Luke 12:45

Luk_12:45-46

My lord delayeth his coming

Emboldened by delay

History says that long ago it had been announced that the world was coming to an end, and there was great excitement in London.

It was said that the world would perish on a certain Friday. On Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday the people were in the cathedral, praying and weeping. It seemed as if the whole English nation was being converted to God, for it was announced as certain by philosophers that on the coming Friday the world would perish. Friday came, and there were no portents, no fires in the air, no earthquakes. The day passed along just like every other day, and when it was past and the night came, it is said that in London there was a scene of riot, and wassail, and drunkenness, and debauchery such as had never been witnessed. They forgot their vow, they forgot their repentance, they forgot their good resolutions. Oh, how much human nature in that! While trials and misfortunes come to us, and we are down deep in darkness and trouble, we make vows. We say: Oh Lord, do so, and I will do so. The darkness passes, the peril goes away. We are as we were before, or worse; for oh, how often I have Been men start for the kingdom of God, come up to within arms reach of it, and then go back farther from God than they ever were before, dropping from the very moment of their privilege into darkness for ever. (Dr. Tulmage.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 12:45-46. But and if that servant, &c. — On the other hand, consider attentively the character and punishment of a bad servant, that you may avoid both. If any steward, who has the care of his lord’s family committed to him, yielding to the evil of his own disposition, shall take occasion from his lord’s long absence to behave unfaithfully in his duty; and shall begin to beat the men-servants, &c. — Shall behave tyrannically toward his fellow-servants, and give himself up to gluttony and drunkenness, wasting their provisions in living riotously with his companions. The lord of that servant will come when he looketh not for him — Such a course of rioting will stupify that servant, so that he will not foresee his lord’s coming, nor know of it till he is in the house, and shall have exemplary punishment inflicted upon him, proportionable to the greatness of his offences: and will cut him in sunder, &c. — See on Mat 24:51; and appoint him his portion — His everlasting portion; with the unbelievers — His wickedness having proceeded from his not believing the rewards and punishments of a future state, he shall have his portion in that state with such as were of those Sadducean principles. The Greek, μετα των απιστων, may be properly rendered, with the unfaithful: as faithful as he once was, Christ himself being judge, he becomes unfaithful, and has his eternal portion with the unfaithful. This circumstance, it must be observed, is added according to the meaning, rather than the form of the parable, and is explanatory of that meaning.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 12:45. [Δὲ, but) Hereby is implied the great contrast there is between the conduct of the servant then, and his feeling now, when retribution overtakes him.—V. g.]—ἐσθίειν καὶ πίνειν, to eat and to drink) These constitute the act: μεθύσκεσθαι, to be drunken, to give way to intoxication, denotes the habit.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk_12:45-46. But if that slave, whom the lord will place over his servants as οἰκονόμος (Luk_12:42), instead of being faithful, shall have thought, etc.

Moreover, see on Mat_26:48-51.

μετὰ τῶν ἀπίστ.] with the faithless (Luk_12:42), whose final destiny is the punishment of Gehenna (Luk_12:5).

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 12:45 . ἐὰν δὲ : introducing supposition of an abuse of power, conceived possible even in the case of an apostle, of a Peter. Let no proud ecclesiastic therefore say, Is thy servant a dog? χρονίζει : a delayed παρουσία , a prominent thought in our Lord’s later utterances. The delay may possibly be long enough to allow time for the utter demoralisation of even the higher officials. Vide on Mt. τοὺς παῖδας , etc., the men- and maidservants, instead of συνδούλους in Mt. διχοτομήσει : the retention of this strong word by Lk., who seems to have it for one of his aims to soften harsh expressions, is noticeable, especially when he understands it as referring to the Apostles, and even to Peter. It makes for the hypothesis that the word means not to cut into two as with a saw, but either to lash unmercifully, to cut to pieces in popular parlance, or to separate from the household establishment (Beza, Grotius, etc.). μετὰ τῶν ἀπίστων points to degradation from the confidential position of οἰκονόμος to a place among the unfaithful ; dismissed, or imprisoned, or set to drudging service .

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

begin to beat, &c.--In the confidence that his Lord's return will not be speedy, he throws off the role of servant and plays the master, maltreating those faithful servants who refuse to join him, seizing on and revelling in the fulness of his master's board; intending, when he has got his fill, to resume the mask of fidelity ere his master appear.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 45. Begin to beat, c.] See the different parts of this bad minister's conduct pointed out on Mt 24:48-49.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(45) To beat the menservants.—Literally, the boys, but in the sense which the word had acquired, like the French garçon, as used generally for servants of any age. Note the more specific terms as compared with the “fellow-servants” of St. Matthew.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

