Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?

 

 "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?  Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.  Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.  But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites.  There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

 

- Matthew 24:45-51 

 

In our recent readings, Jesus has been in Jerusalem, and it is Holy Week, the final week of Christ's earthly life.  After disputing with the religious authorities in the temple, Jesus is now outside of the temple, and He has been teaching the disciples regarding the "end times" and also the destruction of the temple and the Siege of Jerusalem to come.  In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught them, "Now learn this parable from the fig tree:  When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.  So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near -- at the doors!  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.  But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.  But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  Then two men will be in the field:  one will be taken and the other left.  Two women will be grinding at the mill:  one will be taken and the other left.  Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.  But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.  Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." 

 

"Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?  Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.  Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.  But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites.  There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."  We recall that Christ is speaking to His disciples here, and that He has just given them a great prophesy and warning regarding "end times" and also His Second Coming.  Here in this parable, the faithful and wise servant is a reference to those who would be faithful and wise disciples.  The ruler over the master's household applies to those who would become the stewards and presbyters and leaders of the Church, in charge of Christ's flock.  Will they be giving Christ's household food in due season, spiritually nurturing and caring properly for the members of the household?  Or will they be forgetful of who they must be (evil servant), abusing power (beat his fellow servants), self-indulgent and selfish (eat and drink with the drunkards) and defying the the Lord whom they are meant serve (my master is delaying his coming)?  

 

In St. Matthew's chapter 23, just before He began His prophesy of end times and destruction of the temple, Jesus gave His final public sermon, in which He chastised the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy.  Here, He's telling His own disciples -- which include us today -- that if they fail in their mission through similar practices, then the fate of the scribes and Pharisees (the "woes" of chapter 23) will be one they share at His return and the judgment that takes place then (appoint him his portion with the hypocrites).  Once again, Christ repeats the theme that He will come at an hour we do not expect, only this time the warning is pointed directly at those who will become the stewards of His Church, who are meant to be His servants (the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him at an hour that he is not aware of).  Weeping and gnashing of teeth are images of condemnation in the judgment.  This is contrasted with the faithful and wise servant who is blessed because the master returns to find that servant caring properly for all those of the household.  In contrast to the others, the faithful and wise servant will be made ruler over all the master's goods.  This is similar to the promises made to the disciples following the story of the rich young ruler, who was told that if he wanted eternal life, he should sell all he had and give to the poor, and follow Christ.  At that point, St. Peter asked Christ, "See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?"  Jesus replied by referring to His Second Coming and the subsequent judgment:  "Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.  And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.  But many who are first will be last, and the last first."  (See Matthew 19:13-30.)  So, the Gospels are consistent, and Christ's warnings and prophesies are consistent, about what we are to be about while we await His return in this entire period of the Church.  We, who would be His wise and faithful servants,  are those who remember our Lord and Master, and the commandments He's left us with in His absence, taking such responsibilities to those in His household seriously.  With what do we feed others that is the food of our Lord?  How do we share what we have and nurture our fellow members of this household, under His name?  What good things do you share of Christ's household?  How do we nurture others with the treasure we're given?  Christ promised that He was the Good Shepherd, and the Door of the sheep, who came not only that the sheep may have life, but that they may have life more abundantly (John 10:1-18).  Let us take seriously that abundant life we're given and how we share it in nurturing others, for He desires to find us as good servants who do not forget Him during His absence before His return.  Let us be those who live His final, new commandment, "Love one another as I have loved you" (John 13:34-35).

Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing

 

 "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?  Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.  Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.  But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites.  There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

 

- Matthew 24:45-51 

 

In our recent readings (chapter 24 of Matthew's Gospel), Jesus has been describing to the disciples the end times, teaching about what is to come (beginning with Saturday's reading).  In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught:  "Now learn this parable from the fig tree:  When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.  So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near -- at the doors!  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away but My words will by no means pass away.  But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.  But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  Then two men will be in the field:  one will be taken and the other left.  Two women will be grinding at the mill:  one will be taken and the other left.  Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.  But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.  Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." 

 "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?  Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.  Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.  But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites.  There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."  In yesterday's reading, Jesus gave His disciples (and by extension, all who consider themselves His followers) instructions that, regarding the end times, the byword for the faithful is to watch and be ready (see verses 42-44).  This means that in order to be prepared for His return, we are to continue in virtue and in obeying His commandments.  Today's reading gives us a parable illustrating His warnings.  We are like servants left in charge of a household while the master is away.  If you were to go away from your home, leaving others in charge of it in your absence, what would you like to find when you return?  Jesus describes a great household, akin to His Church, one in which there are many servants and in which the responsibility is great of those left in charge in the master's absence.  He describes 'lawless' behavior, in which the servant responsible begins to beat his fellow servants, abusing them, and to eat and drink with drunkards (those who care not for responsibility).  We have already read Jesus' great condemnation of the hypocrites among the religious leaders of His time (see chapter 23).  Among those who are His disciples and followers, the abusers and those who forget the responsibility of His commandments will be counted among the hypocrites.  "Weeping and gnashing of teeth" describe the state of those cast out of God's kingdom.

 

 In John's Gospel, Jesus adds one commandment to all the rest, the new commandment which He leaves with His followers.  He said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another" (John 13:34).  Earlier in Matthew's Gospel, as Jesus was quizzed in the temple by the leaders, He was asked by a scribe what the greatest commandment was in the Law.  He gave two, saying, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like it:  'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'  On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."  So we are left, essentially, with three great commandments we are to follow:  to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind; to love our neighbor as oneself; and to love one another as Christ has loved us.   These are the commandments given to the disciples, and through them, to us who would call ourselves followers of Jesus.  And, by inference, we can assume from today's parable that it is these commandments left to the servant while the master is away that the servant fails to fulfill -- that in Christ's warning parable to us, we are taught we are to be about.  It is these three powerful commandments which sum up Old and New Testaments, and everything else we know of worship and practice and living our faith is basically a fulfillment of these.  So while He is gone, His Church, and indeed, His world, is left to us to sustain, to tend, to care for, and uphold in all things which are good in His absence.  He expects us, as good servants, to understand as best we can and grow in that understanding, to tend to His household, to care for our fellow servants, to love God as He has taught and to love our neighbor as one created like ourselves, and to love one another as He has loved us.  We ask ourselves, how has Christ loved us?  He has not failed to correct, to warn, to give good commands and teachings.  That is also part of love.  He has on many occasions expressed His compassion, and that compassion reflects and teaches us also the compassion of God.  But most of all, He is a Good Shepherd, instructing day by day with all patience, tending, guiding, and loving with  warmth and love that radiates from the pages of Scripture with a kind of glow we detect when we are in need, when we meet Him here, when we find Him as He continually seeks out each one of us (Matthew 18:12-13).  So, how do we love like Christ?  Note that love also has the components of goodness and truth and beauty:  goodness in the teachings of Christ which sustain and nurture growth and health, truth in that we are given the straight talk and nothing is sugar-coated or false, and beauty in the compassion and grace embedded in them all.  Christ does not feed us with fantasies, but with the bread of life, the real things we need.  Let us strive to be like Him and not forget what we are to be about as good servants upon whom His household depends until the time of His return.