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THE PARABLE OF THE FAITHFUL AND THE UNFAITHFUL MANAGER(Luke
12:41-48; Matthew
24:43-51)
41
Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?” 45
But suppose the servant says to himself, “My master is taking a
long time in coming,” and he then begins to beat the menservants
and maidservants and to eat and drink and get drunk. 48
But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment
will be beaten with few blows.
From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded[4];
and from the one who has been entrusted[5]
with much, much more will be asked. PRIVILEGE
AND RESPONSIBILITY
Peter
assumed his role as spokesman for the Twelve by asking if Jesus
was speaking to the apostles in particular or to “everyone”. Jesus replied with a question of his own that implied he referred
not only to the apostles but also to all those in leadership with
privileges and responsibilities towards others.
In this parable Jesus continued the theme of constant readiness
and spiritual alertness. In
first century Palestine wealthy people sometimes employed slaves
or freemen to manage their households and estates.
Jesus focused on the responsibility of a “manager”
or “house-steward” to take care of his master’s property, including
his servants, during the master’s absence. Both Luke and Matthew record this parable with minor differences. Jesus’ audience would understand from the Old Testament that all rulers especially their religious leaders, the teachers of the law and the Pharisees, were God’s servants entrusted with God’s revelation. As most of the Pharisees had failed as religious leaders, the parable was another warning to them. As a general principle the more God has given us, the more accountable we are to him. TWO
POSSIBLE WAYS OF SERVICE
Today
we understand this passage to refer to the return of Jesus Christ.
The “master” of the household represents Jesus Christ
who entrusts his disciples with duties and privileges until his
unexpected return puts their service to the test. The story teaches the importance of faithful and responsible
service by all those in leadership.
Great privileges carry great temptations and great responsibilities.
Irresponsible and disobedient service will be punished and
obedient and responsible service will be rewarded.
There will be degrees of reward and punishment based on the
degree of understanding. This
principle applies to us in our workplaces and in our work for God.
Every servant of Christ should work properly and faithfully
whether the boss is present or absent. Faithful
stewardship, rather than speculation, is the best way to be ready
for the Master’s return. We
all have opportunities to serve with our different abilities.
Our duty is to serve faithfully while our Master is away.
What particular gifts has God given you? We should consider all that we have received including the
advantages of culture and history.
As servants of Christ we are his stewards and his ambassadors
(2 Corinthians 5:20) carefully attending to our Master’s business
by actively using the talents that are entrusted to us.
The uncertainty of the time of the master’s return encourages
his servants to be ready at all times: “The master of that servant
will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he
is not aware of.” (Verse 46) A
GOD OF JUSTICE
Obedience
will be rewarded and disobedience will be punished.
In
the parable the unfaithful manager seriously abused his privileged
position and experienced
severe punishment. He
was not immediately supervised and his true character was revealed. Forgetful of the Coming of the Master, he exalted himself above
his fellow servants and indulged himself at his master’s expense.
Unfaithful, corrupt and tyrannical leaders who are “entrusted”
with more responsibility will suffer greater punishment.
His duty to “give them their food allowance at the proper
time” may imply pastoral care (John 21:15-17; Acts 20:27-28).
The
wicked servant’s self-deception is suddenly shattered.
The graphic description of his
severe punishment, “cut to pieces and assigned a place
with the unbelievers”, reminds us of the seriousness of our
responsibility. Matthew’s
account says, “He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place
with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of
teeth” (24:51). Some
commentators interpret this verse to mean only a loss of opportunity
and a loss of reward. Others
interpret the expression “weeping and gnashing of teeth”
as a description of hell and a loss of salvation.
The punishment implies dismissal, disgrace, and separation
from God’s people. The
severe treatment of the self-indulgent servant who exploited others
may be symbolic, but it is a warning against carelessness and complacency. Knowledge
carries responsibility.
As
servants of Christ it is our business to know our Master’s will.
God will judge according to our individual responsibility.
Amos warned Israel: “Hear this word the LORD has spoken
against you, O people of Israel: You only have I chosen of all the families of the earth;
therefore I will punish you for all your sin” (3:1-2). Since God had revealed himself uniquely to Israel, their rebellion
deserved a more severe punishment.
Jesus warned several cities of Israel: “If the miracles
that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would
have remained to this day.
But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on
the Day of Judgment than for you.” (Matthew 11:23-24).
The cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum were indifferent
to Jesus Christ and ignored him.
Punishment
is proportionate to knowledge.
Both
the bad and the good managers got what they deserved.
God’s judgment is always more severe for the careless and
the negligent than for the ignorant.