45. say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming] Ecc_8:11. It was not long before the temptation to use this language arose with fatal results, 2Pe_3:8-9.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him,.... For, not coming as was expected, he gives over looking, and concludes he will not come at all; in which he will find himself mistaken, for he will come in the very day which is appointed, though men know not of it, and do not look for it:

and at an hour when he is not aware; for as neither the day, nor hour of Christ's coming are known to any man, it becomes men to look for it every day and hour, lest it come upon them unawares; as it will, on such evil servants before described, with whom it will go ill, as follows:

and will cut him in sunder, and appoint him his portion with unbelievers; whose portion is the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death, Rev 21:8 and by these are meant, not only the Heathens, who never heard of Christ; nor the Jews only, who disbelieved the Messiah, and rejected him when he came; but all deists and atheists, who deny revelation; even all unbelievers of, and scoffers at the coming of Christ, and who put away the evil day far from them; compare with this Job 20:29, See Gill on Mat 24:51.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

45 But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;

Ver. 45. See Mat 24:46-51.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

45. Say… delayeth—Supposing that he ought to come sooner. It is remarkable that every mistake on the subject of time hitherto made arises from requiring it to be

too soon. Beat… eat… drink… drunken—Our Lord here gives a graphic description of the disorder and revel of the slaves of a householder, set loose from all fear or sense of responsibility.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vers. 45, 46. But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; the lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware. "But," continued the Master, "although certain of my servants have onlooks to higher degrees of glory than the great mass of their fellows, these seemingly favored ones have at the same time more perilous responsibilities; and only if in these graver responsibilities they are faithful to the end, will they receive their high and peculiar reward." If, on the other hand, they fail in their perpetual watch for the coming of their Lord, and instead of the restless toil which the Master has assigned to these stewards, these servants, weighted with higher responsibilities, give themselves up to worldly pleasures and passions, terrible will be their doom. Again the excesses of the table are specially mentioned. If, instead of spending themselves in the cares of their high office, they make a profit out of that office, if they live as oppressors of the flock rather than as shepherds, then to these unfaithful stewards will the Lord suddenly come, as pictured in the parable imagery, a thief in the night. And will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. The terrible punishment here specified was not unknown among the ancients. (see Herodotus, 7:39; and Heb_11:37) Isaiah was said to have been sawn asunder. Bengels comment is curious: Qui cor divisum habet, dividetur." It has been suggested, to bring the punishment into harmony with the statement immediately following, which speaks of a definite and, perhaps, of an enduring position for the guilty one, a "portion with the unbelievers," to understand the word as an equivalent for scourging; so in the Latin we find flagellis discindere, to scourge the back with the rod. There is, however, no known instance of the Greek word dicotomein being used in this sense. The expression is, however, used as simply implying that a terrible doom is surely reserved in the life to come for those who have so sadly misused their high opportunities and neglected their great responsibilities. "The image of the parable itself is blended with the reality which the parable signifies; this thought of the human master who can punish his slaves with temporal death passes into that of the Divine Judge who can punish with spiritual death" (Dean Mansel).

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Our Lord in these verses describes a negligent and unfaithful steward of his household, and then declares that dreadful sentence of wrath which hangs over him. The unfaithful steward, or negligent minister of the gospel, is decribed:

1. By his infidelity: he believed not Christ’s coming to judgment, though he preaches it to others; He saith in his heart, My Lord delayeth his coming.

2. He is described by his hatred, envy, and malignity, against his fellow servants, that were more faithful than himself: He begins to smite them, at least with the virulence of his tongue, if not with the violence of his hand.

3. He is farther described by his associating with the wicked, and strengthening their hands by his ill example: He eateth and drinketh with the drunken; that is, as their associate and fellow companion. Thus the negligent steward and unfaithful minister is described.

Next his sentence is declared.

1. Christ will surprise him in his sin and security, by coming at an hour when he looketh not for him.

2. He will execute temporal vengeance upon him; he will cut him in pieces, as the Jews did their sacrifices, dividing them into two parts.

Hence some observe, that God seldom suffers slothful, sensual ministers to live out half their days.

3. Christ will punish them with eternal destruction also: Appoint them their portion with unbelievers.

Teaching us, that such ministers as neglect the service of God, and the souls of their people, as they are ranked amongst the worst sinners in this life, so shall they be punished with them in the severest manner in the next. When Satan destroys the souls of men, he shall answer for it as a murderer only, not as an officer that was intrusted with the care of souls. But if the steward does not provide, if the shepherd does not feed, if the watchman does not warn, they shall answer, not only for the souls that have miscarried, but for an office neglected, for a talent hidden, and for a stewardship unfaithfully managed. Woe unto us, if at the great day we hear distressed souls roaring out their complaints, and howling out their doleful accusations against us, say, "Lord, our stewards have defrauded us, our watchmen have betrayed us, our guides have misled us," verse 48. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required; and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

