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« Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their food at the proper time? Happy is that slave if his master on arriving finds him doing so. Truly I say to you, He will appoint him over all his belongings »
(Matthew 24:45-47)
The purpose of this study is to see the different ways of understanding of this enigmatic question of Christ. It is not a question of giving a definitive answer to this question, because in the direct context of this quotation, we understand that it will not be given permanently, only during the « coming » of King Jesus Christ to judge humankind, mentioned in Matthew 25:31, shortly before the great tribulation. To better understand this question and to find specific elements of answers, in the direct context of this prophecy of Christ, regarding the last days, it is advisable to examine his chronological description. It is important to understand that the fragmentation in two chapters (24 and 25) of this prophecy, does not exist in the original Greek text, so they constitute the whole of the response of the question of Matthew 24:3: « Tell us, When will these things be, and what will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things? ».
The first part begins from verse 4 and ends at verse 22. The peculiarity of this part is that it is geographically centered on Jerusalem and the imminence of its destruction. The other peculiarity is that it is fulfilled in two stages. Matthew 24:23-28 is an important transition with the second part. Jesus Christ said that his first presence on earth would only be understood by humans with an insight comparable to the visual acuity of eagles (the chosen ones) (acuity three times greater than that of humans). Matthew 24:29 is truly a break in the description of the last days: « Jesus Christ said that his first presence on earth would only be understood by humans with an insight comparable to the visual acuity of eagles (the chosen ones) (acuity three times greater than that of humans) ». This period of human dramatic history is just before the arrival of King Jesus Christ, to judge all of humanity, and particularly the administrators of all Christian congregations.
By the expression « Christian congregations », we must understand all the religions which assume their Christian identity and which will be judged on the basis of a simple criterion: will they have made the will of God (Matthew 7:21-23)? On the basis of Acts 11:26, where it is written that it is by divine providence that the members of the Christian Congregation, are called « Christians », therefore the other additional religious names will have no value in the day of the judgment. Also, in one of his last prayers, shortly before his death, Jesus Christ prayed for the unity of the Christian congregation (read John 17). On this basis, on the day of their judgment, how will he consider the different Christian religious denominations?
This second part is in Matthieu 24:29 to Matthew 25:46. The study of this part is to understand, when this faithful and discreet slave is appointed by the Master, and also to understand when he will be rewarded by him, by appointing him over all his belongings.
This very short period is described by Jesus Christ in a repetitive way, however from different ways and situations. Matthew 24:29-31, describes surrealist historical events, which would be just before the judgment of humanity. Verse 30 « They will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory », is obviously repeated in Matthew 25:31 « When the Son of man arrives in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit down on his glorious throne ». The judgment of humanity is described in the verse (24:31), in this case (a favorable judgment) by a harvest made by the angels, of the chosen ones who will have everlasting life.
Verses 32-35, by the illustration of the fig tree, Jesus Christ explains that during this short period which would very little precede the great tribulation, the attentive observer would understand that the end is very close. To properly prove, depending on the general context of Matthew 24 and 25, that this part is very different from the previous one (Matthew 24:4-22), please compare Matthew 24:32-35 with Matthieu 24:6: « You are going to hear of wars and reports of wars; see that you are not terrified. For these things must take place, but the end is not yet » (in the first part of Matthew 24:4-22). It is also, in this second descriptive part where there is this famous enigmatic sentence regarding the generation that would not pass before the end: « Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur » (Verse 34). Jesus Christ says that when the observers would see these events (From Matthew 24:29), they could consider that the time that remains would be so short, that the generation that would witness them, would not pass before the end.
It is in this part of the description, when Jesus Christ asks this enigmatic question regarding the faithful and discreet slave: « Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their food at the proper time? Happy is that slave if his master on arriving finds him doing so. Truly I say to you, He will appoint him over all his belongings » (Matthew 24: 45-47).
