Matthew 24: 42 – 51
Our Lord’s Return
“42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. 43 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. 44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. 45 “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. 47 Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. 48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, 50 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, 51 and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
For us prophecy buffs chapter 24 is one of our favorites. In this chapter we are going to take a look at a couple of future events, they are;
1. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’s 2nd Coming
2. Rapture?
3. Those ‘Left Behind’
The apostle Matthew personally observed our Lord’s teachings as I am sure you are aware of. He was the first one to write down what he saw and heard regarding his time with our Adoni Yeshua. The disciple Luke around 15 years after Matthew’s Gospel penned, after investigating and interviewing eyewitnesses, his version. So, let us see what information Luke could refer to in the Gospel of Matthew.
Luke 12: 35 – 48, 35 “Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; 36 and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. 38 And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. 39 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. 40 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” 41 Then Peter said to Him, “Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?” 42 And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 44 Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. 45 But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, 46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. 47 And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.
Here The Lord Jesus Christ seeks to make it relevant to His disciples that He Is soon to end His walk on earth. For He portrays a situation when He will have gone away, and encourages them that when that happens it will be necessary for them to remember that one day He will return unexpectedly. So these parables, while having individual messages to give, were also another way of bringing home to them the fact of His impending departure. Their aim was to make them continually think in terms of eternity and to be ‘straight’ in their thinking, free from Satan’s attempts to keep the world in distortion and ignorance . He explained to them and to us why how to live as he had called all of us to do.
We read in Luke’s version that our Lord gives His disciples a Parable regarding His departure and ultimate return to earth.
35 “Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; 36 and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.
The parable begins with a description of what is required of the Lord’s servants. In modern terms we would say that they have to have their sleeves rolled up and the lights switched on so that they can go about their tasks with all their might. You have to realize that you are constantly being observed. When at work your supervisors develop an opinion of you as to whether you are a slacker or a good worker. If they observe you being a person who does not need someone to stand over day all the time you will receive their favor. They have the confidence that when you get an assignment you go about it and get it finished. This is what our Precious Lord Is also saying to us. He Is watching us all the time. This can be quite scary if you stop and think about it. Are we busy constantly doing His service? The majority of us if honest will confess that we have not been.
‘Your loins girded.’ The long robes they wore hindered work, and so they had to be gathered up and tucked in their belts. ‘Your lamps burning.’ Their lamps for which they were responsible all had to be continually refilled with oil and their wicks tended so as to give off a bright flame. In a large household this could be quite a task in itself.
Please note that these two areas are not the work itself. This is just prep time. These things need to be done before we can actually begin to do the house cleaning.
Have you ever been fooling around when the boss came in? Sometimes this can be funny, however, if it happens a lot, you may be looking for a new job sooner than you may realize.
If your job was domestic help you can relate more fully to this Parable. The servants themselves had to be people who were waiting for the return of their boss who could arrive at any moment. He had gone to a marriage feast or wedding. Back at the ranch everyone must be ready for his return, and when he did arrive home everything had to be in such a state of readiness that they could open the door immediately with peace of mind that the house was in order. The picture is one of conscientiousness, bustle and preparation, and of all efforts being expended in one direction only, readiness for their lord’s return so that everything was perfect in the household when he came back.
Our Lord Jesus then points out that those servants who are found ready and watching when He returns will be truly blessed. Not that they were doing anything special. It was one of the main duties of servants to be at readiness waiting for the return of their master. They would be blessed because in fulfilling their duty they were pleasing their lord. They were doing what it was their duty to do. Are you convicted by any of this yet? I know I am. If He walked in the door of our homes, would He see us busy or sitting around the boob tube or wasting our time in some other useless endeavor?
We read next what it is like to have a great boss. Our Master and King give us His way in treating His servants. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.”
Now I do not know if any of you have servants or domestic help but sometimes I dreamt of being rich enough to be in this position. Either way, picture yourself having a cook and cleaner along with some yard and garden employees for your home. If you were at a wedding and came home would you be overjoyed to find out that while you were gone your staff was doing what they are paid to do? I don’t think so. Look again at the verse. Would you come home and tell the help that you are so pleased with them that you want to serve them? Again, that wouldn’t be likely? But look at how ‘Great’ our loving Lord Is? He will be so pleased that He will serve all of us who are remaining loyal and serving His purposes.
Some people might be thinking that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Is going to have to serve a lot of people. Oh, really? How does this verse hit you, which is in the book of Luke chapter 18, “8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
What does this say to all of us? How faithful are all of us going to be to our Great Adoni Yeshua? 38 And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.”
“42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.
If your boss is out of the office and calls you and says that he or she want to go over with you something important, would you just punch out at your regular time and go home? Or would you wait for your boss to get back? Most likely, unless you march to your own drum beat, I would say that you would stay and wait for your boss to return.
