Matthew 18:24 (DBY)

Passage

And having begun to reckon, one debtor of ten thousand talents was brought to him.

Nearby Context

Matthew 18:22 Jesus says to him, I say not to thee until seven times, but until seventy times seven.

Matthew 18:23 For this cause the kingdom of the heavens has become like a king who would reckon with his bondmen.

Matthew 18:24 And having begun to reckon, one debtor of ten thousand talents was brought to him.

Matthew 18:25 But he not having anything to pay, [his] lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and his children, and everything that he had, and that payment should be made.

Matthew 18:26 The bondman therefore falling down did him homage, saying, Lord, have patience with me and I will pay thee all.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "having", "begun", "reckon", "debtor", "thousand", "talents", and "brought". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "having" and "begun", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 23's "For this cause the kingdom of the..." into verse 25's "But he not having anything to pay...", so "having" and "begun" belong inside that flow. In Matthew context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "having" and "begun" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.