17. . Internalise honesty

12:41-53

Peter

"blessed slave . . faithful steward"

12:41-53 Peter said "Lord are you telling this parable just to us, or to everyone?" The Lord said to him "Who then is the faithful servant? It is the prudent person that the Lord will appoint over the attendants of his household to give them their portion of food at the appropriate time. Blessed is that servant who, when his Lord comes find him doing this. Truly I tell you that he will appoint him over all his possessions. But if that slave says in his heart "My Lord is delaying his coming, and he begins to strike the men servants and the maid servants and he both eats and drinks so as to become drunk, then when the lord of that slave comes in a day and at a time when he (the slave) does not expect, then he will be cut adrift (from the household). He will be put outside with the unbelievers. At the same time as for the slave who knows what his lord wants yet has not

prepared things or done according to what (the lord wants), he will be punished. The one who does not know what is to be done and has done unworthy things will be punished but less severely. (In other words) from those to whom much has been given, much will be expected. Those who have been given much (in their care) will be more accountable. I came to cast fire on the earth and how I would like it to be already kindled (ready to go). I have to go through a baptism and how I am pressured until it is accomplished. Do you think I came to cast peace on the earth. No I tell you, but rather division. For there will be from now on, five in the one house. It will be divided into three against two and two against three. Father (will be divided) against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against the mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against the mother-in-law."

Luke is moving closer to a focus on the accountability expected from the early church leaders. For example obviously they would be wondering about church funds. They are challenged here to trust in Providence. They also need to exercise stewardship over what the church does have. There is a wider application here as well of course. These passages are read in the light of what has gone before, about all behaviour being finally brought out into the open. Regarding the line of logic presented in Reality Search. The Christian message tries to encompass a 'hybrid' form of two conflicting types of societies. The co-existence of the two brings an inner vitality but it also brings a degree of tension.

18. . Discern

12:54-59

Crowds

"face of earth you discern, this no"

12:54-59 He also said to the crowds. "When you see a cloud rising over in the west, you immediately say a storm is coming and it does this. When there is a south wind blowing you say it will be hot and so it is. Hypocrites. You know how to discern the timing of the face of the earth and the sky. But how is it that you do not discern this kind of timing. And why

do you not judge what is the rightful thing even amongst yourselves? For you go with your adversary to a ruler. Rather, along the way make an effort to get rid of him (i.e. settle with him) in case he drags you to a judge and the judge delivers you to the officer and he puts you into prison. I tell you you will not get out of there until you have paid the last penny.