Matthew 24:51

Matthew 24:51. And shall out him asunder. An ancient mode of punishment among the Israelites (1 Samuel 15:33; 2 Samuel 12:31). Extreme punishment is here meant, but the peculiar expression indicates something further, a fearful separating of the conscience and the conduct, so that the condemning power of the former is a constant scourge against the continued evil of the latter. This will be a terrible element of future retribution.

Appoint his portion with the hypocrites. Such a servant is not necessarily a mere hypocrite, but his conduct deserves and will receive the punishment allotted to hypocrites. Unfaithfulness, especially in the ministry, will suffer the worst punishment: the faithful servant was also ‘wise' (Matthew 24:45), the evil servant is most unwise.

Weeping and gnashing of teeth. comp. chaps. Matthew 13:42; Matthew 13:50 ; Matthew 25:30; Matthew 25:41; Matthew 25:46. The future punishment is of the same character for all, even though there be degrees of it. This picture of judgment on rulers of the Church comes first. The history of ecclesiastical despotism in every age, and on the smaller as well as the largest scale, abundantly shows how needful the warning has been.