Luke 12:45
But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The servant’s sin isn’t just his actions, but a subtle internal shift: he says to himself, "My master is delayed." This private thought is the seed from which his abuse and gluttony grow, revealing that our inner assumptions about God's timing can have devastating outward consequences.
Jesus is teaching about the importance of being ready for his return, contrasting the wise steward with the foolish one. This particular parable describes an evil servant who, believing his master won't return soon, abandons his duties and abuses those under him. The verses immediately following will reveal the severe consequences for such reckless behavior.
Ever felt like God's promises are taking way too long? This servant thought so too, and it led him down a dark path.
Jesus is painting a picture of what happens when someone wrongly assumes their Lord's return is indefinitely postponed.
The Master's Absence is Not Our License
The servant's internal thought, 'My master is delayed in coming,' isn't just an observation; it's the fuel for his destructive behavior. He uses the perceived delay as an excuse to abandon responsibility and indulge in sin.
This highlights a crucial spiritual principle: the waiting period for Christ's return is not a sign of His indifference or forgetfulness. It's a period of testing, of faithfulness, and of continued service. Believing the Master is 'delayed' can lead us to believe we can act without consequence, living as if we are our own masters.
When this servant decided the Master was delayed, he didn't just slack off – he became a terror to others.
The servant's descent into abuse and gluttony is a stark consequence of his misplaced belief about the Master's delay.
The Corruption of Power
Instead of exercising the authority given him with wisdom and care, the servant turns to violence ('beat the male and female servants') and self-indulgence ('eat and drink and get drunk'). He throws off the mantle of stewardship and usurps the role of a cruel master.
This demonstrates how a perverted view of divine delay leads to a corruption of character and a mistreatment of those under one's care. Those who should be cared for become victims of the servant's unchecked desires and bitterness.
This passage directly parallels the parable, describing the wicked servant who, believing his master is delayed, begins to mistreat others and indulge in sinful practices.
Matthew 24:49This verse continues the description of the wicked servant's actions, highlighting the consequence of his false assumption about his master's return and his resulting indulgence.
Luke 12:47This verse immediately follows, detailing the severe judgment that will fall upon the servant who wrongly assumes his master's delay and acts wickedly.
2 Peter 3:4This passage addresses scoffers who mockingly question the promised return of Christ, echoing the wicked servant's mindset that the Lord is delaying His coming.
Ecclesiastes 8:11This verse speaks to the nature of evil and the delay of judgment, which often leads people to think that wrongdoing will go unpunished, similar to the servant's reasoning.
vincentLuke 12:45: "But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;"
DelayethThe emphatic word, since the thought of the lord's delay and of the postponement of the reckoning is uppermost in the servant's thought.
jfbLuke 12:45: "But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;"
- begin to beat, &c.—In the confidence that his Lord's return will not be speedy, he throws off the role of servant and plays the master, maltreating those faithful servants who refuse to join him, seizing on and revelling in the fulness of his master's board; intending, when he has got his fill, to resume the mask o…
The servant’s sin isn’t just his actions, but a subtle internal shift: he says to himself, "My master is delayed." This private thought is the seed from which his abuse and gluttony grow, revealing that our inner assumptions about God's timing can have devastating outward consequences.
Jesus is teaching about the importance of being ready for his return, contrasting the wise steward with the foolish one. This particular parable describes an evil servant who, believing his master won't return soon, abandons his duties and abuses those under him. The verses immediately following will reveal the severe consequences for such reckless behavior.
Jesus is teaching about the importance of being ready for his return, contrasting the wise steward with the foolish one. This particular parable describes an evil servant who, believing his master won't return soon, abandons his duties and abuses those under him. The verses immediately following will reveal the severe consequences for such reckless behavior.
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"But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk," — The servant’s sin isn’t just his actions, but a subtle internal shift: he says to himself, "My master is delayed." This private thought is the seed from which his abuse and gluttony grow, revealing…