This question is in the context of the second part of Christ description, regarding the last days (Matthew 24:29 at 25:46), which will especially focus on the way of King Jesus Christ to settle his accounts with the administrators of the Christian congregations (Compare with the reading of Apocalypse Chapters 2 and 3 on the seven congregations. This attentive reading will allow to better understand of how this future worldwide judgment of all Christian congregations could happen). With the study of the passage of Matthew 24:45 to Matthew 25:46, we can better understand who could be the faithful and discreet slave (or slaves). All the contextual information above make it possible to understand the moment of the presence of this slave, the moment when he will render an account of his work to King Jesus Christ and the moment of his reward.
Jesus Christ talks about only one slave, that is to say, that it can be only one man? Maybe, particularly if this faithful and discreet slave is the Messenger of Jehovah God who is just before His Day, mentioned in the prophecy of Malachi: « Look! I am sending my messenger, and he must clear up a way before me. And suddenly there will come to His temple the true Lord, whom you people are seeking, and the messenger of the covenant in whom you are delighting. Look! He will certainly come,” Jehovah of armies has said » (Malachi 3:1). This messenger was John, the Baptist, at the time of the first presence of Christ on earth (Matthew 11:14). Since the context of the prophecy of Malachi is part of the proximity of the great tribulation, the presence of this messenger of Jehovah should have a second fulfillment, in our days (Malachi 4:5). Just as John the Baptist has been recognized by very few people, it is very likely that this messenger will suffer the same situation: « However, I say to you that Elijah has already come and they did not recognize him but did with him the things they wanted » (Matthew 17:12). According to the Gospels, it does not belong to the person (or a group of Christians) to proclaim himself to be « faithful and discreet », before the favorable judgment of King Jesus Christ (Matthew 24:47).
In the other hand, the faithful and discreet slave can be, at the same time, a group of good administrators of the Christian congregation, this is then, confirmed by the words of Christ, concerning, this time, the evil slave: « But if ever that evil slave should say in his heart, ‘My master is delaying,’ and should start to beat his fellow slaves and should eat and drink with the confirmed drunkards, the master of that slave will come on a day that he does not expect and in an hour that he does not know, and will punish him with the greatest severity and will assign him his part with the hypocrites. There is where his weeping and the gnashing of his teeth will be » (Matthew 24:48-51). It is interesting to note that Jesus Christ, describes this evil slave as only one man, beating his fellow slaves (in the plural). Which would suggest that the faithful and discreet slave, beaten by the evil slave, can constitute a group of good administrators of the Christian congregation, working as fellow slaves. The evil slave could constitute a group of Christians having lost their faith, behaving badly towards their brothers in faith (Isaiah 66:5). This understanding is reinforced by the three illustrations of Christ in the continuation of the narrative of Matthew 25.
Let us see first, which represent the domestics. The faithful and discreet slave is obviously an administrator of the Christian congregation, under the orders of King Jesus Christ (Revelation 1-3 (the seven stars in the right hand of Christ)). The domestics represent the disciples of Christ (men, women and children) in each respective congregation.
In the three illustrations that will follow, we could consider that Christ illustrates the insight of the faithful and discreet slave, by the five discreet virgins, the two good administrators of the talents and the sheep who have helped the brothers of Christ.
« Then the Kingdom of the heavens may be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were discreet. For the foolish took their lamps but took no oil with them, whereas the discreet took oil in their flasks along with their lamps. While the bridegroom was delaying, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. Right in the middle of the night there was a shout: ‘Here is the bridegroom! Go out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins got up and put their lamps in order. The foolish said to the discreet, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are about to go out.’ The discreet answered, saying: ‘Perhaps there may not be enough for both us and you. Go instead to those who sell it, and buy some for yourselves.’ While they were going off to buy it, the bridegroom came. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.Afterward, the rest of the virgins also came, saying, ‘Sir, Sir, open to us!’ In answer he said, ‘I tell you the truth, I do not know you » (Matthew 25:1-12).
