Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 Vs. 45

 No One Knows That Day and Hour

Matthew 24:45 “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?”

Who then is... Question 145. Next, Mat. 25:37. The third parable of Matthew 24-25, illustrating faithfulness in view of His coming (Mat. 24:45-51). By the conduct of a faithful and wise servant Jesus intends to denote a faithful Christian, a servant of God, or a teacher of religion.

This passage is in fact, a parable, though it is not expressly so called. The design is to show that his disciples should act as if they were each moment expecting his return. This he illustrates by the conduct of a servant who did not expect his master soon to return, who acted with great impropriety, and who was accordingly punished.

whom his lord... His master. The word here has no reference to God. It means the lord or master of the servant. Applied to Christian teachers, in the spiritual meaning of the parable, it refers to Christ, who has appointed them as teachers, and who is their Lord and Master (John 13:13-14).

over his household... His family. Christian ministers are the servants of God appointed over the church, the family of Christ (1Thes. 5:12-13; 1Cor. 3:5; 4:1:2; 12:28).

meat in due... The word meat here means food of all kinds. When the Bible was translated into English, the word included, as the original does, all kinds of provisions requisite to support and nourish life. As they need it, or in the accustomed times. This was the office of a steward. Among the ancients this office was often filled by a “slave”, one who had shown himself trusty and faithful. The duty was to have a general superintendence over the affairs of the family.

In due season (ἐν ακιρῷ)

At the regular hours which his Lord observes when at home; and not delaying because he thinks that his Lord delayeth his coming (Mat. 24:48), but doing his duty in its appointed time.

Applied to Christian ministers, it means that they are to feed the flock of God, to minister to their needs, and to do it as they need it (John 21:15-17; Acts 20:28; 1Cor. 4:1-2).

The very pointed way in which the parable is introduced, together with the fact that only one servant is spoken of, suggests to each one engaged in the work the most careful self-examination. Who, then, is a faithful and wise servant? The underlying thought seems to be that such a one is not very easily to be found; and that therefore there is a special benediction for those who through the trying years are found both faithful and wise, faithful to their high trust, wise in relation to the momentous issues depending on the manner in which they fulfil it. The benediction on the wise and faithful servant is evidently easy to miss and a great thing to gain.

The faithful servant

The coming of the Lord will be a test of servants. As the master in Jesus’ story entrusted all his possessions to his servant, so God has entrusted the care of all things in this earth to His servants. The responses of the servants are indications of their inward conditions.