Lk 12:39-48
[Jesus said to his disciples,] 39“Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”
41Then Peter said, “Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?” 42And the Lord replied, “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute [the] food allowance at the proper time? 43Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so. 44Truly, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. 45But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk, 46then that servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful. 47That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely; 48and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”
FAITHFUL AND PRUDENT SERVANT: The imagery of the master who goes on a journey and returns is presented in view of the imagery of the steward who is entrusted with authority. The steward is the servant who has been promoted because of his trustworthiness. He is appointed to manage the resources of the community in the absence of his master. A reward awaits the steward if he proves himself faithful to his task: he will be appointed to assume greater responsibilities upon his master’s return. But if the servant abuses his authority and behaves like a gluttonous and drunken fool, he will be punished severely.
Jesus commands Christian community officials to be like faithful and prudent stewards during his “absence,” before his glorious return. Leaders, when they are not vigilant, are prone to abuse their authority and bend other people’s will instead of sacrificing themselves for the flock. In the New Testament, Christian leaders like Peter and Paul strive to imitate the Lord’s pastoral care and give exhortations and warnings to leaders, overseers, and elders on how to guide the people, the flock entrusted to them by the Lord.