Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 24:48-51

"But if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord tarrieth; and shall begin to beat his fellow-servants, and shall eat and drink with the drunken; the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he expecteth not, and in an hour when he knoweth not, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth." — Matthew 24:48-51 (ASV)

This man was a “servant,” so we have here a warning, not to the outside world, but to those who are inside the Church of Christ and who profess to be servants of God. This is also especially a warning to ministers of the Word, those who are made rulers over God’s household. This man, though a servant, was an “evil servant,” a hypocrite, one who had intruded into an office which he had no right to occupy.

His thoughts and words were evil, If that evil servant shall say in his heart, my lord delayeth his coming. His conduct towards those put under him was evil, and shall begin to smite his fellow servant. His own life was evil, and to eat and drink with the drunken.

His evildoing would be suddenly cut short by his master’s appearance, The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of. Immediate and terrible punishment would be meted out to him, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. He was one of them.

He pretended to be a servant of God when all the while he was a slave of Satan, serving self and sin. Let him go to his own company. He was really cut in two before; outwardly he was a follower of Christ, inwardly he served his own lusts—to “cut him asunder” will only be a righteous perpetuation of his own double-faced character. Will that be the end of him? No, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. What a “portion” for one who was numbered among God’s servants! As we read of it, let us, in deep humility, remember the solemn injunction of the apostle, Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

He was a servant, you see. So this is a warning, not to the outside world, but to you who are inside the nominal church and who profess to be servants of God. And it is especially a warning to those of us who are ministers of the gospel.

Oh, that we may never begin to smite our fellow servants! Of course, we shall not do it with the fist, but we may do it with the tongue. And may we never be numbered with those who are living for the delights of the flesh! If so, see what must come to us.

Our Lord still continued to speak on the same subject of watchfulness by delivering the very stirring parable of the wise and foolish virgins.