Windell Gann
Matthew 18:6
millstone ... From Matthew 17:24 we learn Jesus was in Capernaum, where there was an industry of making millstone from lava rock in the area, balsalt rock.
Jesus and the group may well be passing such a display, and we can imagine his hand indicating these millstones beside the road.
Matthew 18:18
ye.. you... plural, this included all the apostles. [Matthew 16:19 see the note there this command was not given just to Peter.] John 20:23
Matthew 18:21
seven times ... Luke 17:4; Amos 1:3 [ Numbers often used as literary devices, as "seven" is used here in Matthew 18:22 not literally.]
Matthew 18:23
kingdom of heaven ... Matthew 18:17, the church.
Parable:
A.The Unpayable Debt - Grace. Ephesians 2:8; Luke 17:10
B. A Double Standard -
C. A Forgiving Spirit - Matthew 18:35
We cannot receive forgiveness until we show forgiveness.
D. God’s Forgiveness and Ours -
E. The Mind of God - Philippians 2:15
John 13:34-35 a new commandment ..
...by this shall all men know ...
[vs. 28 General injunction "Pay your debts!"]
Conclusion
1. Our sins are great, our debt immense.
2. God is of great mercy and freely forgives us.
3. The offenses committed by our brethren against us are relatively small.
4. That we should therefore most freely forgive.
Matthew 5:7 "Blessed are the merciful ..."
Matthew 6:12 "Forgive us of our debts ..."
5. If we don’t forgive, God will not forgive us.
Matthew 18:25
| EQUIVALENCE TABLE OF WEIGHTS AND COINAGE AT THE TIME OF JESUSA-81 |
| Jewish weight | Greek coin or equivalent | Roman coin or equivalent | Phoenician (Tyrian) coin | Modern U.S. approximate equivalent |
| Drachma (Luke 15:8–9) | Denarius (Matt. 18:28; 20:2, 9,13; 22:19; et al.) | Approximately $41.20A-82 | ||
| Half-Shekel | Diadrachma (seldom minted) | Equivalent to two Denarii | Diadrachma (seldom minted) (Matt. 17:24) | Approximately $84.20 |
| Shekel | Tetradrachma (not in the New Testament) | Equivalent to four Denarii | Stater or Shekels (Matt. 17:27; cf. 26:16) | Approximately $164.80 |
| Talent (Matt. 18:24; 25:15–28) | Equivalent to approximately 6,000 Denarii | Approximately $247,200.00 |
A-81 Cf. Gleason L. Archer, “Coins,” ZPEB, 1:902–11; Rousseau and Arav, Jesus and His World, 57.
A-82 A denarius was the equivalent of a day’s wage for a common laborer (see comments on 17:24–27; and comments on 22:19). Using the minimum wage of $5.15 an hour in the United States in 2000, a common laborer would receive $41.20 a day. A talent, therefore, would be worth approximately $247,200 (cf. 25:15) by modern U.S. standards. The figure would be much lower in many areas of the world. The comparisons are only suggestive.
Arnold, C. E. (2002). Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke (Vol. 1, p. 116). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
Matthew 18:35
from your heart ... genuinely