2026年9月15日
经文｜马太福音 18:26–33；歌罗西书 3:12–14
【太18:26】那仆人就俯伏拜他，说：“主啊，宽容我，将来我都要还清。”
【太18:27】那仆人的主人就动了慈心，把他释放了，并且免了他的债。
【太18:29】他的同伴就俯伏央求他，说：“宽容我吧，将来我必还清。”
【太18:30】他不肯，竟去把他下在监里，等他还了所欠的债。
【太18:33】你不应当怜恤你的同伴，像我怜恤你吗？
【西3:12】所以，你们既是神的选民，圣洁蒙爱的人，就要存怜悯、恩慈、谦虚、温柔、忍耐的心。
【西3:13】倘若这人与那人有嫌隙，总要彼此包容，彼此饶恕；主怎样饶恕了你们，你们也要怎样饶恕人。
【西3:14】在这一切之外，要存着爱心，爱心就是联络全德的。
灵修
读《马太福音》18章，再读《歌罗西书》3章，会发现两处经文之间有许多深刻的呼应。
《马太福音》用一个故事告诉我们，一个蒙了极大怜恤的人应当怎样对待别人；《歌罗西书》则把这种生命具体地描述出来——怜悯、恩慈、谦虚、温柔、忍耐、包容、饶恕和爱。
一、主人“动了慈心”——要穿上“怜悯”
【太18:27】“那仆人的主人就动了慈心。”
【西3:12】“要存怜悯……的心。”
主人首先向仆人显出的就是怜悯。
因此，基督徒的怜悯不是从自己开始，而是从经历神的怜悯开始。
我们能够怜悯，是因为我们首先蒙了怜悯。
二、主人没有按债追讨——这就是“恩慈”
仆人欠下巨债，主人本来有权追讨，但他没有这样做，反而释放他、免去他的债。
《歌罗西书》说：
【西3:12】“要存怜悯、恩慈……的心。”
怜悯是心被触动，恩慈则使怜悯化为行动。
主人不是只说一句“我很同情你”，而是真正采取行动，把他释放。
所以，真正的怜悯不会永远停留在感觉里；恩慈会使我们实际地帮助、给予和宽容别人。
三、仆人求“宽容我”——歌罗西书说要“忍耐”
两个仆人都说：
“宽容我吧。”
第一个仆人需要主人的耐心；第二个仆人也需要他的耐心。
而《歌罗西书》3:12特别说：
“要存……忍耐的心。”
有时候，怜悯一个人，就是愿意给他时间。
不是每个人都会马上改变，也不是每个问题都会马上解决。
我们自己需要神耐心地对待我们，因此也要学习耐心地对待别人。
四、主人免了他的债——“主怎样饶恕了你们”
这是两段经文最明显的对应。
【太18:27】主人“免了他的债”。
【西3:13】“主怎样饶恕了你们，你们也要怎样饶恕人。”
一个是比喻，一个是命令，但属灵原则完全相同：
你怎样蒙了饶恕，也要怎样饶恕别人。
五、“像我怜恤你”——“主怎样饶恕你”
这可能是两段经文最强烈的呼应。
主人说：
【太18:33】“你不应当怜恤你的同伴，像我怜恤你吗？”
保罗说：
【西3:13】“主怎样饶恕了你们，你们也要怎样饶恕人。”
两句话都有同一个属灵次序：
神怎样待我，我也学习怎样待人。
基督徒对待别人的标准，不只是“他怎样对我”，而是：
“主怎样对我？”
六、仆人不肯宽容——歌罗西书却说“彼此包容”
第二个仆人失败的地方，不只是没有免债。
圣经特别说：
【太18:30】“他不肯。”
他不愿意给同伴空间，也不愿意等待。
而《歌罗西书》说：
【西3:13】“总要彼此包容。”
包容不是说错误无关紧要，而是在人的软弱和成长过程中，愿意给恩典留下空间。
七、仆人紧紧抓住别人——歌罗西书却叫我们存“温柔”
【太18:28】说，他“揪着他，掐住他的喉咙”。
这是一个非常强烈的画面。
而《歌罗西书》3:12却说要穿上：
“温柔。”
一个蒙恩的人，不需要用强硬、压迫和控制来对待别人。
神怎样温柔地带领我们，我们也当学习以温柔对待人的软弱。
八、仆人只看见别人欠他的——歌罗西书提醒我们“谦虚”
为什么这个仆人能够如此严厉地追讨别人？
因为他似乎已经忘记：自己刚刚才是那个欠下巨债、完全无力偿还的人。
《歌罗西书》因此提醒我们要有：
“谦虚。”
谦卑使我们记得：
我也是蒙恩的人。
当我们记得自己的软弱，就比较不会站在高处审判别人的软弱。
九、马太福音讲“嫌隙”，歌罗西书告诉我们怎样处理
《歌罗西书》3:13说：
“倘若这人与那人有嫌隙……”
《马太福音》18章正好就是一个“有嫌隙”的故事——一个人确实欠另一个人的债。
圣经并没有说亏欠不存在。
问题是：当亏欠真实存在的时候，我们怎样回应？
保罗的答案是：
彼此包容，彼此饶恕。
十、整个故事最终指向“爱”
《歌罗西书》最后说：
【西3:14】“在这一切之外，要存着爱心。”
怜悯、恩慈、谦虚、温柔、忍耐、包容和饶恕，最后都被爱连接在一起。
那个仆人的悲剧，就是他接受了主人的恩典，却没有让这份恩典改变自己对待别人的方式。
恩典进入了他的账目，却没有进入他的心。
所以，《马太福音》18章可以看作《歌罗西书》3章的一个反面教材：
主人表现了怜悯、恩慈、忍耐和饶恕；
仆人却选择了严厉、追讨、不包容和不饶恕。
而保罗告诉我们，一个真正知道自己是“圣洁蒙爱的人”的人，应当把所领受的恩典“穿”在身上。
先蒙爱，然后去爱。
先蒙怜恤，然后去怜恤。
先被包容，然后去包容。
先蒙饶恕，然后去饶恕。
这也让耶稣的另一句话更加清楚：
【太5:7】“怜恤人的人有福了，因为他们必蒙怜恤。”
神的怜恤不是要停在我们身上，而是要经过我们流向别人。
真正蒙恩的生命，不只是能够说：
“主赦免了我。”
更能够说：
“因为主怎样待我，我也愿意这样去待别人。”
今日默想
当别人亏欠我时，我首先想到的是他的亏欠，还是主曾经怎样恩待我？
我是否愿意把自己从主所领受的怜悯、恩慈、忍耐、包容和饶恕，也给予身边的人？
今天主是否正在对我说：
“你不应当怜恤你的同伴，像我怜恤你吗？”
祷告
亲爱的天父，感谢祢先怜恤我、宽容我、饶恕我，并以恩慈和忍耐待我。
求祢让我永远记得，我首先是一个蒙爱、蒙恩、蒙怜恤的人。
当别人软弱或亏欠我的时候，让我不只是看见他们欠我的，也看见祢已经赦免了我何等大的债。
求祢帮助我穿上怜悯、恩慈、谦虚、温柔和忍耐，使我愿意包容，也愿意饶恕。
