Then his lord called him and said, “Wicked servant, I forgave you all your debt, because you pleaded with me.
The Lord, learning of the servant’s harsh conduct, calls him again before him. But this time the form of address has changed: “wicked servant”; this stands in contrast to the earlier tone of forgiveness with which he had been released. The Lord emphasizes that he had not only forgiven the entire debt, but that this was done at the servant’s own request. Here it becomes clear that asking with words alone is not enough: forgiveness is a gift, yet at the same time it requires a response— a change of heart and the same disposition of forgiveness toward others. But here we see that the servant’s gratitude is absent, and, as we will see next, he will be subjected to a severe judgment, because he received forgiveness yet continued to be guided by an unforgiving heart.