The Faithful and Sensible Slave

[Last Daze]

I'm curious as to how others view this passage:

• 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? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.  Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions.  But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not coming for a long time,’ and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  Matthew 24:45-51

I'm particularly interested in:

• The faithful and sensible slave.  Is it one person?  A certain group of people?  Can any believer qualify?
• What is the food that is given to those of the master's household?
• What is the proper time?

The context is the end times and follows Jesus' exhortation to be on the alert and ready for His return.

[JoeCanada]

The Church is divided on whether we should prepare for the Apocalypse to come. Some are putting away “gold, groceries, and guns” and planning to be Survivalists. Others plan to trust that God will provide in days that are approaching and aren’t preparing at all. So, what does scripture say? Is there a verse in the New Testament in which Jesus clearly teaches that we should put food away for the hard times?  Does Jesus want Christians to be “Preppers?”

Shockingly, there is a verse that supports this idea; its Matthew 24:45 and an identical verse in Luke 12:42 :

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 (Gk: KAIROS, meaning “appointed time”)? (NASB)

As a Church we tend to read past this highly important, yet obscure verse found in Matthew’s version of the Olivet Discourse (Jesus’s primary teaching on the end times).  Jesus was giving us a riddle. He is asking “who is this wise and faithful slave?” We have three clues:
• He is a wise slave
• He is put in charge of his master’s household
• He provides food for that household at the appointed time

Have you guessed it yet? It’s .......

You can read the full article here @..... http://www.thegospelintheendtimes.com/awakening-the-church/jesus-want-christians-prepers/

[Montana Marv]

It is the slave who gives his 1st Fruits to God.  The remaining 90 percent of his is Blessed.  Does a man rob God?  The slave who gives very little to God or his 2nd Fruits is like Cain and his offering is rejected.

In Christ

Montana Marv

[Last Daze]

22 hours ago, JoeCanada said:

The Church is divided on whether we should prepare for the Apocalypse to come. Some are putting away “gold, groceries, and guns” and planning to be Survivalists. Others plan to trust that God will provide in days that are approaching and aren’t preparing at all. So, what does scripture say? Is there a verse in the New Testament in which Jesus clearly teaches that we should put food away for the hard times?  Does Jesus want Christians to be “Preppers?”

Shockingly, there is a verse that supports this idea; its Matthew 24:45 and an identical verse in Luke 12:42 :

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 (Gk: KAIROS, meaning “appointed time”)? (NASB)

As a Church we tend to read past this highly important, yet obscure verse found in Matthew’s version of the Olivet Discourse (Jesus’s primary teaching on the end times).  Jesus was giving us a riddle. He is asking “who is this wise and faithful slave?” We have three clues:
• He is a wise slave
• He is put in charge of his master’s household
• He provides food for that household at the appointed time

Have you guessed it yet? It’s .......

You can read the full article here @..... http://www.thegospelintheendtimes.com/awakening-the-church/jesus-want-christians-prepers/

As with many things in scripture, there is both a natural and a spiritual perspective.  The above view would be looking at that passage from a natural perspective.  Given that the third seal speaks of a time of food shortage, I think that stocking up food in order to provide for others during that time is a prudent measure.

[JoeCanada]

4 minutes ago, Last Daze said:

As with many things in scripture, there is both a natural and a spiritual perspective.  The above view would be looking at that passage from a natural perspective.  Given that the third seal speaks of a time of food shortage, I think that stocking up food in order to provide for others during that time is a prudent measure.

Hi LD,

Yes, I believe that there is both a natural and a spiritual perspective.

As the Church goes thru the Great Tribulation, many will hunger, not just for physical food, but also for spiritual food.

As faithful "slaves", we can provide for their nutritional needs, and we can also provide for their spiritual needs. I believe that their will be a GREAT harvest in the end times, and those "wise" people of God will be able to turn them to the Lord, and away from taking the mark of the beast/antichrist.

[JoeCanada]

Daniel 11:33

" And they that understand among the people shall instruct many"

[Last Daze]

13 hours ago, JoeCanada said:

Hi LD,

Yes, I believe that there is both a natural and a spiritual perspective.

As the Church goes thru the Great Tribulation, many will hunger, not just for physical food, but also for spiritual food.

As faithful "slaves", we can provide for their nutritional needs, and we can also provide for their spiritual needs. I believe that their will be a GREAT harvest in the end times, and those "wise" people of God will be able to turn them to the Lord, and away from taking the mark of the beast/antichrist.

