More Light, More Responsibility – Luke 12:35-48

“In all states, crimes are classified as either misdemeanors (less serious crimes) or felonies (more serious crimes). Felonies and misdemeanors differ in significant ways: 

• Prison versus jail. In general, felonies carry a potential sentence to state prison; misdemeanors, by contrast, involve possible incarceration in a county or local jail.
• Length of incarceration. In most states, misdemeanor sentences are not longer than one year, whereas felony sentences are longer. In states that have the death penalty, certain felonies can also result in a sentence of death.
• Ramifications post-conviction. A person with a felony conviction may lose the right to vote and may also be barred from serving on a jury. Certain professional licenses may become off-limits, and convicted felons may find it difficult to obtain jobs and housing. By contrast, those with a misdemeanor conviction will not face such serious consequences.” (CriminalDefenseLawyer.com)

Justice recognizes that there are varying responsibilities for varying crimes.

“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.  (Luke 12:35-48 ESV)

Jesus mixes two concepts together to help his disciples understand how they need to be ready for his return to establish his kingdom on earth.  He speaks of the master of a household who leaves for a feast and his servants don’t know the exact time of his return.  They will be rewarded if they are ready, are doing the right things, when he returns.  Then Jesus speaks of the master who is robbed by a thief because he didn’t know when the thief would come and wasn’t ready.  Both concepts focus on not knowing the time of the arrival and needing to be ready.

Peter is concerned, however, because the second parable seems threatening.  So he wants to know if it relates to him and Jesus’ other disciples or to others outside the circle of Jesus’ followers.  Jesus leaves it open by talking about a master who sets a servant as manager over his household and the servant can either be faithful or self-serving.  There is reward for the one and judgment for the other.  There are degrees of judgment depending on how much the servant knows, how much light he has.

The implication is that Jesus’ disciples have been given much light and will bear greater responsibility for that.