The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 460

watchful (see Rev. Iii. 8). (4) "If the master of the house had known in wb&t watoh," eto. (var. 43). Li(e, like the night, is distributed into watches. A watch in Old Test.ament times was four hours; at this time it was three. The Christian's vigilance should be uaslumbering. 2. He that is "ready" eo welcome that retwrn. (1) "Therefore be ye &lso ready" (var. 44). Readiness is now substituted for watch- fulness. To be ready we must not only look for the coming of Christ, but so to look as to be prepared for it (see 2 Pet. iii. 11-14). (2) To be ready is to have such an 1ssured faith in Christ as a present Saviour that whensoever he may come in his Lord- ship he will be welcomed. (3) But the service of God is not limited to trust and worship; obedience is the complement of these. When the Master comes the servant must be found "doing." Doing the will of Christ is watching for him in readiness. (4) He must be found" ao doing." Note: There are activities in the Church which are mischievous. Ministers are in the Church rulers in the sense of being bishops or overseers to direct the work of Christ (see Heb. xiii. 17). They have also to "give" or dispense the bread of life (see Ezek. xwv. 8; Acts xx. 35). For this they must not substitute the "stone" of profitless doctrine or the "serpent" of poisonous error. The "bread" must be sound and wholesome. It m11St also be given in fitting "por- tion" and in "due season." Note: There are certain portions of the bread of life which lose their effect by being administered to improper persons and out of proper season. (5) He must be "f01J1nd so doing," viz. when the Master comes. This implies constancy and perseverance. "It is expected of the steward that he be found faithful," so faithful that he cannot be surprised (see 1 Cor. iv. 2; 1 Tim. i. 12; iv. 16; vi. 14; Heb. iii. 2; Rev. ii. 25). II. Wno, THEN, rs THE Evn. SERVANT? 1. Ee that has little faith in the speedy coming of Ohrist. (1) (Ver. 48.) This is one who is nominally a Christian, but really a hypocrite. The first manifestation of the hypocrite is the heart-reflection, " My Lord tarrieth.• The thought is in the heart; it is the offspring of desire. As when Jesus said to John, "Behold, I come qui,ckly," meaning certainly, so the hypocrite sayiag, " My Lord tarrieth," expresses secret disbelief that his Lord would come at all. (2) Christ knows what men say in their hearts. (3) The evil servant through his unbelief neglects to get ready. Note: Faith influences practice. (4) "But know this," etc. (ver. 43). This is .a description of what a man would do rather than of what he should do. He would indeed watch at the hour if he knew it, but not till then. The teaching here is a discouragement of death-bed repentances. It is against all procrasti- nation. Religion is not to be separated from the duties and enjoyments of co=on life. He leads a heavenly life who sanctifies his earthly deeds to heavenly ends. 2. He that governs with oppression. (1) "And shall begin to beat his fellow-servants." Here is the Ishmael in the family of Abraham. (2) Evil ministers strike their fellow- servants with the fist of office. They lord it over God's heritage. Fellow-service is forgotten. (3) Rich men tyrannize over their poorer brethren sometimes by shaking in their faces the golden fist. "Do not rich men oppress you?" Here also fellow-service is too often forgotten. ( 4) Could such things happen but for a disbelief in the speedy coming of the Lord? The dignity of the kiagdom of Christ is service. Christ was among his disciples as one that served. 3. He that leads an irregular life. (1) Ho does not love the company of the children of God. Their spiritual fellowship is dis- tasteful to him. (2) But he "eats and drinks with the drunken." Feasting together is the sign of fellowship. (3) The fellowship of wickedness tends to wickedness. He becomes "drunken." Perhaps not with wine. All wickedness is intoxication. (4) The evil miaister "feeds himself without fear." So does his evil lay fellow-servant. (6) Could these things take place but for a disbelief in the speedy coming of the Lord? When the Israelites concluded that Moses, through his long absence in the mount. might never return, they set about making to themselves gods. (6) The coming of the Lord in his mercy is Indeed delayed by the wickedness of his professed servants, but his coming to them In jndgment ls thereby hastened. III. How WILL THE LoRD DEAL WITH THESE SEBV ANTS? 1. The faithful he will promote to honour. (1) "Blessed is that servant." He is happy in the approbatio:i. of his Lord. The question," Who is that wise and faithful servant?" may, perhaps, be taken as though Jesus had saiu, "I should very much like to know him, so rare, so valued, are such in my sight." (2) Not only is he blessed in his present sense of the llAT'l'HEW-II, 2H "66 THE GOSPEL AOOORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [OB. :u.rv. 1--6L