Stay awake: Chapters 24 and 25 of Matthew’s Gospel form the fifth sermon of Jesus, known as the eschatological discourse. Jesus exhorts the reader to vigilance. Matthew compares the coming of the Son of Man to that of a thief, who gives no warning of his sudden appearance. The members of Matthew’s church are to be prepared for the coming of the Son of Man at any time.
This type of vigilance does not imply a cessation of ordinary activities and a focus on the future. It involves daily attentiveness both to the ordinary and to an awareness of the end. Matthew understands the end as not being near but not being that far distant either. Followers of Jesus live in the in-between time; they take care of the ordinary, but they also look to the future with hope.
In order to reemphasize this point, Matthew employs the parable of the faithful and the unfaithful servant. The parable is addressed to the leaders in Matthew’s community who, even though they are leaders, are also fellow servants.
The master, Jesus, has put servants, leaders, in charge of his household until he returns. The faithful and prudent servant-leader is the one who is found doing his job when the master returns. According to Matthew, authentic leaders in the community are those who are at once vigilant, prudent, and dependable.