There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
a certain.
Luke 11:4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
Luke 13:4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
Isaiah 50:1 Thus saith the LORD, Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.
the one.
Luke 7:47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
Romans 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
1 Timothy 1:15,16 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief…
pence.
Matthew 18:28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
the other.
Luke 12:48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
Numbers 27:3 Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not in the company of them that gathered themselves together against the LORD in the company of Korah; but died in his own sin, and had no sons.
Jeremiah 3:11 And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.
One owed him five hundred denarii,
A denarius was a day's wage for a laborer, making five hundred denarii a substantial debt, equivalent to over a year and a half of work. This large debt represents a significant burden, symbolizing those who are deeply aware of their sinfulness and need for forgiveness. The use of specific amounts highlights the varying degrees of awareness and acknowledgment of sin among individuals. This phrase connects to the broader biblical theme of sin's weight and the human inability to repay God through personal effort, emphasizing the need for grace.
and the other fifty.
The second debtor owes fifty denarii, a much smaller amount, representing those who may not perceive their sin as severely or who may be less aware of their need for forgiveness. This contrast between the two debtors illustrates the varying degrees of sin and guilt perceived by individuals. It also underscores the idea that regardless of the perceived size of one's debt (sin), forgiveness is necessary for all. This aligns with other scriptural teachings that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), and that forgiveness is available to all through Christ.
• Jesus immediately levels the field: both characters are in debt. In Scripture, debt is a vivid picture of sin (Romans 3:23; Psalm 130:3).
• Whether Jew or Gentile, religious or irreligious, every person stands before God owing more than he can pay (Ecclesiastes 7:20).
• By starting with “two,” Jesus sets up a comparison that will expose hearts, just as He does with the two sons in Luke 15:11–32.
• The moneylender represents God, the rightful owner of every soul (Psalm 24:1).
• Like the king in Matthew 18:23, He keeps accurate accounts and has full authority to call debts due.
• His willingness to lend shows His generosity; His right to collect shows His justice (Romans 2:5–6).
• Five hundred denarii equaled nearly two years’ wages, underscoring an overwhelming, humanly unpayable liability (Matthew 18:24).
• This larger debtor mirrors overt sinners—tax collectors, prostitutes—whose offenses are public and numerous (Luke 15:1–2).
• The point is not to rank sins but to show how clearly this person recognizes his helplessness (Luke 18:13).
• Fifty denarii—about two months’ wages—looks modest next to five hundred, yet it is still a genuine debt. Even “small” sins separate from God (James 2:10).
• This smaller debtor pictures the outwardly respectable—Pharisees like Simon, confident in their morality (Luke 18:11–12).
• By contrasting amounts, Jesus exposes the danger of minimizing personal sin and underestimating grace (Revelation 3:17).
Luke 7:41 teaches that every person is indebted to God for sin, though some feel the weight more acutely. The parable’s contrasting amounts are not about mathematics but about perception: the one who sees the enormity of his guilt will love God most when forgiven. Those who consider their debt “small” risk missing the depth of divine mercy and responding with cold, minimal gratitude.
(41, 42) There was a certain creditor . . .--The parable has some points of resemblance to that of the Two Debtors in Matthew 18:23. Here, however, the debts, though different, are not separated by so wide an interval as are the ten thousand talents and the hundred pence. The debts are both within the range of common human experience. The "pence "are, of course, the Roman denarii, worth about sevenpence-halfpenny each. The application of the parable treats the woman as a greater debtor than the Pharisee. She had committed greater sins. Each was equally powerless to pay the debt--i.e., to make atonement for his or her sins. Whatever hope either had lay in the fact that pardon was offered to both as a matter of free gift and bounty.Frankly.--Better, freely-i.e., gratuitously, as an act of bounty. So Shakespeare--
"I do beseech your grace. . . .
. . . . now to forgive me frankly."
Henry VIII., Act ii., Scene 1.
Verses 41, 42. - There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. The illustration was from the everyday life of the people. This lending and borrowing was ever a prominent feature in the common life of the Jews. Pointed warnings against greed and covetousness, and the habit of usury, and the love of perpetual trafficking, we find in all the Old Testament books, notably in Deuteronomy, and then centuries later in the Proverbs, besides repeated instances in the prophetic writings and historical books. The character of the Jews in this respect has never changed from the days of their nomad life - from the times of their slavery under the Pharaohs to our own day. In this particular instance the two debtors were of the common folk, the sums in question being comparatively small; but in both cases the debtors could never hope to pay their creditors. They were alike hopelessly insolvent, both helplessly bankrupt. The larger sum, considering' the relative value of money, has been computed only to have represented about 50ドル of our currency. And the two received from their creditor a free, generous acquittance of the debt which would have hopelessly ruined them. In the mind of Jesus the larger debt pictured the terrible catalogue of sins which the penitent woman acknowledged she had committed; the smaller, the few transgressions which even the Pharisee confessed to having been guilty cf. They were both sinners before God, both equally insolvent in his eyes; whether the debt was much or little was to the almighty Creditor a matter of comparative, indifference - he frankly forgave them both (better, "freely," the Greek word ἀχαρίσατο signifies "forgave of his generous bounty"). The Revisers simply translate "he forgave," but something more is needed to reproduce the beautiful word in the original. "Frankly," in the sense of "freely," is used by Shakespeare -"I do beseech your grace...
... now to forgive me frankly."
(Henry VIII.,' act 2. sc. 1.)
Parallel Commentaries ...