Matthew 24:49

24:42-51 To watch for Christ's coming, is to maintain that temper of mind which we would be willing that our Lord should find us in. We know we have but a little time to live, we cannot know that we have a long time to live; much less do we know the time fixed for the judgment. Our Lord's coming will be happy to those that shall be found ready, but very dreadful to those that are not. If a man, professing to be the servant of Christ, be an unbeliever, covetous, ambitious, or a lover of pleasure, he will be cut off. Those who choose the world for their portion in this life, will have hell for their portion in the other life. May our Lord, when he cometh, pronounce us blessed, and present us to the Father, washed in his blood, purified by his Spirit, and fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.

And shall begin to smite his fellow servants,.... By abusing the power lodged in him, usurping a dominion over their faith, and imposing on their consciences things which Christ has never commanded; vexing and burdening them with trifling rites and ceremonies, and other unnecessary things; wounding, grieving, offending weak minds by his conduct and example; or persecuting the saints, such of them as cannot come into everything in his way of believing and practising: and to eat and drink with the drunken; giving himself up to luxury and intemperance; feeding himself instead of the family; serving his own belly, and not his Lord and Master Christ; living an ungodly and licentious life, altogether unbecoming the Gospel of Christ: such servants and stewards have been, and are in the church of God; but sad will be their case, when their Lord comes, as follows. Respect seems to be had either to the ecclesiastical rulers among the Jews, who went under the name of the servants of the Lord, but persecuted the apostles, and those that believed in Christ; or the "Judaizing" Christians, and false teachers, that were for imposing the ceremonies of the law upon believers; or Simon Magus, and his followers, a set of licentious, men; or all of them; who lived in this period of time, between the death of Christ, and the destruction of the temple.

Matthew 24:49 . Συνδούλους , fellow-servants ) They are called fellow-servants , to bring out in strong relief the injurious character of that evil servant’s conduct towards them: they were, however, subject to him, though he with them was subject to their common Lord.— δὲ , but ) His injurious conduct towards his fellow-servants, and his own self-indulgence, are put in strong contrast with each other.— μετὰ τῶν μεθυόντων , with the drunken ) There will, therefore, at that time be many whose whole condition and character will consist in vicious self-indulgence. See 1 Thessalonians 5:7 . A similar mode of speaking occurs in Genesis 13:5 ., where the LXX. have ἦλθον δὲ οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ μετὰ τῶν ἐρχομένων , i.e. But the sons of Israel came with them that came .

Smite his fellow-servants ... - This is the conduct of a wicked servant, who, supposing he would not be called to account, and abusing his authority, gave himself up to oppression, carousing, and debauchery. It is designed to represent the conduct of ministers who are unfaithful and overbearing, and who abuse their trust in the church.

Verse 49. - Shall begin. As soon as he conceives the idea of the delay in his lord's arrival, he changes his conduct, plays the master, and uses his power for oppression and injustice. But he has only time to commence these unrighteous acts, when he is arrested by the very occurrence which he had willfully ignored. To smite his fellow servants ; i.e. those who are faithful to their master. Applied to Christian ministers, such conduct would appertain to those who use their authority for oppression or self-aggrandizement, "lording it over the charge allotted to them" ( 1 Peter 5:3 ). And to eat ( ἐσθίῃ , and shall eat ) and drink with the drunken. He indulges in luxury and intemperance, choosing as his companions men of dissolute habits. A self-indulgent minister, or one who is not discreet in choosing his friends and acquaintance, has little influence in checking the excesses of his flock, and is far from being, as he ought to be, "a pattern of good works" ( Titus 2:7 ). Matthew 24:49

