Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 12:45
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;
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.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
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.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 45. Begin to beat, c.] See the different parts of this bad minister’s conduct pointed out on Mt 24:48-49.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
45. begin to beat, c.In theconfidence that his Lord’s return will not be speedy, he throws offthe role of servant and plays the master, maltreating those faithfulservants who refuse to join him, seizing on and revelling in thefulness of his master’s board intending, when he has got his fill, toresume the mask of fidelity ere his master appear.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But and if that servant say in his heart,…. Not the same servant before spoken of as a wise and faithful steward, that gives to all in the family the portion of meat in due season, and shall be found doing, and be made ruler over his master’s goods but another, who also, as he, is made by his Lord ruler over his household, and is in a like post, and in the same office, but is an “evil servant”, as Matthew calls him, to distinguish him from the other; and so the Arabic and Ethiopic versions read here:
my Lord delayeth his coming; though a wicked servant, he calls Christ his Lord; but it is not saying Lord, Lord, that will be of any avail, but doing the will of God, by believing in Christ, and obeying his commands: he had a notion of the coming of Christ, though he did not desire it; and because he tarried longer than was expected, supposed him to be slack concerning his promise, and began to think, and hope, and at length to believe, that he would not come at all, and therefore gave himself up to a wicked and licentious way of living:
and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens; to persecute the ministers of the Gospel, and the true disciples of Christ, the undefiled virgins, that follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes:
and to eat, and drink, and to be drunken: to live a voluptuous and sensual life, to give himself up to intemperance and debauchery: and, generally speaking, as professors of religion, when they turn apostates, are the most violent persecutors of the saints; so such persecutors of Christ’s, faithful followers are commonly drunkards and debauchees; [See comments on Mt 24:48],
[See comments on Mt 24:49].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Shall say (). Second aorist subjunctive, with , condition of the third class, undetermined, but with prospect of being determined.
Delayeth (). From , time, spends time, lingers.
Shall begin (). First aorist middle subjunctive with and the same condition as , above.
The menservants ( )
and the maidservants ( ). is a diminutive of for a young female slave and occurs in the papyri, orginally just a damsel. Here can mean slave also though strictly just a boy.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
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.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “But and if that servant say in his heart,” (ean de eipe ho doulos ekeinos en te kardia autou) “Then if the slave-servant says in his heart,” in his affections, that servant, even of that house or household, and of that master, a member of that church company, Mar 13:34-36.
2) “My lord delayeth his coming;” (chronizei ho kurios mou erchesthai) “My lord delays to come,” or defers to come, Ecc 8:11; 2Pe 3:3-4.
3) “And shall ‘begin to beat the menservants and maidens,” (kai arksetai tuptein tous paidas kai tas paidiskas) “And he begins to strike the menservants and the maidservants,” to go beyond the work given for him to do, as a servant, to live as he pleases, abusing his position of service given to him by his master. One who does such “has not God,” in such matters, that Is, has not His approval, 2Jn 1:8-9.
4) “And to eat and drink, and to be drunken;” (esthiein te kai pinein kai methuskesthai) “That is both to eat and to drink and to become drunk,” in a reproachful manner, that reflects on his Lord, as forewarned also Luk 21:34-36. When this servant turns to act as a tyrant-master, beating up other servants, intimidating them, to get his own way, eating and drinking excessively, as if the servants and property entrusted him were his own property, his conduct is unbecoming, a thing the Lord hates, even in His church. Such became the conduct of Diotrephes against the apostle John and his missionary helpers, 3Jn 1:9-11; Revelation 2-6.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(45) To beat the menservants.Literally, the boys, but in the sense which the word had acquired, like the French garon, as used generally for servants of any age. Note the more specific terms as compared with the fellow-servants of St. Matthew.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
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.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“But if that servant shall say in his heart, ‘My lord delays his coming,’ and shall begin to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken.”
But far from being blessed is that slave if he takes advantage of his lord’s absence to maltreat his master’s property. Here is something totally unseemly, a slave behaving like a master and beating unnecessarily the other less important slaves, and using his master’s goods to excess. He is going outside his station. Note how drunkenness is seen as the seal on his degradation. He has descended to the lowest depths. Here is a man who has got beyond himself, and thinks of himself what he ought not to think.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Luk 12:45-46 . But if that slave, whom the lord will place over his servants as (Luk 12:42 ), instead of being faithful, shall have thought, etc.
Moreover, see on Mat 26:48-51 .
.] with the faithless (Luk 12:42 ), whose final destiny is the punishment of Gehenna (Luk 12:5 ).
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
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 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Luk 12:45 . : 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? : a delayed , 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. , etc., the men- and maidservants, instead of in Mt. : 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.). points to degradation from the confidential position of to a place among the unfaithful ; dismissed, or imprisoned, or set to drudging service .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
delayeth. The emphasis is placed on this verb
by the Figure of speech Hyperbaton (App-6), because it is this postponement of the reckoning which leads to his evil doing.
and. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton (App-6) in Luk 12:45 and Luk 12:46.
menservants. See App-108.
maidens. Greek. paidiske. See Luk 22:56.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Luk 12:45. [, 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.]- , to eat and to drink) These constitute the act: , to be drunken, to give way to intoxication, denotes the habit.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
and if: Eze 12:22, Eze 12:27, Eze 12:28, Mat 24:48-50, 2Pe 2:3, 2Pe 2:4
to beat: Isa 65:6, Jer 20:2, Eze 34:3, Eze 34:4, Mat 22:6, 2Co 11:20, 3Jo 1:9, 3Jo 1:10, Rev 13:7-10, Rev 13:15-17, Rev 16:6, Rev 17:5, Rev 17:6, Rev 18:24
to eat: Isa 56:10-12, Eze 34:8, Rom 16:18, Phi 3:18, Phi 3:19, 2Pe 2:13, 2Pe 2:19, Jud 1:12, Jud 1:13, Rev 18:7, Rev 18:8
Reciprocal: 1Ki 22:27 – until I come in peace Job 24:23 – whereon Pro 7:19 – he Pro 23:29 – Who hath woe Isa 1:28 – the destruction Isa 56:12 – I will Zec 11:16 – which Mat 24:38 – they Mat 25:5 – the Luk 21:34 – your hearts 1Co 5:11 – or a drunkard 1Co 9:27 – lest Eph 5:18 – be not Eph 6:9 – knowing Heb 4:1 – any 1Pe 5:8 – sober 2Pe 3:4 – where Rev 2:5 – else
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
6
This paragraph is explained at Mat 24:48-51.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
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.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
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 lords family committed to him, yielding to the evil of his own disposition, shall take occasion from his lords 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 lords 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, , 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.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
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. , 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 , 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…
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
However the disciple who disregards Jesus’ warnings to be ready for His return and who is unfaithful, abusive, self-centered, and self-indulgent will end up with unbelievers when Jesus returns. [Note: See Karl E. Pagenkemper, "Rejection Imagery in the Synoptic Parables," Bibliotheca Sacra 153:610 (April-June 1996):191-94.] The judgments at the beginning of the messianic kingdom immediately following the Second Coming are in view (Mat 25:31-46). Since these disciples perish eternally they must correspond to the religious leaders of their day who are unbelievers. Their horrible end is appropriate since they had great privilege and great responsibility but failed in their duty.