Matthew 25:1-12, is the illustration of the ten virgins, five foolish, five discreet. These virgins are promised in marriage with Christ. They represent the heavenly congregation of the remnant of the 144,000, which will be 7,000, just before the great tribulation, to join Christ in the heaven (Apocalypse 11:11-13). Without necessarily saying that the whole of the group of the 7,000 Christian disciples (men and women) represents the faithful and discreet slave, however, their spiritual vigilance illustrates that of this faithful and discreet slave. It is very likely, that among these 7,000 disciples called to live with Christ, there are currently excellent administrators of the Christian congregation, excellent faithful and discreet slaves.
« For it is just like a man about to travel abroad who summoned his slaves and entrusted his belongings to them. He gave five talents to one, two to another, and one to still another, to each according to his own ability, and he went abroad. Immediately the one who received the five talents went and did business with them and gained five more. Likewise, the one who received the two gained two more. But the slave who received just one went off and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money.
“After a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. So the one who had received the five talents came forward and brought five additional talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me; see, I gained five talents more.’ His master said to him: ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things. I will appoint you over many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’ Next the one who had received the two talents came forward and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me; see, I gained two talents more.’ His master said to him: ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things. I will appoint you over many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’
“Finally the slave who had received the one talent came forward and said: ‘Master, I knew you to be a demanding man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you did not winnow. So I grew afraid and went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ In reply his master said to him: ‘Wicked and sluggish slave, you knew, did you, that I reaped where I did not sow and gathered where I did not winnow? Well, then, you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my coming I would have received it back with interest.
“‘Therefore, take the talent away from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. And throw the good-for-nothing slave out into the darkness outside. There is where his weeping and the gnashing of his teeth will be.’ » (Matthew 25:14-30).
Matthieu 25:14-30, is the illustration of the three talent administrators (1 talent of silver (or gold) is about twenty kilos). Two have done their job correctly, making business, they have been faithful and discreet slaves (Matthew 25:19-23). The third did not do his job. He behaved as a bad slave (Matthew 25:24-30).
« When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit down on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will put the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left.
“Then the King will say to those on his right: ‘Come, you who have been blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the founding of the world. For I became hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you received me hospitably; naked and you clothed me. I fell sick and you looked after me. I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous ones will answer him with the words: ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and receive you hospitably, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ In reply the King will say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
“Then he will say to those on his left: ‘Go away from me, you who have been cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels. For I became hungry, but you gave me nothing to eat; and I was thirsty, but you gave me nothing to drink. I was a stranger, but you did not receive me hospitably; naked, but you did not clothe me; sick and in prison, but you did not look after me.’ Then they too will answer with the words: ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying: ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of these least ones, you did not do it to me.’ These will depart into everlasting cutting-off, but the righteous ones into everlasting life » (Matthew 25:31-46).
Finally, Matthew 25:31-46, is the illustration of sheep and goats. The sheep represent people, or Christians who have helped the brothers of Christ, while the goats are those who have not helped the brothers of Christ. The expression « brothers » of Christ can be understood in two ways. The brothers of Christ can represent those who are part of the wise virgins who will join Christ in the heavens, shortly before the great tribulation. They are called the holy ones or chosen ones (heavenly): « For God is not unrighteous so as to forget your work and the love you showed for his name, in that you have ministered to the holy ones and continue ministering » (Hebrews 6:10). The second complementary way to understand this expression is that the brothers of Christ represent the faithful disciples of Christ. Here, what he said to a certain circumstance: « As an answer he said to the one telling him: “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And extending his hand toward his disciples, he said: “Look! My mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.” » (Matthew 12:48-50).
Moreover, in the illustration, we can understand that the actions which will be rewarded by Jesus Christ, actions of assistance to the person, to feed, to give drink, dress, to manifest hospitality, to take care of the sick, to visit prisoners due to persecution. This illustrates in detail the characteristics of the real disciples: « By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves » (John 13:35). So obviously, all the sheep does not represent the faithful and discreet slave. It is obvious that among them, there are excellent administrators who care about both spiritual welfares, but also, if necessary, to help those who need it, in physical necessity, like faithful and discreet slaves.