Hence we learn,

1. That whatever we receive from God, is both a gift and a talent.

2. That every one has some gift or talent from God to be improved for God.

3. That God’s gifts or talents are not given to all in the same measure.

4. That whether we receive little or much, all is in order to an account.

5. That answerable to our present talents will be our future accounts. The greater opportunities a man has of knowing his duty, and the greater abilities he has for doing good, if he does it not, the greater will be his condemnation, because the neglect of his duty in this case cannot be without a great deal of willfulness and contempt, which is an heinous aggravation. If thy gifts be mean, the less thou hast to account for; if greater than others, God expects thou should do more good than others, for where much is given, much will be required.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

that servant

This refers to the servant whose lord has put him in charge of the other servants.

says in his heart

Here "heart" is a metonym for a person's mind or inner being. AT: "thinks to himself" (See: Metonymy)

My lord delays his return

"My master will not return soon"

male and female servants

The words that are translated here as "male and female servants" are normally translated as "boys" and "girls." They may indicate that the servants were young or that they were dear to their master.

in a day when he does not expect, and in an hour that he does not know

The words "day" and "hour" form a merism of time that refers to any time, and the words "expect" and "know" have similar meanings, so the two phrases here are parallel to emphasize that the coming of the lord will be a total surprise to the servant. However, the phrases should not be combined unless your language has no different words for "know" and "expect" or "day" and "hour." AT: "at a time when the servant is not expecting him" (See: Merism and Parallelism)

cut him in pieces and appoint a place for him with the unfaithful

Possible meanings are 1) this is an exaggeration for the master dealing out harsh punishment toward the slave, or 2) this describes the manner in which the servant will be executed and buried as punishment. (See: Hyperbole and Generalization)

translationWords

servant

lord

drunk

hour

appoint

faithful

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

45. εἴπῃ … ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ, Χρονίζει ὁ κύριός μου ἔρχεσθαι. Ecc 8:11. It was not long before the temptation to use this language arose with fatal results, 2Pe 3:8-9.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

45. Χρονίζει ὁ κύριός μου. Comp. 2Pe 3:3, 2Pe 3:4; Ecc 8:11. The “But and if” of AV. is simply “But if” (RV.); “and if” being “an if,” a double conditional, which was common in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

ἄρξηται. He begins to do this, but the arrival of his lord puts a stop to it: comp. 21, 13:25; Act 11:15. This οἰκονόμος has a large familia of slaves under him. Perhaps he makes merry on what he ought to have given them. For παιδίσκκη as a vernacular word for a female slave see Kennedy, Sources of N.T. Grk. p. 40. Μεθύσκεσθαι is “to get drunk,” as distiract. μεθύειν “to be drunk” (Act 2:15).

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Delayeth. The emphatic word, since the thought of the lord 's delay and of the postponement of the reckoning is uppermost in the servant 's thought.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Vers. 45, 46 represent an apostle or an unfaithful minister under the image of an unprincipled steward.

The condition of fidelity being the constant watching for the master’s return, this servant, to set himself more at his ease in his unfaithfulness, puts the thought of that moment far off. So the minister of Jesus does, who, in place of watching for the Parousia, substitutes the idea of indefinite progress. What will become of his practical fidelity, since it is the constant watching for the Lord which should be its support? Beating, eating, and drinking are figures, like the regular and conscientious distribution (Luk 12:42). The ecclesiastical functionaries described in this piece are those who, instead of dividing the word of Christ to the Church, impose on it their own, who tyrannize over souls instead of tending them, and show themselves so much the more jealous of their rights the more negligently they discharge their duties. Διχοτομεῖν, strictly, to cleave in two, denotes a punishment which was really used among the nations of antiquity (Egyptians, Chaldeans, Greeks, Romans; comp. also 2Sa 12:31; 1Ch 20:3; Heb 11:37). But this literal meaning does not suit here, since we still hear of a position which this servant is to receive,—at least if we do not admit with Bleek that in these last words Jesus passes from the figure to the application. Is it not more natural, even though we cannot cite examples of the usage, to understand the word in the sense of the Latin expression, flagellis discindere, to scourge the back with a rod (the: shall be beaten with many stripes, Luk 12:47)?

The portion in question after this terrible punishment is imprisonment, or even the extreme penalty of the law,—the cross, for example, which was always preceded by scourging. The word ἀπίστων, “with the unbelievers,” might support the explanation given by Bleek; but though the application pierces the veil of the parable, the strict sense is not altogether set aside: “those who cannot be trusted,” strangers to the house. Matthew says: the hypocrites, false friends (the Pharisees). A faithless apostle will be no better treated than an adversary.

To have one’s portion with is a Hebraistic and Greek expression, which signifies to share the lot of...

Frédéric Louis Godet — Commentaries on Luke, John, Romans, and 1 Corinthians — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1870s–1890s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.