and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with drunkards,
In this saying, Jesus describes the change that takes place in the heart of the evil servant when he loses the expectation of the Lord’s coming. His soul becomes unrestrained; he begins to abuse his authority, oppressing others and taking part in a careless and defiling way of life. The beating symbolizes the conduct of a person who, instead of serving with love, uses his position to dominate and to wound. And eating and drinking with drunkards means joining worldly pleasures and losing spiritual watchfulness. This saying shows what indifference leads to: when faith grows weak, a person begins to live as though the Lord will not return. Here Jesus warns that every kind of authority, whether spiritual or earthly, is dangerous when it is cut off from love and responsibility.