“Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?”
The full verse · Luke 12:42 · KJV
the , that , his shall make , to them their portion of due ?
Asked by
Jesus: the Son of God and promised Messiah, called "the Lord" by Luke as He answers Peter (Luke 12:42)
Asked to
Peter: Simon called Peter, one of the twelve apostles, who had asked whether the parable was for the disciples or for all (Luke 12:41)
The Scene
Peter has just asked whether Jesus' parable of the waiting servants is for the disciples or for everyone (Luke 12:41).
Why It Was Asked
The purpose behind the questionJesus answers Peter's question with a question that turns the focus from "who is this for?" to "who will be found faithful?" Gill says Christ does not answer Peter directly but suggests that the warning is for all His people, while describing the special charge of those set over His household. The question invites Peter to see himself in the steward and to ask whether he will be that kind of servant.
The Response
What Scripture recordsJesus answers His own question: "Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing" (Luke 12:43). The lord "will make him ruler over all that he hath" (Luke 12:44). Then Jesus describes the opposite servant, who says "My lord delayeth his coming" and begins to beat the other servants and get drunk. His lord will come unexpectedly and "appoint him his portion with the unbelievers" (Luke 12:45-46).
Historical Context
The world behind the wordsA steward (Greek oikonomos, house manager) was a trusted servant put in charge of a household's supplies. The phrase "portion of meat" translates sitometrion, a measured allowance of food (the interlinear glosses it "measure of food"; Gill notes that the Vulgate renders it "a measure of wheat"). "Meat" in the KJV means food in general. "In due season" means at the proper time.
Jesus' question in Matthew is almost the same but says "servant" instead of "steward" (Matthew 24:45). Barnes, in his note there, says the servant denotes "a faithful Christian, a servant of God, or a teacher of religion." Applied to ministers, they are "the servants of God appointed over the church," and their duty is to "feed the flock of God."
The Bigger Picture
Where this fits in God's storyThis question shows what the Lord looks for in His servants: faithfulness and wisdom while He is away. Gill says both "are requisite in them": faithfulness to give out the Lord's word "pure and sincere as it is," and wisdom to "rightly divide it, and wisely distribute it" to each person's needs.
It also shows the Lord's generosity. The faithful steward is not merely kept on; he is made "ruler over all that he hath" (Luke 12:44). The parable's closing word, "unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required" (Luke 12:48), reminds us that every gift from Him is also a trust.
Look Closer
What makes the steward in Jesus' question "faithful and wise"?
Carry the question into prayer and conversation.
Lord, You have entrusted me with people and gifts to care for; where are You asking me to be more faithful while I wait for You?
A prayer to carry into the day.
- The unfaithful servant changed when he thought his master was delayed. What tends to make your faithfulness slip when no one is checking?
- Who has been a faithful steward in your life, giving you what you needed when you needed it? What did they do?
For you, a small group, a friend, or the dinner table.
Every believer has been entrusted with something: time, gifts, influence, the care of others. Jesus' question asks what kind of steward you will be. The faithful steward simply does what he was given to do, at the right time, until his master comes.
The warning in Luke 12:45 is worth noticing. The servant's trouble began with a thought in his heart: "My lord delayeth his coming." Losing sight of the Lord's return led to mistreating others. This is not a call to fear, but to keep serving well, knowing the Master who returns is the one who will gladly reward faithfulness (Luke 12:43-44).
Scripture's own application: 1 Corinthians 4:1-2
Built from the biblical text and checked against trusted commentaries and lexicons. References & Sources
Keep questioning
“Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?”
“Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?”
“What will I, if it be already kindled?”