For instance, the heathen will be judged by the law as “written
on their hearts” (Romans 2:15) whereas the Jew who “sinned
under the law will be judged by the law” (Romans 2:12).
All Christians “will stand before God’s judgment seat”.
(Romans 14:10; 2 Corinthians 5:10).
Luke has the return of Jesus and judgment at the end of this
age in mind when Christ’s servants are answerable to their Master. In
this parable there are degrees of punishment from “few blows”
(verse 48) for unintentional neglect, to “many blows” (verse
47) for deliberate neglect, to death or “cut to pieces” (verse
46) for serious failure. Jesus
made a distinction between carelessness and disobedience.
The servant who “knows
his master’s will and does
not do what his master wants” (verse 47) will be more severely
punished than the careless servant who “does not know and does
things deserving punishment” (verse 48). The
application of the parable “From everyone who has been given
much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted
with much, much more will be asked” applies particularly to
all church leaders of every age as well as to all believers.
James warns, “Not many of you should presume to be teachers,
my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more
strictly.” (3:1) ALL
BELIEVERS ARE STEWARDS ACCOUNTABLE TO GOD
Paul
described the Church as “God’s household” (Ephesians 2:19).
In 1 Corinthians 4:1 Paul used
the same word “manager” (NIV) or “steward” (NKJV)
used in the parable to figuratively describe all who are stewards
of God’s grace: “Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ
and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.”
Faithfulness or reliability is the essential requirement
in a steward. Paul
warned the elders at Ephesus about false leaders: “From your
own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw
away disciples after them.” (Acts 20:30).
An
“overseer” or “bishop” is called “a
steward of God” (Titus 1:7 NKJV).
However, every Christian is a trustee of the gospel and the
gifts of the Spirit: “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully
administering God's grace in its various forms.” (1 Peter 4:10).
Faithful stewardship requires all spiritual gifts be exercised
for the benefit of the whole church.
Under no circumstances are spiritual gifts to be used selfishly
or for self-promotion. Since
only God has an inherent right to authority, the authority of Church
leaders is delegated from God. LEADERSHIP
IS A DEMANDING PRIVILEGE
One
day we shall all have to explain how we fulfilled our tasks. Leaders who carefully and conscientiously look after those
under their care will be given greater responsibility. The faithful servant is promoted to greater responsibility:
“He will put him in charge of all his possessions.” (Verse
44) But the leader
who abuses or neglects those under his care may expect the same
judgment reserved for “hypocrites” (Matthew 24:51). Leaders must make sure that their lives demonstrate unquestioned
commitment to Christ and that their ministry is not discredited
by inappropriate or ungodly behaviour.
Paul taught that the family life and the community life of
prospective leaders should be above reproach before they are appointed
to leadership of the church (1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:6-9). Are
you ready to “settle accounts” (Matthew 25:19) with the Lord?
Or have you talents that are buried in the ground (Matthew
25:18, 25)? It is safer
to carry out our stewardship as if the Master himself were always
present. We should
aim to live a creative servant-lifestyle making wise use of the
material and spiritual blessings that are part of our “given
much”. Believers
should live as believers are supposed to live. CONCLUSION
“Few
people can handle prosperity and success; talents are used for self-display,
promotion feeds pride, and improved standards of living encourage
snobbery. In the parable
here considered, the servant placed in a position of authority took
advantage of his master’s delayed return to lord it over his fellow
servants. There can be
few more searching tests of character than the opportunity to use
privilege for personal gain.”[6]FOR REFLECTION
PRAYERLord,
I thank you for the opportunity and the privilege to serve.
Give me more grace to be like the One who came “not to
be served but to serve”.
Amen.
Jim Peacock M A (Hons), Diploma of Education. [1]
Or “dependable” (Barclay).
The Greek word means, “Trustworthy, faithful in the transaction
of business, the execution of commands, or the discharge of
official duties.” [2] Or “sensible”
(NLT). The Greek
word means, “Intelligent, prudent, considerate, thoughtful,
discreet, and practically wise in relationships with others.” [3]
The
Greek means a “house-steward” responsible for the management
of a household or
an estate.
Later it was used for every kind of administrator
from court
official in the royal palace to the managers of individual departments
within the household, like the head cook and the accountant. [4]
Or “required”
(AV). The Greek
word means, “To demand back, to call in debts”.
According to the ancient view, life is a loan of nature
or of God that has to be paid back at death. [5]
Or “committed”
(Translator’s NT). The
Greek word means, “Deposit
what belongs to one in another’s hands, to give in charge, to
commit into another’s hands, or to entrust something to someone
for safe keeping.” [6] The Armoury Commentary, The Four Gospels, page 211, edited by Frederick Coutts, Hodder and Stoughton, 1973. |
