he was handed over to the torturers for the penalties associated with his debt.

As the debtor possessed no means to settle his obligation, the king resolved to sell him, along with his family and all his belongings, to satisfy the debt: "I have no recompense for him." Indeed, a sinner has nothing to offer to God in atonement for his transgressions; there is no resource on earth or in heaven that can redeem sin. Even our repentance, when weighed against the severity of sin, holds no value. It is solely the boundless goodness of God that compensates for sin. What does it signify to sell the debtor, his wife, children, and all his possessions to clear the debt? When sold, the individual becomes a servant to the purchaser and is severed from the master who sold him.

Since he had no means to settle his debt, his master commanded that he be sold into perpetual servitude, along with his wife, children, and all his possessions, in order to pay off the amount owed. Why did the master decide to sell his wife? St. Chrysostom explains that it was not out of cruelty or inhumanity, but rather to instill fear in the servant and prompt him towards compliance, without any genuine intention of selling her. If he had intended that, he would not have listened to the servant's plea or extended his mercy to him. The master sought to illuminate the servant on the extent of the debts he had forgiven and hoped this would encourage him to show greater compassion towards his own debtor.

As he was unable to offer anything in payment, being unfamiliar with virtues and lacking righteous deeds that could be credited to him for the forgiveness of his sins, the ruler commanded that he, along with his wife, children, and all his possessions, be sold to settle the debt. What was the intention behind this decree, given that he had no plans to see it fulfilled? It was to amplify the debtor's anxiety and compel him to plead for clemency. Undoubtedly, he could have pardoned him without the need for a prayer, yet he refrained from doing so. This was to ensure that, unaware of the seriousness of his transgressions, he did not grow harsh towards those around him. Hence, the ruler revealed the extent of his obligation ahead of time and thereafter absolved him of it entirely.

He instructed him to sell it, in accordance with the statutes of Moses as noted in Leviticus 25:39 and 47, and see also Exodus 21:2-3 and 4 Samuel 4:1. The directive to pay requires the total that would result from the sale of everything. Why did the king also order the wife to be sold? This was not an act of cruelty or lack of compassion, but rather a deliberate intention; through such a stern command, the king aimed to instill fear in his servant and compel him to comply, with no actual plan to proceed with the sale.