Matthew 24:45

45 . Who then is a faithful and wise servant ] The steward was generally a slave whom his master had chosen on account of his trustworthiness and intelligence to be the steward of his estate, his villicus or dispensator . The word “ dispensation ,” in such expressions as “the present dispensation,” “the Christian dispensation,” has passed into religious language from this and the parallel passages. his household ] all his other slaves, Lat. familia . to give them meat in due season ] The daily (diarium) or monthly (menstruum) allowance; cp. “Cum servis urbana diaria rodere mavis?” Hor. Ep. i. 14. 41. This imagery, drawn from a large Roman estate (latifundium), has given rise to the often-recurring thought of the Stewardship of the Apostles and Ministers of Christ. “Stewards of the mysteries of God,” 1 Corinthians 4:1 ; “blameless, as the steward of God,” Titus 1:7 . 45–51 . The Stewards of God Luke 12:41-48 , where this parable is joined on to the preceding one by a question of St Peter, “Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?” Mark 13:37 has “what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.” Here, and throughout the discourse, the disciples are specially addressed.

Matthew 24:45-51 . Who then is the faithful and wise servant — Which of you aspires after this character? Wise — Every moment retaining the clearest conviction that all he now has is only intrusted to him as a steward: Faithful — Thinking, speaking, and acting continually in a manner suitable to that conviction. Whom his lord hath made ruler over his household — This evidently chiefly concerns the ministers of the gospel. See notes on Luke 12:42 , &c. Blessed is that servant, &c. — “You, the ministers of religion, ought to be peculiarly faithful in the discharge of your duty; for it is not an ordinary trust that is committed to your charge. You are stewards, whose business it is to take care of the whole family, and who, because of the influence which your example may have upon others, ought to be remarkably diligent. Your duty is to be well acquainted with the stores of evangelical truths, and to understand how they may be best applied. You should know likewise the various characters of the persons under your charge, that you may be able to give every one of them his portion of meat in due season.

Verily, he shall make him ruler over all his goods — If when I come I find you thus employed, I will highly reward you with the glories and joys of my kingdom, even as an earthly master bestows particular marks of respect on such servants as have been remarkably faithful in any important trust.” But if that evil servant — Now become evil, having put away faith and a good conscience, shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth, &c. — “On the other hand, if you behave like wicked stewards, who, because their lord delays his coming, beat their fellow-servants and get drunk with sots and epicures; if you tyrannise over the consciences of your brethren, neglect the duties of your function, and give yourselves up to sensual pleasures, I will come when you little think of it, and will make you dreadful examples of my indignation, by the severe punishments which I will inflict upon you.” And shall cut him asunder — Tearing and cutting persons into several pieces, was one of the severest kinds of punishment anciently used, and is here put for the extreme misery that awaits the persons here described in the other world. And appoint him his portion with the hypocrites — The worst of sinners. If ministers are the persons here primarily intended, there is a peculiar propriety in the expression. For no hypocrisy can be baser than to call ourselves ministers of Christ while we are the slaves of avarice, ambition, or sensuality.

Matthew 24:45 . τίς , who, taken by Grotius, Kuinoel, Schott, etc. = εἴ τις , si quis , supposing a case. But, as Fritzsche points out, the article before π . δοῦλος is inconsistent with this sense.— πιστὸς , φρόνιμος : two indispensable qualities in an upper servant, trusty and judicious.— θεραπείας (T. R.), service = body of servants, οἰκετείας (B., W.H[134]), household = domestics. [134] Westcott and Hort.