Similarly, servants must be in a state of readiness waiting for their master to return, no matter what time he gets home. The Jews had three ‘watches’ to the night, as compared to the Romans who had four. And the night was thought of in terms of those three periods of watching. Thus the idea is that they should be ready all night. It is a no brainer that any servant would not go to bed until their lord had returned from the wedding feast.
43 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. 44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Now our Lord gives us all a warning. He changes the story to a fact. He has informed us that He was going back to Heaven. He also promised us that He would come back again. This is a warning to all of us and we should take it to heart. We need to be constantly waiting for our Lord’s return to earth.
The earth is not our home. We are passing through. I like this point of view. We should live and plan as though our Lord is delaying but at the same time be ready for Him to come back today.
You might be thinking that this does not make sense? It does if you think it through. We can plan our lives but we must live Christ like in all that we do. We cannot just take a break and party. No, we must be daily serving Him and obeying all His Commandments. The main idea behind the parable is that of loyal service, hard work and readiness.
Now, there are many teacher’s of God’s Holy Word that in my opinion are teaching false doctrine. You see they are feeding their flock with the wrong information. There is a doctrine called the ‘Rapture’ whereby they teach that our Lord Jesus Christ is going to come back and take His church to heaven before His ‘Second Coming’. Many refer to chapter 24 and also chapter 14 of the Gospel of John, “2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
Please note that no where is our Lord listing a Part A and a Part B to His ‘Second Coming’
Pastor’s are deceiving their flocks into a false sense of security. That are giving them an easy way out. They say, ‘We don’t have to worry about any tribulation because our Lord Is going to come back and snatch us away before everything hits the fan.’
Do you adhere to this ‘Rapture’ position? I think it best to find out what our Lord Jesus has to say about coming back and getting us out of this horrible evil world. In the Gospel of John chapter 17 we find the true ‘Our Father’ prayer and what our Lord says about a possible removal from this earth. - 9 “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. 10 And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. 12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.”
So, I guess some of these bible teachers know more about the future then our Master and King. He asks the Father to not take us out of the world and many teachers are telling their flocks just the opposite.
Now many ‘Rapture’ adherents refer to chapter 24 where it talks about a ‘thief’. The apostle Paul also mentions the issue of our Lord coming back [which is His 2nd Coming, not Rapture] in chapter 5 of the book of 1 Thessalonians, “5 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. 11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
Paul gives an example that our Lord’s sudden return to earth will be like a ‘Thief in the night’. In other words it will come about when you least expect it. No where does it refer to a taking away only Christians. Rapture believers teach that out Lord will snatch away His church and ‘Leave behind’ non-believers who will go through the ‘Great Tribulation’.
Please notice our Lord’s words regarding ‘sudden destruction’. When you go over the book of Revelation you see examples of the 10 plagues that hit the Egyptians and these happen one after the other, not all at once or suddenly. What I believe is being described is that once our Lord Jesus Christ comes back, that’s it, no second chances. For all those who are evil they will face ‘sudden destruction.’
So far from this parable indicates the genius of our Lord Jesus in containing a relevant message for all, from which all would benefit, a deeper message for those who would privately ask concerning its truth, and a further message for those who would follow after Him?
You have to take your hats off and thank Peter for asking so many questions. Many times we see people like the rest of the disciples. They either allow the Lord’s message to go in one ear and out the other, or they just accept what was said without knowing exactly what was said. Not Peter though. If he wasn’t shore of something, we see him wanting clarification. You have heard that ‘no question is a dumb question.’ This might greatly apply here in Luke’s version, “ 41 Then Peter said to Him, “Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?”
Peter may well have heard the mutterings in the crowd as different interpretations were suggested, and have recognized that the crowds did not really have the background in order to understand the parable. Perhaps that was what Peter was trying to clarify. Who was intended to benefit by it? Were The Lord Jesus promises only for the faithful few? Or perhaps he was puzzled as to how the return of their beloved Lord could be seen as a catastrophe by any true disciple. Remember when our Lord told the disciples that He was going to be arrested and ultimately crucified. Here also Peter spoke up and told that Lord that it would not happen as such. Let us quickly see what transpired in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 16, 22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!”23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” 24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
Peter loved the Lord and would do anything for Him. He just didn’t understand the plans of God. Our Lord knew who and what was behind Peter’s action – Satan. So, He addressed His fallen angel. Peter didn’t know what was happening spiritually around him.
Our Lord Jesus does not answer Peter’s question directly but replies with another parable which this time deals with an individual, but then ends up more generally. Peter can then apply it to himself if he wishes, as may any other of the disciples. For in the end it is for all who will listen. Yet it is certainly a warning to Peter to ensure that in the future he does not go astray in his responsibilities as an Apostle. 42 And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?