I agree, and the sequencing fits the opening of the seals.  The second seal begins the time of war where nation rises against nation and kingdom against kingdom.  The third seal is the food shortage.  The fourth seal is the fullness of the time of war that's brought to an end by the supernatural signs and wonders that the false prophet performs.  Those deceiving signs and wonders are followed by the abomination and subsequent desolation of the mark and image, the martyring of the fifth seal. 

12 hours ago, JoeCanada said:

Daniel 11:33

" And they that understand among the people shall instruct many"

So I agree that a "third seal food ministry" during the time of war could very well be the last time for instruction before the mark and image take effect.  May God give us insight into those days so that we might share it with others when the time comes.

[Diaste]

On 12/5/2018 at 9:57 PM, Montana Marv said:

It is the slave who gives his 1st Fruits to God.  The remaining 90 percent of his is Blessed.  Does a man rob God?  The slave who gives very little to God or his 2nd Fruits is like Cain and his offering is rejected.

In Christ

Montana Marv

Tithe? Hmm...

[Diaste]

On 12/5/2018 at 5:23 PM, Last Daze said:

I'm curious as to how others view this passage:

• 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? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.  Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions.  But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not coming for a long time,’ and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  Matthew 24:45-51

I'm particularly interested in:

• The faithful and sensible slave.  Is it one person?  A certain group of people?  Can any believer qualify?
• What is the food that is given to those of the master's household?
• What is the proper time?

The context is the end times and follows Jesus' exhortation to be on the alert and ready for His return.

I always thought we were to take this as a whole thought contrasting the patient, diligent, and faithful follower of the the Way with those who lose sight of the goal, those for whom the vision fades.

For me this speaks to the concept of loyalty to the master of the house, Jesus, and the relationship the faithful servant enjoys with His master. The servant loves the master and in belief and trust does those things which please the master, those duties which the servants of the house were charged. The faithful and sensible slave operates in selfless devotion to the master and the other members of the house while the evil slave is selfish and lacking trust, belief, and vision. Short term verses long term. Faith versus faithless. Belief versus non-belief. Love versus hate.

Conceptually 'food at the proper time' is just a thing to which we can all relate. The evening meal, same time, every day, or breakfast, including everything associated with these times. It's not skipped and the members of the household are fed when the are hungry. So it's the dutiful discharge of our responsibilities to the master in view, both personal behavior and behavior toward others; in contrast to the evil slave lacking both individual and corporately sensible, faith based, behavior.

In the context you pointed out above this fits with the previous parable of the thief and the homeowner. One says to be ready at all times and the other tells us to "Keep on, keeping on." Ugh, that's tortured, but you get the idea.

 

 

 

[Last Daze]

2 hours ago, Diaste said:

I always thought we were to take this as a whole thought contrasting the patient, diligent, and faithful follower of the the Way with those who lose sight of the goal, those for whom the vision fades.

For me this speaks to the concept of loyalty to the master of the house, Jesus, and the relationship the faithful servant enjoys with His master. The servant loves the master and in belief and trust does those things which please the master, those duties which the servants of the house were charged. The faithful and sensible slave operates in selfless devotion to the master and the other members of the house while the evil slave is selfish and lacking trust, belief, and vision. Short term verses long term. Faith versus faithless. Belief versus non-belief. Love versus hate.

Conceptually 'food at the proper time' is just a thing to which we can all relate. The evening meal, same time, every day, or breakfast, including everything associated with these times. It's not skipped and the members of the household are fed when the are hungry. So it's the dutiful discharge of our responsibilities to the master in view, both personal behavior and behavior toward others; in contrast to the evil slave lacking both individual and corporately sensible, faith based, behavior.

In the context you pointed out above this fits with the previous parable of the thief and the homeowner. One says to be ready at all times and the other tells us to "Keep on, keeping on." Ugh, that's tortured, but you get the idea.

I agree that the parable should be taken as a whole.  It contrasts those who continue in obedience with those who allow their perception of their master's return to affect their behavior.  I think it serves as a warning against anyone who would become spiritually lazy based on their perception of when they think Jesus will return.  It doesn't matter what eschatological viewpoint one holds.  We are to guard against allowing our perception of end time events to affect our obedience to what we have already been instructed to do.  I see that as the main takeaway of the parable.  Like you said, "keep on keeping on."

• Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.  John 4:34

We are to encourage one another to love and good works, and all the more as we see the day approaching.  May we all seek to know and do the will of God and persevere in such until He returns.