Teaching about forgiving people for their errors, in a story about forgiving debts
Matthew 18:30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
Matthew 18:30 But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.
This one, however, didn't want to, instead, leaving, he tossed him into a prison until he might give back that debt.
Putting people in prison for debt makes it hard for them to repay.
Remember, the teaching before this parable was about forgiving people for their mistakes against you. It is also a story about those who do not forgive. That idea of mistakes, for Jesus, is deeply connected to debts. An unpaid debt is a mistake, but hurting another by other types of mistakes also creates a debt. Debt is a bond, tying people together, an obligation, a loss of freedom. An unresolved debt leads to a greater loss of freedom. For most of human history, this meant prison. Not paying a debt was exactly the same crime as stealing.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "and" should be something more like "but."
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "he" is not the common pronoun usually translated as "he."
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "would" has the sense of "wanted" as "desired."
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "but" is not the common conjunction usually translated as "but."
- WF - Wrong Form - The "went" is not an active verb but a participle, "leaving."
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "and" doesn't exist in the source.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "should" does not mean the future tense.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "he" is not the common pronoun usually translated as "he."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "no" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "refused" has the sense of "wanted" as "desired."
- WF - Wrong Form - The "went" is not an active verb but a participle, "leaving."
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "and" doesn't exist in the source.
- IP - Inserted Phrase-- The phrase "had the" doesn't exist in the source.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "him" should be something more like "the one."
And - (WW) The Greek word translated as "and" is usually translated as "but" and joins phrases in an adversarial way. Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better.
he -- (CW) The word translated as "he" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
would - (CW) The Greek word translated as "would" means "to want" or "to desire." Its primary purpose is to express consent and even delight in doing something.
not: - The Greek word translated as "not" is the Greek negative used to deny objective facts, not opinions. It makes a negative statement of fact.
but - (CW) The Greek word translated as "but" denotes an exception or simple opposition, but it is not the common conjunction "but" used above but translated as "and." "Still," "rather," and "except" work well when the word isn't being used as a conjunction.
went - (WF) "Went" is from a verb that means "go away" and "depart from." It is in the form of an adjective, so "departing" or "leaving."
and -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "and" in the Greek source. It was added because the previous verb was translated as active rather than a participle.
cast - The word translated as "cast" has a number of meanings revolving around "throw" as we do in English with both "throw" and "toss." In dice, it means "to throw" the dice, but with the sense of being lucky. This word is also a middle passive, the tree is throwing itself in the fire.
him -- The word translated as "him" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English.
into - -- The word translated as "unto" means "into" a place, "towards" as a direction, "in regards to" a subject, and "up to" limits in time and measure.
prison, - "Prison" is a noun, that means a noun means a "watcher," "guard," "chain," "keeper," and "a place where people are watched." This form is found only in the NT where it is clearly used to mean prison.
till -- The word translated as "until" means "until" but it also means "in order that." With the particle of possibility and the subjunctive form of the verb, the sense is until some unknown time.
he -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
should -- (CW) This helping verb "should" does not indicate the future tense, but that the verb describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice. A "might" or "should" in English is more appropriate, but is assumed in an "if/when/whoever/except" clause. Helping verbs are not needed in Greek since the main verb carries this information in its form.
pay - "Pay" is from is from a verb that means literally, "give back" or "give up," and also means "restore," "return," "yeild," "give account," and "sell." It is in a form that indicates something that might happen.
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
debt. -- "Debt" is from a verb in the form of a noun that means "to owe," "to have to pay," and "to account for."
But -- The Greek word translated as "but" is usually translated as "but" and joins phrases in an adversarial way. Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better.
he -- (CW) The word translated as "he" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
missing "not" -- (MW) The untranslated word "not" is the Greek negative used to deny objective facts, not opinions. It makes a negative statement of fact.
refused - (CW) The Greek word translated as "refused" means "to want" or "to desire." Its primary purpose is to express consent and even delight in doing something.
