Between the Lord and Me (Luke 12:35-48)

Jesus not only called you His disciple, but also entrusted us as stewards. The steward cannot avoid the time of settlement (the end) with Jesus, the owner. A faithful steward understands that he is bound to Jesus by a relationship of faithfulness. After the time of settlement, in the kingdom of God, Jesus will forever serve as the perfect steward.

This passage is one of the Bible readings for the last Sunday of the Church year. It consists of two main parts, each of which can be further divided. The first part (verses 35-40) is one part, and the second part (verses 41-48) is the other. The first part explains the central theme of the passage, while the second part emphasizes the content of the first part.

The Time of the Master's Return

The theme of the first part's first section (verses 35-38) is time. The main idea is that the master will return, even if it takes a long time. Therefore, the servant must be faithful in his work, always keeping in mind that the master will return at an unknown time (verses 39-40). This emphasizes that the master will return, and the end will come. The passage states that the master will come suddenly, like a thief.

Reading this passage on the last Sunday of the Church year has significant meaning for us as disciples and servants of Jesus. Living on this earth means that we have a mission to fulfill as servants of the Lord. The Master's return signifies His accounting of our work. Like the master's sudden return, we cannot avoid the judgment day with the Lord. We know that we will leave this earth, but we do not know when. Jesus says that the Son of Man will also come suddenly, like the master in this passage. Therefore, we must always be ready, with our belts fastened and our lamps lit.

Sometimes we misunderstand time, thinking that everything ends when we die. But the time given to us is not easy or casual. Our life ending does not mean time ends too. We not only do not know our last moment, but also the time of reckoning will be waiting for us when that moment comes. Every moment could be our last moment, so we must always live in a time of repentance, preparing for the reckoning. Let us not take lightly the words of Jesus who asks us to repent, saying that he will come like a thief.

The Steward

The theme of the second part of the passage (verses 41-48) is the importance of the steward fulfilling his duties properly (verses 41-46), and verses 47 and 48 emphasize the steward's responsibility. Jesus says that even if the steward works but does not understand the master's will, he is still at fault, but if he knows the master's will and acts according to his own will, he will face a greater punishment.

The steward is essentially a servant, even though he may have subordinates. However, there is a reason why Jesus suddenly changes the topic from the master and servant analogy to the steward. When Peter asks Jesus, "Lord, did you tell this parable to us or to everyone?" (verse 41) Jesus changes the topic to the steward. Jesus says, "Yes, you. Are you my disciple? If so, then you are the steward. You will know my will as the steward, and if you do not act according to my will, you will be held responsible. So, fulfill your duties as a steward properly."

The steward should not treat his subordinates harshly. Above all, the steward should distribute food properly. The steward should not misuse the authority and power given by the master to execute his own desires and hit subordinates. The reason the steward cannot fulfill his duty is because he forgets his own status. The passage suggests that if the steward misuses his slightly higher status, authority, and power compared to other servants to hit subordinates or eat and drink alone, he will face severe punishment.

Faithfulness

We should think more deeply about why the paper in the text could not fulfill its duty. Why did it forget its purpose? The relationship between the master and the servant should be based on "faithfulness" (verse 46b), but something else pushed it aside and interfered. The master must be faithful to the servant, and likewise, the servant must be faithful to the master. "Faithfulness" refers to "trust." The master and servant must form a relationship of trust with each other. The act of a gatekeeper exercising bad power by hitting a lower-ranked person is forgetting their own position and betraying the trust that has been established between them and the master, as well as between them and other servants.

However, the text introduces an innovative statement that is beyond imagination.

"Truly I tell you, the master will dress himself for service and have them recline at the table, and he will come and serve them." (verse 37)

If being less than the master is the norm on this earth, then in the Kingdom of God, the formula is for the faithful servant, who has fulfilled their duty, to serve as a servant to the master. After the final judgment of life, the time for the faithful servant to receive their reward from the master in the Kingdom of God is eternal. We must reconsider time. The time of reckoning and the time after are still time. We cannot express the temporal value of the Kingdom of God in any other words but "eternal."

Let's not try to replace the 'faithfulness' between us and the Lord with money, power, or anything else. In fact, we often become weaker when faced with money or power. It seems that our very existence is sensitive to money. Repentance is promising that from now on, we will only have 'faithfulness' between us and the Lord, regardless of how we have lived until now. If we endure all the temptations on this earth, the Lord, who knows our weakness best, will hold us up when we try to fall.