But if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delays his coming;
Read Chapter 24
Cyril of Alexandria
AD 444
This teaching is directed against the rulers who are leading a luxurious and leisurely lifestyle. He calls the negligent teacher a wicked and evil servant because he takes advantage of the judge’s absence and believes he will not be observed because of the judge’s forbearance. So he beats harshly those over whom he holds power and associates with those who are in love with the flesh. They sin both because the judge is not present and because they don’t think judgment will ever arrive. By wounding some of them, he points out those who are disabled in soul because of the luxury of their exalted positions. Just as the apostle says, “When you sin against your brothers in this way [you] wound their weak conscience.” Therefore he threatens to introduce the most severe punishments to those living selfindulgently …. Those who pretend to understand the principles of the good life are not thinking as they should but are only clothing themselves in the appearance of virtue. They will be cut into ...
After this, as He ever does, not by the honor only laid up for the good, but also by the punishment threatened against the wicked, does He correct the hearers.
But if any one should say, Do you see what a thought has entered into his mind, because of the day's not being known, my Lord, he says, delays His coming? we should affirm, that it was not because the day is not known, but because the servant is evil. Else wherefore came not this thought into the heart of the faithful and wise servant. For what, even though the Lord tarry, O wretched man, surely you look that He will come. Why then do you not take care?
Hence then we learn, that He does not so much as tarry. For this judgment is not the Lord's, but that of the evil servant's mind, wherefore also he is blamed for this. For in proof that He does not tarry, hear Paul saying, The Lord is at hand, be careful for nothing; Philippians 4:5-6 and, He that comes will come, and will not tarry. Hebrews 10:37
