Wednesday, July 17, 2024
The Parables of Jesus Series
Tonight’s Study – Session 26: The Parable of the Faithful Servant and the Evil Servant
Introduction: The Parable of the Faithful Servant and the Evil Servant is a parable that not only teaches about being prepared for Christ’s return, but also the contrast between those who are faithful servants and evil servants. Jesus is teaching the difference between knowing and doing the will of God and just giving head knowledge to it. The cares of the world can entangle anyone of us as believers and distract of us from faithfully carrying out the will and work of Christ in our lives. But a willful rejection and disregard for the will of God and the work of the Kingdom that Christ call us to is indicative of a greater spiritual matter, that of not truly knowing Christ as Lord and Savior.
The Parable of the Faithful Servant and Evil Servant is only found in the Gospel of Luke.
Let’s Take a Look at our Passage Where this Parable is Found
41Then Peter said to Him, “Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?” 42And 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? 43Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.
44Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has.
45But 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,46the 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.
47And 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.
(Luke 12:41–48)
What was the Context for this Parable?
Luke 12:35-40 – The Parable of the Watchful Servants
35“Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; 36and 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.
38And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.
39But 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.” (Luke 12:35-40)
A verse-by-verse breakdown
Verse 41
Peter’s question to Jesus in this verse leads to a deeper teaching about the Kingdom and those who are “truly part of the kingdom of God” and those who assume they are. Jesus had just taught about watchful servants in verses 35-40 of Luke 12. Everything in the context of this passage indicates that Jesus is speaking about a true believer.
Verse 42
Jesus, as He often did, employed what is called the Socratic method, He answered a question with a question. Jesus 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? The question puts the focus on the “faithful and wise steward” which is symbolic of a Christian.
Verse 43
The faithfulness of a servant brings God’s blessing. God’s takes care of His own who faithfully serve Him. To be Blessed means to be happy, fortunate, blissful. It is more than a surface emotion, but the divinely bestowed well-being that belongs only to the faithful.
Jesus had much to say about be blessed in Matthew 5
3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.
12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:3-12)
The “Blessed” in the truest sense can only be indicative of a born-again Christian.
Verse 44
Faithfulness to God leads to greater responsibility.
His Lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.’(Matthew 25:21)
Matthew 25:21 – a verse within the context of The Parable of the Talents
Verse 45
Jesus changes course and refocuses His teaching toward the evil servant, which symbolizes the unbeliever. A hypothetical scenario is given by Christ to picture an unbeliever. In this verse, Jesus alludes to an evil servant that beats his servants. The evil servant’s unfaithfulness and cruel behavior illustrates the evil of an unbelieving heart.
A Word of Warning
Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; (Hebrews 3:12)
Verse 46
Strong language is used by Jesus (Cut him in two) to speak of the severity of the final judgment of unbelievers.
Verse 47
The degree of punishment is commensurate with the extent to which the unfaithful behavior was willful.
Verse 48
Ignorance will be no excuse and there will be varying degrees of punishment in hell for unfaithful and evil servants (unbelievers).
Proof texts supporting varying degrees of punishment in hell
Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city! (Matthew 10:15)
But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. (Matthew 11:22)
Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? (Hebrews 10:29)
Conclusion: The greater lesson that Jesus is teaching in the Parable of the Faithful and Evil Servant is to make sure that we are faithful servants of God. The imminent return of Jesus may not necessarily be the main point of Jesus’ teaching in this parable, but what is taught is in light of His return. We as believers are to faithful servants of God, always prepared for the return of Christ. The unbelieving, non-Christian is likened to the evil servant, squandering the opportunity for repentance from sin and faith in the Lord and service for Him. They are obviously not prepared for Jesus’ imminent return and are heaping judgment upon themselves.
Next Week, Session 27: The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree