What does Matthew 24:51 mean?
Jesus concludes this parable by describing what the abruptly returning master will do to the wicked servant who betrayed his trust and abused his household. Having been away some time, the master will return and find that the servant has been beating the other servants instead of caring for them and has been carousing with local troublemakers (Matthew 24:48–50).The consequences for that servant will be severe: the master will cut him to pieces. This seems like a graphic choice, which is very much the point of Jesus' parable. This is possibly the harshest punishment any master could execute on a slave under his control. Jesus describes no second chances or demotions at this point, only painful retribution and horror (Mark 9:47–48).
The parable ends with Jesus blending the story with the reality it is meant to represent. The Master—God—will both cut the abusive servant into pieces and put him with the hypocrites in a place of misery and suffering. This uses the common description for the place of eternal torment, also referred to as hell.
The disciples would have clearly understood who Jesus meant when He mentioned hypocrites. This English term comes from the Greek word hypocrites, literally referring to "an actor." On stage, these are people who pretend to be what they are not. In life, they are those whose words and public actions cover their inner, private spiritual bankruptcy. In blistering terms, Jesus called the scribes and Pharisees hypocrites repeatedly and directly (Matthew 23:13, 15, 23, 25, 27, 29).
The servant of this parable has revealed that his faith was not in that master, at all. His actions prove as much (John 14:15). He represents all those who claim to belong to Jesus but in truth serve themselves (Matthew 7:21–23). Their faith in Christ is play-acting "hypocrisy" at best, and they will be sent away from Christ into torment at the time of judgment.
