Theological Tuesday

Parables of Jesus 25: The Waiting Slaves (Mark 13:34-37, Luke 12:35-38)

And The Faithful and Wise Slave (Matthew 24:45-51, Luke 12:42-48)

Mark 13:24-37

24"But in those days, after that tribulation, THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT,

25AND THE STARS WILL BE FALLING from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken.

26"Then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN CLOUDS with great power and glory.

27"And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven.

28"Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near.

29"Even so, you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that He is near, right at the door.

30"Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.

31"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

32"But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.

33"Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come.

34"It is like a man away on a journey, who upon leaving his house and putting his slaves in charge, assigning to each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay on the alert.

35"Therefore, be on the alert--for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning--

36in case he should come suddenly and find you asleep.

37"What I say to you I say to all, 'Be on the alert!'"

Luke 12:35-48

35"Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit.

36"Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks.

37"Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them.

38"Whether he comes in the second watch, or even in the ^]third, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

39"But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into.

40"You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect."

41Peter said, "Lord, are You addressing this parable to us, or to everyone else as well?"

42And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time?

43"Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.

44"Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

45"But if that slave says in his heart, 'My master will be a long time in coming,' and begins to beat the slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk;

46the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

47"And that slave who knew his master's will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes,

48but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.

Matthew 24:42-51

42"Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.

43"But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.

44"For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.

45"Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time?

46"Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.

47"Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

48"But if that evil slave says in his heart, 'My master is not coming for a long time,'

49and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards;

50the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know,

51and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.