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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Luke 12:41 - 12:46
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Peter's question and the Lord's reply:
v. 41. Then Peter said unto Him, Lord, speakest Thou this parable unto us, or even to all?
v. 42. And the Lord said, Who, then, is that faithful and wise steward whom his lord shall make ruler over his household to give them their portion of meat in due season?
v. 43. Blessed is that servant, whom his lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing-.
v. 44. Of a truth I say unto you that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.
v. 45. But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming, and shall begin to beat the men-servants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken,
v. 46. the lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in under, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
See Mat_24:45-51. Peter interrupted the Lord with the question whether the parable, and therefore also its lesson, was meant for the disciples only or for all the people present. While Jesus did not answer directly, the continuation of the discourse made it plain that He had reference mainly to His disciples. The believers should be ready at all times, they should be examples of watchfulness for all men. The Lord's parable is a fine bit of vivid description: A servant selected for a position of special trust by his master, given the administration of the entire household, which includes, above all, the dealing out of due portions of food; the faithful servant found engaged in this service upon the return of the master and rewarded far beyond his deserts, receiving the charge of all the goods of the master; the unfaithful servant trusting in the further delay of the master, by which he will gain time for his wicked deeds, beating the slaves of both sexes, taking their portion of the food for himself, to gorge himself to gluttony and drunkenness; the unexpected return of the master at an unusual hour; the awful punishment meted out to the scoundrel. The faithful servant is a type of the true disciple of Christ, especially of the faithful pastor. Those that serve Christ in their fellow-men will rule with Christ in the world to come. And the pastors that have given to every one of their fellow-servants their due portion of the Word of God, and have sought only to minister after His great example, they will be rewarded with mercy far beyond all hopes and understanding. But the faithless disciples, that lived in careless security, that believed in enjoying life, that refused to take part in the duties of charity toward their neighbor, and even were guilty of cruelty to their fellow-men, they will receive their portion with the wicked in eternal damnation. Above all is this true of hirelings that do not care for the flock of Christ, but try to gain from them what they want for a life of ease, that neglect the preaching of the Gospel, that feed the souls with the husks of human wisdom. They will receive the greater damnation.