Blessed is that servant ,.... Who is faithful and wise, rules well, and discharges his trust with integrity, and disposes of the provisions of the house, in his hands, with great discretion and prudence: whom his Lord, when he cometh ; to take vengeance on the wicked Jews, or by death, or at judgment: shall find so doing ; behaving as a good ruler, and as a wise and faithful steward. read more
Of a truth I say unto you ,.... This, with Christ, was a strong way of asserting the truth of any thing; and the sense is, you may assure yourselves of it, this will certainly be the happy case of such servant: that he will make him ruler over all that he hath ; as Joseph was made by Pharaoh. Such an one shall reign with Christ on earth a thousand years, and then in heaven with him to all eternity, where he shall enjoy all things; See Gill on Matthew 24:47 read more
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... read more
Let your loins - Be active, diligent, determined ready; let all hinderances be removed out of the way; and let the candle of the Lord be always found burning brightly in your hand. See on Luke 12:37 ; (note). read more
That wait for their lord - See the notes on Matthew 25:1 ; (note), etc. The wedding - How the Jewish weddings were celebrated, see in the notes on Matthew 8:12 ; (note); Matthew 22:11 ; (note). read more
He shall gird himself - Alluding to the long garments which were worn in the eastern countries; and which, in travelling and serving, were tucked up in their belts. That those among the Romans who waited on the company at table were girded, and had their clothes tucked up, appears from what Horace says, Sat. b. vi. l. 107: Veluti Succinctus cursitat Hospes , He runs about like a girded waiter. The host himself often performed this office. And ibid. viii. 10: Puer alle cinctus : and that... read more
If he shall come in the second watch - See the note on Matthew 14:25 . read more
Be ye therefore ready also - It is pretty evident that what is related here, from Luke 12:35 ; to Luke 12:49 , was spoken by our Lord at another time. See Matthew 24:42 ; (note), etc., and the notes there. read more
Faithful and wise steward - See on Matthew 24:45 ; (note); where the several parts of the steward's office are mentioned and explained. Those appear to have been stewards among the Jews, whose business it was to provide all the members of a family, not only with food, but with raiment. read more
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John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Luke 12:42
And the Lord said, who then is that faithful and wise steward ,.... Christ does not directly, and in express words, answer to Peter's question, but suggests, that though he intended it as a caution to all his people, and in it spoke to them all to be upon their watch and guard, Mark 13:37 yet that he had a special regard to them, his apostles, and succeeding ministers of the Gospel, whose characters, office, work, dignity, and honour, are here described. Such are stewards in Christ's... read more