主怎样怜恤我，让我也怎样怜恤人；主怎样饶恕我，让我也怎样饶恕人。
愿祢的恩典不停止在我这里，而是经过我的生命，继续流向别人。
奉主耶稣基督的名祷告，阿们。
As the Lord Has Shown Mercy to Us
September 15, 2026
Scripture | Matthew 18:26–33; Colossians 3:12–14
【Matthew 18:26】The servant fell on his knees before him. “Be patient with me,” he begged, “and I will pay back everything.”
【Matthew 18:27】The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
【Matthew 18:29】His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, “Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.”
【Matthew 18:30】But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.
【Matthew 18:33】“Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?”
【Colossians 3:12】Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
【Colossians 3:13】Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
【Colossians 3:14】And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Devotional
When we read Matthew 18 alongside Colossians 3, we discover many profound parallels between these two passages.
Matthew tells us through a story how someone who has received extraordinary mercy should treat others. Colossians describes what such a life should look like in practice—compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forbearance, forgiveness and love.
- The Master “Took Pity on Him” — Clothe Yourselves with “Compassion”
【Matthew 18:27】The servant’s master “took pity on him.”
【Colossians 3:12】Clothe yourselves with “compassion.”
The first thing the master showed his servant was mercy and compassion.
Christian compassion, therefore, does not begin with ourselves. It begins with experiencing the compassion of God.
We are able to show mercy because we have first received mercy.
- The Master Did Not Demand Payment — This Is “Kindness”
The servant owed an enormous debt. The master had every right to demand repayment, yet instead he released the servant and canceled the debt.
Colossians says:
【Colossians 3:12】Clothe yourselves with compassion and “kindness.”
Compassion is the heart being moved; kindness turns that compassion into action.
The master did not merely say, “I feel sorry for you.” He acted and set the servant free.
True compassion, therefore, does not remain merely a feeling. Kindness moves us to help, give and extend grace to others in practical ways.
- The Servant Pleaded, “Be Patient with Me” — Colossians Calls Us to “Patience”
Both servants said:
“Be patient with me.”
The first servant needed his master’s patience. Later, his fellow servant needed that same patience from him.
