When The Boss Gets Back…
“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 12:41–48 ESV)
One of my greatest frustrations after 20 years of writing about pastoral abuse is that the only thing that has changed is that there are a lot more people writing about it.
The response, whether from evangelicalism or the mainlines hasn’t changed at all.
They still ignore it, cover it up, and justify their countless sins against the flock with distortions of God’s truths.
Few of the offenders are ever forced into finding gainful employment outside the church.
Fewer still are those who will stand up and be counted when they have knowledge of abuse that has been exposed.
My best sources have always been pastors…the least likely to stand by what I reported have been the same pastors.
For example, it seemed like every pastor in Florida had dirt on Bob Coy…not a single one would go on the record.
I can give examples of the same in almost every situation we’ve ever written about.
I have been amazed and sickened by the fervency and frequency of sermons devoted to politics when no such time is given to cleaning our own house.
The result is that abuse continues, shame rolls over the name of Christ in waves, and more people run out the back door than are coming in the front.
Al least they got out the vote, I guess…
Such will not always be the case…
Peter’s question at the beginning of this passage was in response to Jesus warning that He will return when least expected and His people need to be ready.
“Are you directing this at us (the apostles) or to everyone?”
In other places, Jesus exhorts everyone to be ready…in this one He’s speaking directly to the leaders.
What He says should chill all clergy to the bone.
The one whom He finds taking care of what he was entrusted with will be blessed.
The ones who use the flock, who abuse the trust of the church, and build their own kingdoms on the backs of the faithful?
They will be cut in pieces.
The Greek means “cut in pieces”.
I’m sure it’s a metaphor for something like “being chopped up”.
Dismembered…then cut off from the faithful.
Those who knew of the abuse and did nothing?
Severe beatings.
The punishment will be based on your level of knowledge and responsibility.
Let me make this as clear as I can for those who have difficulties with reading comprehension.
There are senior pastors who are in danger of being cut in pieces by Jesus because they have cared for themselves at the expense of their flocks.
The assistant pastors and staff will not go unpunished…they will be beaten according to what they knew and how they responded.
Your voting record will not be taken into consideration.
Justice will come.
He’s on the way.
Make your own application…
Good and true – true warning – but do wolves listen? ? ?
“but do wolves listen? ? ?”
They better…
I’m more alarmed by the biblical illiteracy in the Church, especially among the leadership, than I am in the general public; perhaps especially in those churches who consider themselves evangelicals/fundamentalists/bible-believing adherents. I delight in the opportunities to rehearse biblical allusions from literature/stories for students who would otherwise miss the reference, but basic, bedrock doctrines are eluding the so-called saints.
thank you for the blunt assessment and reminders.
great artwork too…
Thanks, fil!
Michael
I could be wrong, but it strikes me that the condoning of abuse has almost gone “corporate”. Back in the day you might have heard or suspected of something unsavory about a pastor or priest, but no one was really sure. Recently I’ve seen situations in which the wrong-doing almost seems to be common knowledge among a large group or church body, and still nothing is done. I’ve sometimes wondered if in a strange way the wider, corporate knowledge almost gives people “cover” for not addressing the situation… Witness PFM, or the RC Church scandals, or the SBC…
Duane,
That is indeed part of the problem.
It is also true that they have learned to manage scandals corporately…with PR specialists and social media consultants…
Dr. Duane @ 11:37
I remember years ago, taking some accounting classes, the instructor observed that the usual procedure, when a major player was caught embezzling or other chicanery, they were quietly let go for fear of damaging the corporate image – no accountability for the perp
re many churches following that game plan? Looks like it… 😓
Michael @ 11:44
John 8:39-45 ?
This post took my right to Mr. Johnny Cash’s foreboding song, “When the Man Comes Around.”
Em- our heir apparent CEO was terminated for violating company ethics. They kept the reason at the very top, as the reason never leaked. Even senior managers were heard saying, “didn’t they vet better?” The guy lost a couple hundred thousand in profit sharing that year, but got over $10M as a golden parachute, and kept whatever equity he already had.
Michael,
Your line in the article, “The punishment will be based on your level of knowledge and responsibility.” reminds me of the punishment for bearing false witness in the bible. If you bore false witness and that innocent person was punished, the person bearing false witness got the EXACT same punishment. IOW, if your false witness results in an innocent man being put to death, you are put to death. Tie that in with sins of omission and see how it relates to the passage when the boss gets back.
People who do the best they can with what they’re given and who don’t do the kinds of things to others they wouldn’t want done to themselves, need no Boss.