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Luke 12:41

Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speak you this parable unto us, or even to all?
Read Chapter 12

Ambrose of Milan

AD 397
Or else, the form of the first command is a general one adapted to all, but the following example seems to be proposed to the stewards, that is, the priests; and therefore it follows, And the Lord said, 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?
< 1 min1/17
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Augustine of Hippo

AD 430
Now he says portion, because of suiting His measure to the capacity of his several hearers.
< 1 min2/17
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Augustine of Hippo

AD 430
Now if those ignorant of the law are in a worse condition than those who know the law, how can this saying of our Lord in the Gospel be true? “That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make ready or act according to his will shall receive a severe beating. But he who did not know and did what deserved a beating shall receive a light beating.” You see that this passage shows clearly a person who knows sins more seriously than one who does not know. Yet we must not on this account take refuge in the darkness of ignorance so as to find there an excuse for our conduct. Not to know is one thing; unwillingness to know is another.
1 min3/17
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Augustine of Hippo

AD 430
Many people abuse for their own impious purposes his tardiness in coming. The bad slave says, “My master is taking his time.” He starts beating his fellow slaves and getting drunk with the bad ones. His master will come on a day he does not know, and at an hour he is unaware of, and will cut him off. You see, it is the body of ministers and prelates who give their fellow slaves their food in due season. “He will separate him off,” it says. He has good ones and bad ones. “He separates the good from the bad.” “He will assign his portion with the hypocrites.” He will not do this to the whole ministry, because in it too there are those who are longing for the Lord to come. In its ranks are also to be found the group of which it is said, “Blessed is that slave whom his master, when he comes, finds so doing.” “He will come and separate him.”
1 min4/17
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Basil the Great

AD 379
He says not, 'doing,' as if by chance, but so doing. For not only conquest is honorable, but to contend lawfully, which is to perform each thing as we have been commanded. The body indeed is not divided, so that one part indeed should be exposed to torments, the other escape. For this is a fable, nor isit a part of just judgment when the whole has offended that half only should suffer punishment; nor is the soul cut in sunder, seeing that the whole possesses a guilty consciousness, and cooperates with the body to work evil; but its division is the eternal severing of the soul from the Spirit. For now although the grace of the Spirit is not in the unworthy, yet it seems ever to be at hand expecting their turning to salvation, but at that time it will be altogether cut off from the soul. The Holy Spirit then is the prize of the just, and the chief condemnation of sinners, since they who are unworthy will lose Him.
1 min5/17
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Basil the Great

AD 379
When I consult the New Testament, I find that our Lord Jesus Christ does not absolve from punishment even sins committed in ignorance, although he attaches a harsher threat to deliberate sins. “And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not make ready or act according to his will shall receive a severe beating. But he who did not know and did what deserved a beating shall receive a light beating.” I hear something like this from the lips of the onlybegotten Son of God and consider the anger of the holy apostles against sinners. I observe that the sufferings of those who have transgressed in even one particular are not less serious but rather more serious than those cited from the Old Testament. I then comprehend the severity of the judgment. Our Lord says, “To whomever much is given, much will be required of him.” .
1 min6/17
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Bede

AD 735
Our Lord had taught two things in the preceding parable to all, even that He would come suddenly, and that they ought to be ready and waiting for Him. But it is not very plain concerning which of these, or whether both, Peter asked the question, or whom he compared to himself and his companions, when he said' Speak you to us, or to all? Yet in truth by these words, us and all, he must be supposed to mean none other than the Apostles, and those like to the Apostles, and all other faithful men; or Christians, and unbelievers; or those who dying separately, that is, singly, both unwillingly indeed and willingly, receive the coming of their Judge, and those who when the universal judgment comes are to be found alive in the flesh. Now it is marvelous if Peter doubted that all must live soberly, piously, and justly, who wait for a blessed hope, or that the judgment will to each and all be unexpected. It therefore remains to be supposed, that knowing these two things, he asked about that whic...
3 mins7/17
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Cornelius a Lapide

AD 1637
And Peter said, Lord, speakest Thou this parable unto us or even unto all? To all men, especially the faithful, as well to those who are now living as to those who shall live hereafter. Peter doubted of this, because Christ was accustomed to give some doctrines to the Apostles alone, others to all the faithful, and He had here said some things which seemed fitted only to the Apostles and men of perfect lives, as verses32-37. The rest about watching and waiting for the coming of the Lord seemed to apply to all the faithful.
< 1 min8/17
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Cyprian of Carthage

