“Who then, is a faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing.” (Matt 24:45,46)

We understand these words to have been spoken to the disciples originally, but were for the instruction of the church throughout the Gospel age, but especially at its close.

As some of the times and events spoken of by our Lord have come and gone, and as Christians have marked these passing events with careful anxiety, because they gave corresponding indication of the ending of trial and trouble to the children of God, many of them, for some reason, seem to have come to think that the exact knowledge of the time of our Lord’s coming was the most essential thing to attend to.

Far be it from us, in this connection to throw cold water upon the expectations of any who are watching for the revelation of the world’s coming King; and far be it from us to join in the cry of objection so often urged: “O, we don’t know anything about it; Jesus said, ‘no man knows the day nor the hour;’ I don’t think we ought to pry into such things,” etc. But, while we would do neither of these, let us carefully consider the words of our Savior in the text quoted. In the preceding verse he says,

“In such an hour as you think not the Son of man cometh.”

Notice he is not speaking to the world now, but to the disciples, and doubtless to all those who should afterward “believe on him through their word.” As much as to say, I have now answered your questions regarding these important events; you and the succeeding members of the body of Christ, the little flock, can mark by the fulfillment of these signs at different points in this good-news age, something near the time of my coming and presence. (They had been asking when there should not be “one stone left upon another” of these magnificent buildings, and what should be the sign of his presence, and of the end of the age.) See verses 2 and 3.

Though they were not to be overtaken as a thief (the world would be), nor to be in darkness regarding it (1 Thess 5:4), yet they were not to know of the hour, i.e., the exact time of his coming, yet if they were to watch closely they would not mistake the signs of his presence, (after the fact, after it had taken place) viz., that it would be with the world as it was in the days of Noah, careless and thoughtless, the whole attention given to fleshly desires, not understanding nor caring for the spiritual; (Verses 37-39), and saying “where is the promise of his coming.” 2 Pet 3:4. But a very striking sign of his presence would be that the evil servant (a certain class of professed followers of the Lord) would be smiting his fellow servants (ridiculing, scoffing at those who profess his presence), and saying,

“My Lord delays his coming” (his presence), saying, “It’s still a long way off.”

THE nominal church is now doing this, and it is cause for regret that it is not confined to it. But, while he charged them to watch that they might not be like Jerusalem, ignorant of the time of their visitation, and as a consequence unprepared, he follows it up with a question which embodies an exhortation to a still more important duty, which, while being done, should not leave the other undone, viz., “Who is a wise and faithful servant” …giving “meat in due season” to the household?

What household?

THE household of faith. Then it is spiritual things he is speaking of, similar to those spoken of in John 6:53-63.

“Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoso eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.  He that eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so, he that eats me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eats of this bread shall live forever. These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? What and if you shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? It is the spirit that quickens; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”

Please read those words, “they are spirit and they are life.” Take them in at the expense of being called a spiritualist.

If it is spiritual things that are spoken of, what must be the nature of the meat given to the household of faith by the faithful and wise servant?

Jesus says “My flesh is meat indeed.” But the words which he is speaking are spirit. Then he does not mean that his physical body is the thing spoken of; no, for “the flesh profits nothing” (O, that we could keep this in mind when studying the nature of Christ’s coming, and his dealings with the household of faith), and yet just before – the 53 verse he says, “Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood you have no life in you.” Then the faithful and wise servant will be feeding the household of faith with the body and blood of Christ.

Then, as this is a figure, it must be that somehow, we take in, and take on, the nature, the character, and the life of Christ; if we “eat his flesh,” is it not a strong mode of saying that we assimilate the essential principles that made up the Christ, and thus become like him?

In our next post let us consider, then, the apostle and high priest of our profession, Christ Jesus, that we may find what those principles are.