Luke 12:43 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.

NIV: It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns.

NASB: Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.

CSB: Blessed is that servant whom the master finds doing his job when he comes.

NLT: If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward.

KJV: Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

NKJV: Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.

In the preceding parable Jesus demonstrated that His followers should act as servants who faithfully stay up so they can serve their master when he returns. In that story, the master is away at a wedding; Jewish weddings could last as long as a week. The servants do not know when the master will return, but they leave the lamps burning and dress themselves to serve so they will be ready. In the same way, Jesus' followers need to continue fulfilling their duties so they will be ready for His return (Luke 12:35–40).

Peter seems to chafe against the idea of being lumped into the same "servant" group as the crowd of thousands that surround them. Jesus explains that there are levels of servanthood and those placed over the house will be responsible for feeding the others (Luke 12:1, 41–42). These faithful servant-leaders will be blessed if they fulfill their duties well.

The blessings will come at the judgment seat of Christ, also called the "bema seat." After the rapture of the church, every God-follower will stand before Jesus where He will judge the good works accomplished on earth (2 Corinthians 5:10). Here, Jesus describes certain good works as feeding the servants and elsewhere as feeding the sheep (John 6:35; 21:15–19). Later, Paul describes them as building on the foundation that is Jesus (1 Corinthians 3:10–15). We don't know what those rewards will be, but Jesus promises they are the "treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys" (Luke 12:33).

Luke 12:41–48 records Peter asking if Jesus' exhortation to serve Him with integrity when He leaves applies to the whole jostling crowd (Luke 12:1) or just to Jesus' disciples. Jesus replies that the disciples will be held to even higher standards. They are the servants He places in authority over His followers—other servants. If the disciples abuse these other servants, they will be punished. Matthew 24:45–51 covers the same parable but probably at a different time.

Jesus teaches the disciples about proper priorities. This includes recognizing that God knows all things, even secrets. Believers should honor God more than they fear death, or than they worry about things like food and clothes. Christians are to remain ready for Christ's return, even as faith separates those who believe from those who do not. These ideas revolve around the central theme of verse 34: that a person's heart reflects what they value most.

Luke 12:1—13:9 compares the world with the kingdom of God. Jesus has condemned the hypocrisy of the Pharisees (Luke 11:14–54). He now instructs His disciples to reject the fame and security that Pharisees crave, and hold lightly to their lives, wealth, security, and even family. He then warns the crowd to be wise about their relationships with other people and with God. The next two units each include a miracle and teaching on God's kingdom and salvation (Luke 13:10—15:32). Then the final section in the "travelogue" repeats that three-unit pattern (Luke 16:1—19:27) before Jesus arrives in Jerusalem.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.