AD 258
We must perceive and confess that the very frightful devastation of that affliction which has destroyed and is destroying our flock in great part has come about because of our sins. We do not keep the way of the Lord, nor do we observe the heavenly commands given to us for salvation. Our Lord did the will of the Father. Eager for our inheritance and advantage, following after pride, giving way to envy and to neglecting simplicity and faith, renouncing the world in words only and not in deeds, each one pleasing himself and displeasing all, we do not do the will of God.We are beaten as we deserve. It is written, “But that servant who knows his master’s will and did not obey his will, will be beaten with many stripes.” But what blows and stripes do we not deserve, when even confessors, who should have been an example in good morals to the rest, do not keep discipline? Letter
1 min9/17
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Cyril of Alexandria

AD 444
Now to the courageous rightly belong the great and difficult of God's holy commandments, but to those who have not yet attained to such virtue, belong those things from which all difficulty is excluded. Our Lord therefore uses a very obvious example, to show that the above-mentioned command is suited to those who have been admitted into the rank of disciples, for it follows, And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful steward?. Thus the faithful and wise servant prudently giving out in due season the servants' food, that is, their spiritual meat, will be blessed according to the Savior's word, in that he will obtain still greater things, and will be thought worthy of the rewards which are due to friends. Hence it follows, Of a truth I say to you, that he will make him ruler over all that he has.
1 min10/17
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Cyril of Alexandria

AD 444
He says, “Neglecting the duty of being diligent and faithful, and despising watchfulness in these things as being superfluous, he lets his mind grow intoxicated with worldly cares. He is seduced into improper courses, dragging by force and oppressing those who are subject to him. If he is not giving them their portion, he will be in utter wretchedness.” I think this and this only is the meaning of his being cut in two. “His portion,” he says, “will be with the unbelievers.” Whoever has done wrong to the glory of Christ or attempted to disregard the flock entrusted to his charge does not differ in any way from those who do not know him. These persons will be rightly counted among those who have no love for him. Commentary on Luke, Homily
1 min11/17
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Cyril of Alexandria

AD 444
What is our Lord’s reply? He makes use of a clear and very evident example to show that the commandment especially belongs to those who occupy a more influential position and have been admitted into the rank of teachers. “Who,” he says, “is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord will set over his household, to give the allowance of food at its season?” …This is the simple and plain meaning of the passage. If we now fix our mind accurately upon it, we will see what it signifies and how useful it is for the benefit of those who have been called to the office of apostle, that is, to the office of teacher. The Savior has ordained faithful men of great understanding, and well instructed in the sacred doctrines, as stewards over his servants who have been won by faith to the acknowledgment of his glory. He has ordained them, commanding them to give their fellow servants their allowance of food. He does not do this simply and without distinction but rather at its proper season. I mean s...
1 min12/17
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Cyril of Alexandria

AD 444
Blessed Peter, considering within himself the force of what Christ said, rightly asked which of the two was meant: the declaration referred to all believers, or only to them? That is, to those who had been called to the discipleship, and especially honored by the grant of apostolic powers? Commentary on Luke, Homily
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Isodore of Seville

AD 636
It was added also in their due season, because a benefit not conferred at its proper time is rendered vain, and loses the name of a benefit. The same bread is not equally coveted by the hungry man, and him that is satisfied. But with respect to this servant's reward for his stewardship, He adds, Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he comes shall find so doing.
< 1 min14/17
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John Chrysostom

AD 407
But our Lord here asks the question not as ignorant, who was a faithful and wise steward, but wishing to imply the rareness of such, and the greatness of this kind of chief government. But our Lord not only by the honors kept in store for the good, but by threats of punishment upon the bad, leads the hearer to correction, as it follows, But if that servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delays his coming.
< 1 min15/17
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Tertullian of Carthage

AD 220
Far does He belong to the Creator, and does the Creator's work. When, therefore, Peter asked whether He had spoken the parable "unto them, or even to all". That steward who should treat his fellow-servants well in his Lord's absence, would on his return be set as ruler over all his property; but he who should act otherwise should be severed, and have his portion with the unbelievers, when his lord should return on the day when he looked not for him, at the hour when he was not aware
< 1 min16/17
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Theophilus of Antioch

AD 184
The above-mentioned parable relates to all the faithful in common, but nowhear what suits the Apostles and teachers. For I ask, where will be found the steward that possesses in himself faithfulness and wisdom? for as in the management of goods, whether aman be careless yet faithful to his master, or else wise yet unfaithful, the things of the master perish; so also in the things of God there is need of faithfulness and wisdom. For I have known many servants of God, and faithful men, who because they were unable to manage ecclesiastical affairs, have destroyed not only possessions, but souls, exercising towards sinners indiscreet virtue by extravagant rules of penance or unseasonable indulgence. Whosoever then has been found a faithful and wise steward, let him bear rule over the Lord's household that he may give them their portion of meat in due season, either the word of doctrine by which their souls are fed, or the example of works by which their lifeis fashioned. Or, he will make h...
2 mins17/17
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Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation - 2 Peter 1:20

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