Christ gives an example of lording in his parable of the unforgiving servant. A servant owed much to his master and the master demanded that it be paid. When the servant could not pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and children and all that he had be sold to pay the debt.30 Matthew 18:23-25 "Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made." The servant fell on his knees before the master and begged saying, "Have patience with me and I will pay you all." The master was moved with compassion and forgave the servant all of his debt.31 Matthew 18:26-27 "The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt."
The servant, after being set free, went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him money and demanded payment. The fellow servant pleaded, "Please spare me," but the servant would not. Instead, he had the man thrown in prison until he could pay off the debt. 32 Matthew 18:28-30 "But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!' So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt." When his master found out what the unforgiving servant did, he said, "O wicked servant, I forgave you all your debt, should you not have compassion on your fellow servant as I pitied you?" And in his anger the master turned over the servant to the jailers until he paid all that he owed.33 Matthew 18:31-34 "So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him."
Jesus went on to say that this is the way our Heavenly Father will treat us unless we forgive our brothers from the heart.34 Matthew 18:35 "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses." It is a parable about tearing down lordship. Here is a servant who was being lorded over by his master and was also in a position of lording over his fellow servant. The servant's mistake was in lording over his fellow servant, instead of forgiving him, as his master had forgiven him. To enter the Kingdom of Heaven, a peculiar government, lordship must be torn down - lordship over one another will not be tolerated in the Kingdom.
People who did not understand this principle of lording approached Jesus saying, "Good teacher," or "Good Master." Jesus corrected them, "Why do you call me good? Only One is good and that is God!"35 Matthew 19:17 So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." Even Jesus Himself refused the position of Lord.36 Luke 12:13-14 Then one from the crowd said to Him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." But He said to him, "Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?" He kept correcting His disciples, "I have come to serve and be an example to all."37 Mark 10:45 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." He didn't come to be a King. He didn't come to be a Lord. He came to serve. He came to be an example. He washed Peter's feet. Does a King sit down and wash His people's feet?38 John 13:12-15 So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you." Never in the history of the world. The Kings of the world lord it over their subjects. But Jesus brought us a different form of government. A government of serving, not a government of lordship.39 Mark 10:42 But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, "You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them."