SEV Biblia, Chapter 18:28
Y saliendo aquel siervo, hall a uno de sus consiervos, que le debía cien denarios; y asiendo de l, le ahogaba, diciendo: Pgame lo que me debes.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 18:28
Verse 28. A hundred pence] Rather denarii. The denarius was a Roman coin, worth about seven-pence halfpenny English. The original word should be retained, as our word penny does not convey the seventh part of the meaning. A hundred denarii would amount to about 3l. 2s. 6d. British, or, if reckoned as some do, at seven-pence three farthings, the sum would be 3l. 4s. 7d. Took him by the throat] krathsav auton epnige. There is no word I am acquainted with, which so fully expresses the meaning of the original, epnige, as the Anglo-saxon term throttle: it signified (like the Greek) to half choke a person, by seizing his throat.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 28. But the same servant went out , etc.] From his Lords palace and presence, immediately, directly, after he had got his pardon and liberty: and found one of his fellow servants ; a fellow creature and Christian; not only one of the same nature and species; but of the same profession of religion, and in the service of the same kind and generous master: which owed an hundred pence ; which, if understood of Roman pence, each penny being seven pence halfpenny of our money, amounted to no more than three pounds and half-a-crown; a small sum, in comparison of the ten thousand talents which had been just now forgiven him: for so sins committed against men, against fellow creatures, or fellow Christians; are but small, when compared with those which are committed against God.
All which circumstances, as that it was immediately after he had been forgiven himself; that it was a fellow servant he found: and the sum he owed him so inconsiderable, greatly aggravate his inhuman carriage, next related: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, pay me that thou owest ; he laid hold on him in a violent manner, and used him with great inhumanity: he took him by the collar, and shook him, and griped him so hard about the neck, that he almost throttled, and strangled, or choked him, as the word signifies, and is so rendered in most versions. It answers to the Hebrew word qnh , which is used by the Jews in the same sense: qynjh , he that throttles anyone (who is indebted to him) in the streets, and his friend comes up and says, let him go, and I will pay thee, he is free, etc.
This man insisted on payment of the whole debt; which expresses the rigour and severity used by some professors of religion to their fellow Christians; who, having offended them, in ever so small a matter, will not put up with the affront, nor forgive the injury, without having the most ample satisfaction, and avenging themselves upon them to the uttermost.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 21-35 - Though we live wholly on mercy and forgiveness, we are backward to forgive the offences of our brethren. This parable shows how muc provocation God has from his family on earth, and how untoward his servants are. There are three things in the parable: 1. The master' wonderful clemency. The debt of sin is so great, that we are not able to pay it. See here what every sin deserves; this is the wages of sin to be sold as a slave. It is the folly of many who are under stron convictions of their sins, to fancy they can make God satisfaction for the wrong they have done him. 2. The servant's unreasonable severit toward his fellow-servant, notwithstanding his lord's clemency towar him. Not that we may make light of wronging our neighbour, for that is also a sin against God; but we should not aggravate our neighbour' wronging us, nor study revenge. Let our complaints, both of the wickedness of the wicked, and of the afflictions of the afflicted, be brought to God, and left with him. 3. The master reproved his servant' cruelty. The greatness of sin magnifies the riches of pardoning mercy and the comfortable sense of pardoning mercy, does much to dispose ou hearts to forgive our brethren. We are not to suppose that God actuall forgives men, and afterwards reckons their guilt to them to condem them; but this latter part of the parable shows the false conclusion many draw as to their sins being pardoned, though their after-conduc shows that they never entered into the spirit, or experienced the sanctifying grace of the gospel. We do not forgive our offendin brother aright, if we do not forgive from the heart. Yet this is no enough; we must seek the welfare even of those who offend us. Ho justly will those be condemned, who, though they bear the Christia name, persist in unmerciful treatment of their brethren! The humble sinner relies only on free, abounding mercy, through the ransom of the death of Christ. Let us seek more and more for the renewing grace of God, to teach us to forgive others as we hope for forgiveness from him __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
εξελθων 1831 5631 V-2AAP-NSM δε 1161 CONJ ο 3588 T-NSM δουλος 1401 N-NSM εκεινος 1565 D-NSM ευρεν 2147 5627 V-2AAI-3S ενα 1520 A-ASM των 3588 T-GPM συνδουλων 4889 N-GPM αυτου 846 P-GSM ος 3739 R-NSM ωφειλεν 3784 5707 V-IAI-3S αυτω 846 P-DSM εκατον 1540 A-NUI δηναρια 1220 N-APN και 2532 CONJ κρατησας 2902 5660 V-AAP-NSM αυτον 846 P-ASM επνιγεν 4155 5707 V-IAI-3S λεγων 3004 5723 V-PAP-NSM αποδος 591 5628 V-2AAM-2S μοι 3427 P-1DS ο 3739 R-ASN τι 5100 X-ASN οφειλεις 3784 5719 V-PAI-2S
Vincent's NT Word Studies
28. Found. Either went in search of him, as he himself had been sought out by his Lord, or came upon him accidentally in the street.A hundred pence (ekaton dhnaria). Less than a millionth part of his own debt.
Took him by the throat (auton epnigen). Lit., throttled. Wyc., strangled. Compare were choked, Mark v. 13. Creditors often dragged their debtors before the judge, as the Roman law allowed them to do, holding them by the throat. Thus Livy (iv. 53), relates how, a difficulty having arisen between the consul Valerius and one Menenius, the tribunes put an end to the contest, and the consul ordered into prison (collum torsisset, twisted the neck) the few who appealed. And Cicero ("Pro Cluentio," 21):
"Lead him to the judgment-seat with twisted neck (collo obtorto)." Compare Cicero, "In C. Verrem," iv. 10.
What thou owest (ei ti ofeileiv). Lit., If thou owest anything. Not that the creditor is uncertain about the fact of the debt, though some uncertainty about the exact amount may be implied. This would agree with found, in the sense of coming upon accidentally. Compare Matt. xiii. 44. He came suddenly upon him and recognized him as a debtor, though not certain as to the amount of his debt. Meyer remarks, "The if is simply the expression of a pitiless logic. If thou owest anything (as thou dost) pay!" The word pay (apodov) is emphatic in position.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
18:28 {A hundred pence} (hekaton denaria). A denarius was worth about eight and a half pence. The hundred denarii here were equal to some "fifty shillings" (Bruce), "about 4 pounds" (McNeile), "twenty pounds" (Moffatt), "twenty dollars" (Goodspeed), "100 shillings" (Weymouth) . These are various efforts to represent in modern language the small amount of this debt compared with the big one. {Took him by the throat} (epnigen). "Held him by the throat" (Allen). It is imperfect, probably inchoative, "began to choke or throttle him." The Roman law allowed this indignity. Vincent quotes Livy (iv. 53) who tells how the necks were twisted (_collum torsisset_) and how Cicero (_Pro Cluentio_, xxi.) says: "Lead him to the judgment seat with twisted neck (_collo obtorto_)." {What thou owest} (ei ti ofeileis). Literally, "if thou owest anything," however little. He did not even know how much it was, only that he owed him something. "The 'if' is simply the expression of a pitiless logic" (Meyer).