In reply to Peter’s question our Lord Jesus tells a parable about an individual steward, although it expands to cover all level of servants at the end. It should be noted that again the parable is open to varied interpretation. The crowd could see the mention of the Lord’s coming as just a part of His comings and goings without reading into it the ‘Second Coming’. They would simply see it as a warning of the need to serve God faithfully, especially those of them who held positions of authority.
The disciples themselves who were in the know about the Lord’s departure and ‘Second Coming’ may have interpreted it as such. I is doubt that they did until much later. Originally they too probably saw it in terms of the Lord’s comings and goings, and as a warning of the necessity to be faithful and ardent in His service. They may have gone along with the crowd.
Our Holy Ruler replies to Peter’s question with a question. In other words He says the choice is up to Peter and the other disciples what they apply to themselves. He is aware that it will be some time before they really appreciate its significance. In it He points to the fact that the lord in the parable seeks a faithful and wise steward. The steward appointed will be someone who has already been tested and has proved his worth, both in loyalty and wisdom. And He is to be set over the lord’s household with responsibility for feeding all the household, a picture certainly of the responsibility of the disciples, and later of the leaders of the early church The same principle would apply to all the Apostles who proved faithful, so each could put himself in this position. And it would not be long before other faithful and wise stewards were appointed, including Paul. They too could pattern themselves on this steward.
45 “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. 47 Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.
Please note that our Magnificent Creator now points out that the steward is a slave. He is not there to better himself but to serve. If the slave faithfully carries out his function he will be blessed. He will both prosper and be happy. For when his lord pays him a visit and discovers that he is looking after the feeding of the household well he will appoint him over everything.
48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards,
Here is something totally unseemly, a slave behaving like a master and beating unnecessarily the other less important slaves, and using his master’s goods to excess. He is going outside his station. Note how drunkenness is seen as the seal on his degradation. He has descended to the lowest depths. Here is a man who has got beyond himself, and thinks of himself what he ought not to think.
I have seen this happen to a certain extent within the church. There are many times people who are great in ‘kissing’ up to the Pastor. They just shower him with all kind of praises and gifts. In many situations, the Pastor likes this person and promotes him or her to a more prominent role in the church. Many times I have witnessed this self-promotion seeker act like he or she is the boss and make decisions or order other people around. In most cases quite brutally. I am greatly pleased when I see our Lord step in and deal with these awful phonies.
50 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, 51 and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
But the slave is so foolish that he has forgotten that his lord might come at any time. And when suddenly his lord does come he is caught out with nowhere to hide. He has proved himself to be totally unworthy to even be in the household. We read that this slave’s lord is so angry that he has him decapitated, and then sends him to join the unbelieving. How can you decapitate a person and then send him with unbelievers. Well, for one thing if you are killed you will then ultimately be grouped with all the unbelievers who have ever lived. On the other hand, an alternative is that the verb ‘decapitated’ be given a gentler meaning of being ‘separated off’ from the other servants. His sentence may then be to be put out of the house and placed in with the other grossly unfaithful and rebellious slaves.
Look back again at Luke’s version. He adds some additional comments. 47 And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.
There would therefore appear to be three possibilities covering all the servants, the steward, the high level servant who was in the know about his lord’s requirements, and the lower level servant who was not. The top guy was the steward. In verse 47 this high level servant then is one who was under the steward, but who also knew what his lord wanted and had not made ready. He too had been faithless, although not going as far as the steward. He is not therefore not dealt with as severely. Rather he is given a severe beating.
On the other hand the servant who did not know in depth what his lord required, presumably because he was a lower level servant, but please note was also still required to be faithful, but who was still not as well behaved as he should have been, will also be given a beating. But this time a relatively mild one.
And the final lesson drawn out is that the more that is given to someone, of position and authority and trust, the more will be required of them. Those who are given the most trust will be expected to deliver more than those of whom that is not so true.
If you ever desire to be in the ministry I would suggest that you thoroughly study the Pastoral Epistles, I and II Timothy and Titus. It would better if you did not enter this profession because our Lord will hold you accountable. It is not a light thing to be assigned to. We read these warnings from our Great Master.
Luke 14, “25 Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— 29 lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’? 31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. 33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.
1 Timothy 3 “3 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; 4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence 5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); 6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. 8 Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, 9 holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. 10 But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless. 11 Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. 13 For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
1 Timothy 4 “4 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, 3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; 5 for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. 6 If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed. 7 But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. 8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. 9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. 10 For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. 11 These things command and teach. 12 Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 13 Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. 14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. 15 Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. 16 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