Was the faithful and discreet slave,
identified and rewarded by King Jesus Christ,
in 1914 or shortly after this date (1918 or 1919)?
The question arises for several reasons. The first reason is biblical. Indeed, in Matthew 25:31, it is written: « When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit down on his glorious throne ». However, according to the biblical chronological calculations (made by Christians, students of the Bible, during the end of the 19th century), based on the prophecy of Daniel (see the page « Prophecy of Daniel », of the present site), the Kingship of Jesus Christ began in 1914. In Matthew 25:19, it is written about the return of the master to settle accounts with the administrators of the talents, also seems to be referring to this same passage, of Matthew 25:31. However, this last text, mentioned, according to the context, does not refer to the beginning of the Kingship, of Jesus Christ (Apocalypse 11:15), but rather to his function of king who will judge the whole of humanity.
The second reason to ask this question is that some Christians think that Matthew 25:19, the return of the master to settle accounts with the administrators of the Christian congregations, occurred in 1914. After a period of judgment, he would have found a group of Christians, as fulfilling the criteria of loyalty and wisdom, of the faithful and discreet slave. After that, he would have established this same group of Christians on all his belongings, that is to say, the worldwide Christian Congregation (Matthew 24:45-47). The important question is not so much to focus on this interpretation itself, but rather on the expressions used by Christ to know when the slave would be rewarded, and what would represent the whole of the belongings of the master.
At the beginning of this study, regarding the question of the identity of the faithful and discreet slave, it was insisted on the context which surrounds this question: in what stage of the description of Christ, he asked this question (namely In the first part (Matthew 24:4-22), that is to say towards the period beginning 1914, or the second part (Matthew 24:29 at 25:46), that is to say the short the period just before the great tribulation). Obviously, this question is in the second part of his description (Matthew 24:29 at 25:46 (24: 45-47)). How does it help us to understand when the slave would be formally identified by King Jesus Christ and he would be rewarded? If Jesus Christ had asked such a question in the conclusion of his first part, also before Matthew’s famous transition (24:23-28), then it would have been actually logical to think that the faithful and discreet slave, would have been identified and rewarded by King Jesus Christ shortly after 1914, and that he would have established him over all his congregation, as all of his belongings. However, according to the context, this is not the case: this identification of the good slave would be during the judgment just before the great tribulation (Matthew 24:45 to 25:46).
On the other hand, the question arises of what represents all the belongings of the master, on which the faithful and discreet slave would be established: is it only the Christian congregation, or all of the nations? It is Jesus Christ himself who answers this question: « All the nations will be gathered before him » (Matthew 25:32). The current King Jesus Christ owns the set of nations, both the living and the dead (which will be resurrected later). This is confirmed by Psalms 2 and 110: « Ask of me, and I will give nations as your inheritance And the ends of the earth as your possession » (Psalms 2:8). Particularly, since 1914, King Jesus Christ has owned the nations (even hostiles (see Psalms 2)). It is logical to think that he was not going to establish the faithful and discreet slave over all his belongings, shortly after 1914, in the context of the current hostility of the nations, mentioned in Psalms 2 and 110.
When the faithful and discreet slave
will be rewarded by the master?
According to the illustrations of the five wise virgins, the talents and sheep and goats, it will be rewarded shortly before the great tribulation, when King Jesus Christ will note the good work of the faithful and discreet slave. In what sense, the faithful and discreet slave will be established over all his belongings? The master’s belongings represent the whole of humanity which will live in the earthly paradise, both the living and the dead ones which will be resurrected (Matthew 19:28 « The twelve tribes of Israel »). Those who will be established over all the belongings of the master are, the 144000 (Apocalypse 14:1-5). Those who will be established over all the belongings of the master are the earthly princes (Isaiah 32:1,2). Those who will be established over all the belongings of the master are the earthly priests, the sons of Zadok (Ezekiel 43:19).
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