[Bible] 24:36. But of that day and hour no one knoweth: no, not the angels of heaven, but the Father alone. 24:37. And as in the days of Noe, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 24:38. For, as in the days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, even till that day in which Noe entered into the ark: 24:39. And they knew not till the flood came and took them all away: so also shall the coming of the Son of man be. 24:40. Then two shall be in the field. One shall be taken and one shall be left. 24:41. Two women shall be grinding at the mill. One shall be taken and one shall be left. 24:42. Watch ye therefore, because you know not what hour your Lord will come. 24:43. But this know ye, that, if the goodman of the house knew at what hour the thief would come, he would certainly watch and would not suffer his house to be broken open. 24:44. Wherefore be you also ready, because at what hour you know not the Son of man will come. 24:45. Who, thinkest thou, is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath appointed over his family, to give them meat in season? 24:46. Blessed is that servant, whom when his lord shall come he shall find so doing. 24:47. Amen I say to you: he shall place him over all his goods. 24:48. But if that evil servant shall say in his heart: My lord is long a coming: 24:49. And shall begin to strike his fellow servants and shall eat and drink with drunkards: 24:50. The lord of that servant shall come in a day that he hopeth not and at an hour that he knoweth not: 24:51. And shall separate him and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew Chapter 25 The parable of the ten virgins and of the talents. The description of the last judgment. 25:1. Then shall the kingdom of heaven be like to ten virgins, who taking their lamps went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride. 25:2. And five of them were foolish and five wise.

6. This must be done in its season. There are certain portions of the bread of life which lose their effect by being administered out of proper season, or to improper persons. MATTHEW 24: 46 Blessed is that servant whom his lord finds doing so when he comes. 1. He has little or no faith in the speedy coming of Christ, either to punish for wickedness, or to pardon and sanctify those who believe. It may be, he does not outwardly profess this, but he says it in his heart, and God searches his heart, and knows that he professes to teach what he does not believe. 2. He governs with an absolute dominion, oppressing his colleagues and doing violence to the followers of Christ. And shall begin to smite, etc. 3. He leads an irregular life does not love the company of the children of God, but eats and drinks with the drunkards, preferring the tables of the great and the rich, whose god is their belly, and thus feeds himself without fear. Great God! save thine inheritance from being ravaged by such wolves! MATTHEW 24: 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with the drunkards, MATTHEW 24: 50 the lord of that servant will come in a day when he doesn’t expect it, and in an hour when he doesn’t know it, 1. A sudden death, and the weight of God's judgments falling upon him, without a moment to avert it: this answers to his infidelity and forgetfulness. He shall come in a day in which he looked not for him.

[Reformed Biblical] Shall make him ruler, etc. Shall confirm his appointment over his household, and, as a reward, shall place him over all his property. This does not mean that ministers shall have a higher rank or office, but is a circumstance of the parable or story, designed to show the effect of faithfulness. Faithful servants of Christ shall be rewarded. This will be done by his approbation, and by the rewards of the heavenly world. {p} "ruler over all his goods" Matthew 25:21 ## THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW - Chapter 24 - Verse 48 Verse 48. That evil servant. If that servant so appointed, having this office, should be evil or wicked. Say in his heart. Secretly suppose. Delayeth his coming. Will not return in a long time; or does not return as soon as was expected, and perhaps may not at all. ## THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW - Chapter 24 - Verse 49 Verse 49. Smite his fellowservants, etc. This is the conduct of a wicked servant, who, supposing

But if that evil bondman should say in his heart, My lord delays to come, and begin to beat his fellow-bondmen, and eat and drink with the drunken; the lord of that bondman shall come in a day when he does not expect it, and in an hour he knows not of, and shall cut him in two and appoint his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. Chapter 25 Then shall the kingdom of the heavens be made like to ten virgins that having taken their torches, went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were prudent and five foolish. They that were foolish took their torches and did not take oil with them; but the prudent took oil in their vessels with their torches. Now the bridegroom tarrying, they all grew heavy and slept. But in [the] middle of [the] night there was a cry, Behold, the bridegroom; go forth to meet him. Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their torches. And the foolish said to the prudent, Give us of your oil, for our torches are going out. But the prudent answered saying, [We cannot,] lest it might not suffice for us and for you. Go rather to those that sell, and buy for yourselves. But as they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and the [ones that were] ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut. Afterwards come also the rest of the virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us; but he answering said, Verily I say unto you, I do not know you. Watch therefore, for ye know not the day nor the hour.