Colossians 3:12 specifically tells us to clothe ourselves with:
“Patience.”
Sometimes showing mercy means being willing to give someone time.
Not everyone changes immediately, and not every problem can be resolved immediately.
We need God to be patient with us, and therefore we must learn to be patient with others.
- The Master Canceled His Debt — “Forgive as the Lord Forgave You”
This is one of the clearest parallels between the two passages.
【Matthew 18:27】The master “canceled the debt.”
【Colossians 3:13】“Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
One is a parable and the other is an instruction, but the spiritual principle is the same:
As you have been forgiven, forgive others.
- “Just as I Had Mercy on You” — “As the Lord Forgave You”
This may be the strongest parallel of all.
The master says:
【Matthew 18:33】“Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?”
Paul says:
【Colossians 3:13】“Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
Both statements reveal the same spiritual pattern:
As God has treated me, I learn to treat others.
The standard for how a Christian treats another person is not simply:
“How did this person treat me?”
Instead, we ask:
“How has the Lord treated me?”
- The Servant Refused to Be Patient — Colossians Says, “Bear with Each Other”
The second servant’s failure was not simply that he refused to cancel the debt.
Scripture specifically says:
【Matthew 18:30】“But he refused.”
He was unwilling to give his fellow servant space or time.
Colossians, however, says:
【Colossians 3:13】“Bear with each other.”
Bearing with one another does not mean that wrongdoing does not matter. It means that in the midst of another person’s weakness and growth, we are willing to leave room for grace.
- The Servant Grabbed His Fellow Servant — Colossians Calls Us to “Gentleness”
Matthew 18:28 says that he grabbed his fellow servant and began to choke him.
It is a striking picture of harshness.
Colossians 3:12, however, tells us to put on:
“Gentleness.”
Someone who has received grace does not need to respond to others through harshness, pressure or control.
As God gently leads us, we should also learn to respond gently to the weaknesses of others.
- The Servant Saw Only What Others Owed Him — Colossians Reminds Us of “Humility”
Why could this servant be so harsh in demanding repayment?
Perhaps because he had already forgotten that only moments earlier, he himself had been the one with an enormous debt that he was completely unable to repay.
Colossians therefore reminds us to put on:
“Humility.”
Humility helps us remember:
I, too, am someone who lives by grace.
When we remember our own weaknesses, we are less likely to stand above others and judge theirs.
- Matthew Shows the Grievance — Colossians Shows Us How to Respond
Colossians 3:13 says:
“If any of you has a grievance against someone…”
Matthew 18 is precisely a story about a real grievance—one servant genuinely owed another servant money.
Scripture does not pretend that the wrong or debt does not exist.
The question is:
When the wrong is real, how will we respond?
Paul’s answer is:
Bear with each other and forgive one another.
- The Whole Story Ultimately Points to “Love”
Colossians concludes:
【Colossians 3:14】“And over all these virtues put on love.”
Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forbearance and forgiveness are ultimately bound together by love.
The tragedy of the servant in Matthew 18 is that he received his master’s grace but did not allow that grace to transform the way he treated others.
Grace entered his account, but it never entered his heart.
In this sense, Matthew 18 can be seen as a negative illustration of Colossians 3.
The master demonstrated compassion, kindness, patience and forgiveness.
The servant chose harshness, demanding repayment, intolerance and unforgiveness.
Paul tells us that someone who truly knows that he is “holy and dearly loved” should “put on” the grace he has received.
First we are loved, then we love.
First we receive mercy, then we show mercy.
First we are borne with, then we bear with others.
First we are forgiven, then we forgive.
This also gives even greater meaning to another saying of Jesus:
【Matthew 5:7】“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”
God’s mercy is not meant to stop with us. It is meant to flow through us to others.
A life that has truly experienced grace does not merely say:
“The Lord has forgiven me.”
It also learns to say:
“Because of the way the Lord has treated me, I want to treat others in the same way.”
Today’s Reflection
When someone wrongs me, do I first think about what they owe me, or do I remember how graciously the Lord has treated me?
Am I willing to extend to others the compassion, kindness, patience, forbearance and forgiveness that I myself have received from the Lord?
Is the Lord saying to me today:
“Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant just as I have had mercy on you?”
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for first showing me mercy, being patient with me, forgiving me, and treating me with kindness and grace.
Help me always remember that I am first someone who is dearly loved, richly graced and deeply forgiven.
When others are weak or have wronged me, help me not to focus only on what they owe me, but to remember the enormous debt You have already forgiven me.
Help me clothe myself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Give me grace to bear with others and to forgive.
As You have shown mercy to me, help me to show mercy to others. As You have forgiven me, help me to forgive others.
May Your grace never stop with me, but flow through my life to those around me.
In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.
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