Nineteenth Sunday In Ordinary Time
The Old Testament has two documents now called 1 & 2 Chronicles. The name of these two books in the Greek version of the Old Testament is found occasionally in old English Bibles. The name is Paralipomenon. It means Leftovers. This would also be a good name for the collection of materials Luke places in his chapter 12. Most of these materials would have fit well into the Sermon on the Plain or the Missionary Instruction or into Jesus' last discourse. But here they are, somewhat awkwardly, in chapter 12, and have to be dealt with in the context of chapter 12. Luke begins: "Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom." This sounds like an expectation of an approaching end of time and final judgment, thoughts that would have a natural home in Luke 21, the last discourse. The term of endearment, "little flock" is an assurance to a harassed minority, saying, "We shall overcome," but it hardly continues the instruction against greed in last Sunday's gospel.
The next part of this gospel reading fits better into Luke's Sermon on the Plain (the equivalent of Matthew's Sermon on the Mountain). "Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, that no thief can reach nor moth destroy, for where your treasure is, there also will your heart be." Comment on moths: Reliable banking systems did not exist. Some invested money in fine cloth as a hedge against future financial disaster. The enemy of such a stored investment - moths that would leave the precious cloth riddled with holes. Luke then returns to end times and the return of Jesus, which again fit better into Jesus' final discourse in Luke 21. A short instruction on watchfulness, "Gird your loins. Light your lamps. Be ready." The return of the Master is illustrated by this parable.
Faithful, watchful servants (or slaves) will be rewarded when their Master returns and finds them vigilant. The Master himself will put on his apron, have his servants recline at table, and wait on them. No matter at what hour he returns, if he finds them awake and watching for him, "Blessed are those servants." The advice now takes a strange turn - comparing the Master of the servants to a thief who without warning breaks into a house. Luke immediately adds a saying that puts the context into the end time and the return of Jesus, "You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come." The title Son of Man is a favored title for Jesus in all four gospels. It originates in Daniel 7 in this way. The young prophet Daniel has a vision in which he sees a symbolic human being come to the throne of the Ancient of Days (God). He is given power, dominion, and an everlasting kingdom. This part of Daniel was written in Aramaic. The Aramaic for this symbolic human being is Bar Enosh. Literal translation: "Son of Man." Our gospel authors understood this passage in Daniel as a "prediction" about Jesus.
Simon Peter, successful conservative businessman, appropriately appointed by Jesus as chief of his disciples, has a question about the preceding parable. "Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone? Recall that Luke is not writing a biography, nor does he write for people of Jesus' time, but at least fifty years after Jesus for his own Christian Community. The question therefore is this, "Is this parable a warning for Church leadership of the eighties of the first century, or is it a warning for everyone?" In his own scribal and Lincoln-like way, Jesus responds with a counter question and another story. First the question, which invites Peter to answer his own question.
"Who (do you think) is the faithful and prudent steward whom the Master will put in charge of his servants (slaves) to distribute the food allowance at the proper time?" From this counter question Peter should be able to understand that Jesus is speaking primarily to the Twelve. After all, this is still the "Journey to Jerusalem (and the cross)," a time of special and private instruction to the Twelve walking the journey with Jesus. The "food allowance at the proper time" may even be a reference to the Eucharist. For Luke's Christian Community the instruction is aimed especially at Church leadership in the eighties. Another indication that the instruction is meant primarily for leadership -the "steward" (manager) is put in charge of the Master's servants. The parable that now follows is an instruction for leaders of the Christian Community. It begins with a beatitude, "Blessed is that servant whom the Master on his arrival finds doing so," that is, “distributing the food allowance at the proper time." That's the good news. Now the bad news.
A servant goes bad. "My Master is delayed in coming." This sentence makes it clear that Luke is talking about the end of time and the return of Jesus - material better suited for Luke's version of Jesus' last discourse, Luke 21. Luke is speaking of the delay of the Parousia, the return of Jesus. The servant gone bad (maybe meaning the "steward" in charge), starts beating up his fellow servants. He resorts to the pleasures of gluttony in food and drink. The Lucan Jesus affirms that the Master will definitely return despite the delay. He returns unexpectedly. Bad for the servant gone bad! He will receive fitting punishment. Luke is surely speaking to the servant leaders of his time. They knew their duties, but acted contrary to them. Luke speaks of the punishments as severe beatings and light beatings, depending on the depth to which the servant leaders sank. A final warning to those entrusted with the care of fellow servants: "Much will be required of the person entrusted with much. Still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more." Even though Luke addresses servant leaders, the same can apply to anyone in ministry.
