"Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household to
give them meat in due season?" (v. 45). It is not a question of evangelizing here, but of care for
the household. The principle of trading outside with the Master’s gifts will come by and by (chap.
25:14, et seq.); but here the great thing is that, as the Lord loves His saints ("whose house are
we") so He makes much of faithful or faithless service within that sphere. For I need not say that
faithfulness to the Lord involves no denial of the ministry He provides. Ministry when real is of
God; though the mode in which it is exercised is often, wrong and unscriptural. Ministry is not
Jewish, but characteristic of Christianity. But it is a thing very apt to lose its true character.
Instead of being Christ’s servants in His household, many sink into the agents of a particular body.
In such a case it always flows from the church or denomination. Real ministry is from Christ and
Him alone. Therefore the apostle Paul says he was the servant or bondman of Jesus Christ; never
deriving his mission from the Church or being responsible to it for his work. The gospel and the!
Church were the spheres of his service (Col. 1); but its giver and his Lord was Christ Himself
exclusively. It appears to me that this is necessary, in order that ministry should be recognized as
divine; and nothing but divine ministry is owned in Scripture, nor should be by God’s people now.
This, then, is the first thing our Lord insists on, that the faithful and wise servant whom the Lord
makes ruler over His household be found doing His work, caring for what is so near to Christ.
It is a most painful proof of the low state of the Church in these days that such service is regarded
as "waste" of precious ointment. So completely have even God’s children fallen from the thought
of true ministry that they think it idleness or proselytism to attend to those that are within. Why
not preach to those without, say they, and seek to bring such to the knowledge of Christ? But this
is not the first thing our Lord presses. The "faithful and wise servant" had to do with those within;
his object was to give them their meat in due season; and the Lord pronounces that servant
blessed. "Blessed is that servant whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing." Others might
raise questions as to the servant’s title; but He simply says, If I find you "so doing," blessed are
you. The great point is to be doing His will. It is not title or position, but doing the work which
the Lord wishes to be done.

But now comes the other side of the picture:"But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart,
My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to smite his fellow-servants, and to eat and drink
with the drunken" (vers. 48, 49). There you have the great danger of the professed servants of
Christ in this world. First, wronging the fellow-servants by assuming an arbitrary place. Authority
is right where it is exercised under obedience to Christ. No change of circumstances or condition
alters the truth that the Lord remains Head of the Church, and raises up servants at all times to
carry out His wishes with authority. But here it is man’s will, where the servant takes the place
of the Master, and begins to smite his fellow-servants. Secondly, along with that, there is evil
communication with the world. It is not said that he is himself drunken; but there is association
with the world. "Evil communications corrupt good manners." Where the thought of the Lord is
gone, ministry loses its true character. There will be oppression towards those within, and evil
commerce with those without. "The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not
for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his
portion with the hypocrites:there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (vers. 50, 51). It
supposes that the servant still pursues the same course, and is found there when the Lord

comes_his heart thoroughly with the world. He began by saying in his heart, My Lord delayeth
His coming. This is far more than wrong thoughts about the coming of the Lord, which some
saints might hold without this Scripture applying to them. If there were, on the other hand,
persons professing to look for the Lord’s coming and acting as if they did not believe it, they are
much more like the servant saying in his heart, My Lord delayeth His coming. What the Lord
judges is not a mere mistake or doctrinal blunder; but it is the state of the heart_content that
Christ should stay away. If we are desiring something great and of esteem among men, how can
we say, "Come"? His coming would spoil all our schemes. We may talk about the Lord’s coming
and be learned about prophecy; but the Lord looks at the heart and not at the appearance. Let the
profession be ever so loud or high, He sees where souls cleave to the world and do not want Him.