Matthew 24:45: "“Who then is the faithful and wise slave whom (his) lord put-in-charge over his household (that he might) give them (their) food at (the) proper-time?"
Matthew 24:46: "Blessed (is) that slave whom his lord, having-come, will-find so doing."
Matthew 24:47: "Truly I-say (to) you that he-will-set him over all his possessions."
Matthew 24:48: "But if that bad slave says in his heart, ‘My lord is-delaying’,"
Matthew 24:49: "and begins to-strike his fellow-slaves, and is-eating and drinking with the (ones) being-drunk —"
Matthew 24:50: "the lord (of) that slave will-come on (a) day which he-does not expect, and at (an) hour which he-does not know."
Matthew 24:51: "And he-will-cut him in-two, and assign (him) his part with the hypocrites. In-that-place, there-will-be the weeping and the grinding (of) teeth."
1st century audience?
A similar account to Matthew 24:45-51 can be found in Luke 12:42-46. 1 verse earlier, in Luke 12:41, it is written that "Peter said, “Lord, are-You-speaking this parable TO US, or also to everyone?", to which Jesus answered with the parable, implying that this was also applying to them, His 1st century disciples as in Luke 12:42-46 "the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful, wise steward whom his lord will-put-in-charge over his body-of-servants, that he-might-be-giving them their food-allowance at the proper-time? Blessed (is) that slave whom his lord, having-come, will-find so doing. Truly I-say (to) you that he-will-put him in-charge over all his possessions. But if that slave says in his heart, ‘My lord is-delaying to-come’, and he-begins to-strike the male-servants and the female-servants, and to-eat and drink and get-drunk — the lord (of) that slave will-come on (a) day which he-does not expect, and at (an) hour which he-does not know. And he-will-cut him in-two, and assign (him) his part with the unbelievers".
Note how Peter addressed Jesus as "Lord" (Luke 12:42), and Jesus answered Him that the wise steward had "his lord" (Luke 12:43) that would put him in charge over his body of servants.
Jesus may have implied later to Peter that he was to be be put over his body of servants to feed them when "Jesus says (to) Simon Peter, “Simon, (son of) John, do-you-(devotedly)-love Me more (than) these?” He-says (to) Him, “Yes, Lord. You know that I-(affectionately)-love You”. He-says (to) him, “Be-feeding My lambs”." (John 21:15).
1st century audience consistent with 1 Corinthians 4?
A similar account to Matthew 24:45-51 can be found in Luke 12:42-46. Paul seemed to have applied the saying found in these accounts to Himself and other apostles in the 1st century, possibly also including "Peter" (Luke 12:41) who asked the question to Jesus before the account found in Luke 12:42-26: "“Lord, are-You-speaking this parable TO US, or also to everyone?" (Luke 12:41).
Peter who could also be named "Cephas” (which is-translated “Peter”)" (John 1:42). Paul wrote in the 1st century that "whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas" (1 Corinthians 3:22) that "Let (a) person be-considering US in-this-manner: as attendants (of) Christ and STEWARDS (of the) mysteries (of) God. Here, furthermore, it-is-sought in STEWARDS that one be-found FAITHFUL" (1 Corinthians 4:1-2). Jesus used the same words in Luke 12:42 answering the question of Peter by saying: "Who then is the FAITHFUL, wise STEWARD whom his lord will-put-in-charge over his body-of-servants".
There may be more similarities between 1 Corinthians 4 and Luke 12:42-46, as Paul then added: "it-is (a) very small (thing) that I-should-be-examined by you, or by (a) human DAY (of judgment)" (1 Corinthians 4:3), "but the (One) examining me is (the) LORD. So-then do not be-judging anything before (the) time, until the LORD COMES" (1 Corinthians 4:4-5).
Jesus used the same words in Luke 12:42, saying: "But if that slave says in his heart, ‘My LORD is-delaying TO-COME’" (Luke 12:45) "the LORD (of) that slave will-come on (a) DAY which he-does not expect" (Luke 12:46).
For more similarities between 1 Corinthians and Luke 12 (coupled with Matthew 24):
1st century imminence?
Jesus said: "Who then is the faithful and wise SLAVE whom (his) lord put-in-charge over his household (that he might) give them (their) food at (the) proper-time? Blessed (is) THAT SLAVE whom his lord, HAVING-COME, will-find so doing" (Matthew 24:45-46). Jesus that that the lord here would COME to the same SLAVE that He left. This can imply an imminence up to the lifetime of a SLAVE for the lord to COME.
Jesus even added that to the BAD SLAVE He would come and kill that one, which could imply that this slave would not have had the time to even die before his lord COMES, as He said: "if THAT BAD SLAVE says in his heart, ‘My lord is-delaying’, and begins to-strike his fellow-slaves, and is-eating and drinking with the (ones) being-drunk — the lord (of) that slave WILL-COME on (a) day which HE-does not expect, and at (an) hour which HE-does not know. And he-will-cut HIM in-two" (Matthew 24:48-51).
1st century imminence consistent with Hebrews 10?
Later in the 1st century, it was written in Hebrews 10:37: "For yet (in a) very little while, “the (One) coming WILL-COME and will not DELAY."
Jesus used the same words when He said: "if that bad slave says in his heart, ‘My lord IS-DELAYING’" (Matthew 24:48), "the lord (of) that slave WILL-COME on (a) day which he-does not expect" (Matthew 24:50).
The author of Hebrews indicated at the time of writing those words that this would happen "(in a) very little while" (Hebrews 10:37).
For more similarities between Hebrews 10 and Matthew 24:
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