Instead- The Greek word translated as "instead" denotes an exception or simple opposition, but it is not the common conjunction "but" used above. "Still," "rather," "instead," and "except" work well when the word isn't being used as a conjunction.
went - (WF) "Went" is from a verb that means "go away" and "depart from." It is in the form of an adjective, so "departing" or "leaving."
off - -- This is from the prefix of the previous verb that means "from."
and -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "and" in the Greek source. It was added because the previous verb was translated as active rather than a participle.
had the - -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as "had the" in the Greek source.
man -- (WW) The word translated as "man" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English.
thrown - The word translated as "cast" has a number of meanings revolving around "throw" as we do in English with both "throw" and "toss." In dice, it means "to throw" the dice, but with the sense of being lucky. This word is also a middle passive, the tree is throwing itself in the fire.
into - -- The word translated as "unto" means "into" a place, "towards" as a direction, "in regards to" a subject, and "up to" limits in time and measure.
prison, - "Prison" is a noun, that means a noun means a "watcher," "guard," "chain," "keeper," and "a place where people are watched." This form is found only in the NT where it is clearly used to mean prison.
until -- The word translated as "until" means "until" but it also means "in order that." With the particle of possibility and the subjunctive form of the verb, the sense is until some unknown time.
he -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
could -- This helping verb "could" does not indicate the future tense, but that the verb describes a possibility, the subjunctive voice. A "might" or "should" in English is more appropriate, but is assumed in an "if/when/whoever/except" clause. Helping verbs are not needed in Greek since the main verb carries this information in its form.
pay - "Pay" is from is from a verb that means literally, "give back" or "give up," and also means "restore," "return," "yeild," "give account," and "sell." It is in a form that indicates something that might happen.
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
debt. -- "Debt" is from a verb in the form of a noun that means "to owe," "to have to pay," and "to account for."
ὁ (pron sg neut nom/acc) Untranslated is from , which means "this," "that," "he," "she," "which," "what," "who," "whosoever," "where," "for which reason," and many similar meanings.
δὲ (conj) "But" is from de which means "but" and "on the other hand." It is the particle that joins sentences in an adversarial way but can also be an explanation of cause ("so").
οὐκ (partic) "Not" is from ou which is the negative adverb for facts and statements, negating both single words and sentences. The other negative adverb, μή applies to will and thought; οὐ denies, μή rejects; οὐ is absolute, μή relative; οὐ objective, μή subjective.
ἤθελεν, [64 verses](verb 3rd sg imperf ind act) "He would" is thelo, which as a verb means "to be willing (of consent rather than desire)," "to wish," "to ordain," "to decree," "to be resolved to a purpose" "to maintain," "to hold," "to delight in, and "will (too express a future event)."
ἀλλὰ (conj) "But" is from alla, which means "otherwise," "but," "still," "at least," "except," "yet," nevertheless," "rather," "moreover," and "nay."
ἀπελθὼν [22 verses](part sg aor act masc nom) "Went" is from aperchomai, which means "to go away," "to depart from," "to spread abroad," and "to depart from life."
ἔβαλεν [54 verses](verb 3rd sg aor ind act) "Cast" is from ballo, which means "to throw," "to let fall," "to cast," "to put," "to pour," "to place money on deposit," "push forward or in front [of animals]," "to shed," "to place," "to pay,"to throw [of dice,]" "to be lucky," "to fall," "to lay as foundation," "to begin to form," "to dash oneself with water," and "to bathe."
αὐτὸν (adj sg masc acc) "Him" is from autos, which means "the same," and the reflexive pronouns, "myself," "yourself," "himself," "herself," "itself," or the oblique case of the pronouns, "him," "her," and "it." It also means "one's true self," that is, "the soul" as opposed to the body and "of one's own accord."
εἰς (prep) "Into" is from eis, which means "into (of place)," "up to (of time)," "until (of time)," "as much as (of measure or limit)," "as far as (of measure or limit)," "towards (to express relation)," "in regard to (to express relation)," "of an end or limit," and "for (of purpose or object)."\
φυλακὴν [10 verses](noun sg fem acc )"Prison" is phylake, which means "a watching or guarding," "a guard," "a ward," "a watch," " "a station," "a post," "a keeping," "a preserving," "safekeeping," "a safe-guard," and "a precaution."
ἕως [63 verses](conj) "While" is from heos which means "until," "till," and "in order that" and "up to the point that."
ἀποδῷ [22 verses](verb 3rd sg aor subj act) "He should pay" is from apodidomi which means "to give back," "to restore," and "to deliver." It has the economic sense of "to sell" or "to give something for one's own profit." It begins with apo the preposition of separation and origin, the idea of "from" in English, didômi which means "to give," "to grant," "to hand over," and "to describe."
τὸ (article sg masc acc) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
ὀφειλόμενον. [5 verses](part sg pres mp masc acc) "Debt" is from opheilô, which means "to owe," "to have to pay," "to be bound," "to be obliged (to do)" and "to account for."
But he really didn't want that. So, leaving, he tossed him into jail until he could repay the debt.