(45) Who then is a faithful . . .? —Better, Who then is the faithful and wise servant? The latter word in the Greek is that which ethical writers had used to express the moral wisdom which adapts means to ends, as contrasted with the wisdom of pure contemplation on the one hand, or technical skill on the other. To give them meat in due season.—Better, to give them their food. In the parallel passage of Luke 12:42, the word used means “a measure or fixed portion of meal or flour.” The comparison brings before us one function of the minister of Christ. He is to supply men with the spiritual food which they need for the sustenance of their higher life. It may be the “spiritual milk” of 1Peter 2:2, Hebrews 5:12, 1Corinthians 3:2; it may be the “strong meat” or “solid food.” There is an art, as it were, of spiritual dietetics, which requires tact and discernment as well as faithfulness. The wise servant will seek to discover not only the right kind of food, but the right season for giving it. An apparent parallel presents itself in the common interpretation of “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2Timothy 2:15), but the imagery implied in that phrase is probably of an entirely different character. (See Note there.)

Matthew 24:45 . Τίς ἄρα ἐστὶν , κ . τ . λ ., who then is , etc.) Who is there who would wish to be such? The ἄρα ( then ) in Luke 12:42 , refers to the question in the preceding verse; but here it expresses the magnitude and rarity of the matter.— πιστὸς καὶ φρόνιμος , faithful and prudent ) Two cardinal virtues of a good servant, of which faithfulness (fides) is more frequently praised, because it is seated in the will, and has as its associate, prudence,[1072] given from above.— δοῦλος , servant) i.e. pastor. The article [1073] is emphatic.— θεραπείας ,[1074] household) i.e. flock.— τοῦ διδόναι , to give ) This refers to the epithet faithful .[1075] The opposite is exhibited in Matthew 24:49 .— τὴν τροφὴν , their food ) in just quality and measure; corresponding with the expression τὸ σιτομέτριον ( their portion of meat ) in Luke 12:42 .— ἐν καιρῷ , in due season ) This refers to the epithet prudent . [1072] Prudence is the characteristic of those who do not live from day to day ( i.e. making no preparation for the morrow), but who so behave themselves as they would wish that they had behaved themselves when, sooner or later, their Lord shall come.—V. g. [1073] The Greek is “ ὁ πιστὸς δοῦλος καὶ φρόνιμος ;” lit.” THE faithful servant and prudent ;” rendered in E. V. “A faithful and wise servant .—(I. B.) [1074] So D and Rec. Text. But BLΔ, οἰκετείας . abcd Vulg. Hil., ‘familiam.’—ED. [1075] i.e. Faithful in respect of giving.—ED.

Matthew 24:45 f. Τίς ἄρα , κ . τ . λ .] who therefore , considering the necessity for preparedness thus indicated. The inference itself is presented in the form of an allegory, the δοῦλος representing the disciples whom the Lord has appointed to be the guides of His church, in which they are required to show themselves faithful ( 1 Corinthians 4:1 f.) and prudent , the former by a disposition habitually determining their whole behaviour and characterized by devotion to the will of the Lord, the latter by the intelligent choice of ways and means, by taking proper advantage of circumstances , etc. The τίς is not equivalent to εἴ τις (Castalio, Grotius), which it never can be; but Matthew 24:45 asks: who then is the faithful slave ? and Matthew 24:46 contains the answer ; the latter, however, being so framed that instead of simply saying, in accordance with the terms of the question, “ it is he , whom his lord, on his return,” etc., prominence is given to the blessedness of the servant here in view.

According to Bengel, Fritzsche, Fleck, de Wette, our question touchingly conveys the idea of seeking for: quis tandem , etc., “ hunc scire pervelim .” To this, however, there is the logical objection, that the relative clause of Matthew 24:45 would in that case have to be regarded as expressing the characteristic feature in the faithful and wise slave, whereas this feature is first mentioned in the relative clause of Matthew 24:46 , which clause therefore must contain the answer to the question, τίς ἄρα ἐστὶν ὁ πιστὸς δ . κ . φρ . οἰκετεία , domestic servants , Lucian, Merc. cond . 15; Strabo, xiv. p. 668. Comp. οἰκετία , Symmachus, Job 1:3 ; Lobeck, ad Phryn . p. 505. οὕτως ] thus , in accordance with duty assigned him in Matthew 24:45 ; the principal emphasis being on this word, it is put at the end of the sentence.