Let me connect all this to the main point of the thread. The parabolic slave is described as phronimos which means "prudent" or "acting with discretion". Joseph was described in the same way. In that case, Joseph understood what was going to happen and he prepared accordingly. He recognized that the "appointed time" of plenty was a time to store food in anticipation of the foretold famine. Then the "appointed time" of seven years of famine arrived and he again acted acccordingly by opening up the storehouse and judiciously rationing out grain to the people, not only preventing disaster but also bringing great wealth to his king. A different but similar scenario plays out in the parable. The prudent servant understands what will happen (i.e. the parousia) and prepares accordingly. He recognizes that the present is an "appointed time" (kairos) in which the master is away and pastoral care of fellow believers is necessary. He properly anticipates the "appointed time" in which the master returns and acts accordingly. The imprudent servant, on the other hand, neglects his pastoral duty on the mistaken impression that the master is coming at some other "appointed time". He fails to adequately prepare for the master's arrival and not only is he incompetent but he mistreats his fellow believers as well.
The Society has undeniably acted "imprudently" with respect to the expected "appointed time" of the parousia....claiming that it has already arrived and that the visible return of the master in judgment is (always) at hand, thereby advising fellow believers to put off marriage, education, work, even living life on the basis of an eschatological expectation that has never materialized at the "appointed time" claimed by the Society. In a sense, they do not claim that the expected time is "delayed" as they continually say it is at hand (and thus are closer to the false prophets condemned in the same chapter of Matthew who say that the "time is at hand"), but through their actions they declare it to be perpetually delayed because things have never happened as soon as they expect. The example of Joseph supplies an interesting contrast to the Society. He is presented as both recognizing the future accurately and preparing adequately for it. The Society claims to know what will happen but they continually fail to prepare for what actually materializes.
