Matthew 24:45

And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. For the exposition of this wonderful Prophecy, which will be best apprehended by taking all the records of it together, see the notes at Mark 13:1....

45._Who is the faithful and wise servant? _This passage is more distinctly explained by Luke, who inserts _Peter’s _question, which gave rise to a new parable. Christ having declared that the suddenness and uncertainty of his coming led to such danger as left no room for sloth, _Peter _asked, if this doctrine was general, or if it belonged to the twelve alone. For the disciples—as we have formerly seen—were always in the habit of thinking that they were unjustly treated, unless they were exempted from the common lot, and greatly excelled all others. When our Lord now represents to them a condition which is far from being pleasant or desirable, they look around them on every hand, like persons astonished. But the object of Christ’s reply is, to show that, if each of the common people ought to watch, much less ought it to be endured that the apostles should be asleep. As Christ had formerl...

42-51 To watch for Christ's coming, is to maintain that temper of mind which we would be willing that our Lord should find us in. We know we have but a little time to live, we cannot know that we have a long time to live; much less do we know the time fixed for the judgment. Our Lord's coming will be happy to those that shall be found ready, but very dreadful to those that are not. If a man, professing to be the servant of Christ, be an unbeliever, covetous, ambitious, or a lover of pleasure, he will be cut off. Those who choose the world for their portion in this life, will have hell for their portion in the other life. May our Lord, when he cometh, pronounce us blessed, and present us to the Father, washed in his blood, purified by his Spirit, and fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light....

Verse 45. _WHO THEN IS A FAITHFUL AND WISE SERVANT_] All should live in the same expectation of the coming of Christ, which a servant has with respect to the return of his master, who, in departing for a season, left the management of his affairs to him; and of which management he is to give an exact account on his master's return. Here is an abstract of the duties of a minister of Christ. 1. He is appointed, not by himself, but by the vocation and mission of _his Master_. 2. He must look on himself, not as the _master_ of the family, but as the _servant_. 3. He must be scrupulously _faithful_ and exact in fulfilling the commands of his Master. 4. His _fidelity_ must be ever accompanied by _wisdom_ and _prudence_. 5. He must give the domestics - the sacred family, their food; and this food must be such as to afford them true nour

This passage is, in fact, “a parable,” though it is not expressly so called. The design is to show that his disciples should act as if they were each moment expecting his return. This he illustrates by the conduct of a servant who did not expect his master soon to return, who acted with great impropriety, and who was accordingly punished. Matthew 24:45 WHO, THEN, IS A FAITHFUL AND WISE SERVANT ... - By the conduct of a faithful and wise servant Jesus intends to denote a faithful Christian, a servant of God, or a teacher of religion. WHOM HIS LORD - His master. The word here has no reference to God. It means the “lord” or master of the servant. Applied to Christian teachers, in the spiritual meaning of the parable, it refers to “Christ,”

EXPOSITION MATTHEW 24:1 PROPHECY OF THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM, AND OF THE TIMES OF THE END. (Mark 13:1; Luke 21:5.) There is no reason to think, with Olshauson, that St. Matthew or his editor has considerably amplified the original discourse of our Lord by introducing details and expressions from other quarters. The discourse, as we now have it (Matthew 24:1. and 25.), forms a

WHO THEN IS A FAITHFUL AND WISE SERVANT,.... The Vulgate Latin adds, "do you think?" and is a question put to the disciples, which they might apply to themselves: in Luke 12:42, it is spoken in answer to a question of Peter's, in relation to the above exhortation, whether it was spoken to them, or to all; and by this answer, it looks as if it was more especially designed for them, though it may be applied to other. The "servant" is there called a "steward", for such a servant is meant; and a name that is very proper for the apostles and ministers of the word, who are stewards of the mysteries of Christ, and of the manifold grace of God; and whose characters are, that they are "faithful": for this is required in stewards, that they be faithful to the trust reposed in them; as ministers are, when they preach the pure Gospel of Christ, and the whole of it; conceal no part, nor keep anything...

Matthew 24:42. _Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come._ That he will come, is certain. That his coming may be at any moment, is equally sure; and, therefore, we ought to be always ready for his appearing. The Lord mate us to be so! Matthew 24:43. _But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh._ Perhaps you can imagine how eagerly the householder watches when he expects thieves. Every little sound alarms him. He thinks he hears someone at the door; then he fancies it is someone at the window; but he is on the aler

FAITHFUL See (Luke 12:42); (1 Corinthians 4:2). It is faithfulness, not ability, in the Lord's service that is first approved by Him....

12. THE OLIVET DISCOURSE; THE KING REVEALS THE FUTURE OF THE KINGDOM. Chapter s 24-25. CHAPTER 24 1. The Destruction of the Temple Foretold. (Matthew 24:1 .) 2. The Questions of the Disciples. (Matthew 24:3 .) 3. The End of the Age; Events Preceding His Coming.(Matthew 24:4 .) 4. The Great Tribulation and what will Happen. (Matthew 24:15 .) 5. The Visible and Glorious Return of the King.(Matthew 24:27 .) 6. The Exhortations of the King. ...