Hi Open mind,
I was wondering which parable you were talking about then I realised it must be this passage
Matthew 24:36-51 (New International Version)
The Day and Hour Unknown
36 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
42 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
45 "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47 I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, 'My master is staying away a long time,' 49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
If you read the passage, Jesus' question is to the whole of mankind, not just a single person or organisation. He is talking to us all! When He comes, one will be left, one will be taken etc. This is mentioned several other places in the bible.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 Revelation 11:12 Matthew 24:31 1 Corinthians 15:50-52 Clearly this has neither happened and Jesus hasn't returned yet. On the subject of Jesus being God, how about these verses? They are straightforward enough.
Matthew 1:23 (New International Version)
23 "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"—which means, "God with us."
John 5:18 (New International Version)
18 For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
John 20:28 (New International Version)
28 Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
John 14:8-9 (New International Version)
8 Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."
9 Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
Philippians 2:5-7 (New International Version)
5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7 but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
The last passage explains the verses which show Jesus humbled Himself and took the role of servant with regard to the Father and mankind.
If ever there was a passage to explain the Trinity, I would say it is this
Romans 8:9-11 (New International Version)
9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God and the same Spirit of Christ who raised Christ from the dead and also lives in the heart of the believer.
Father, Son, Holy Spirit, all God, three persons yet one God.
Anyhow, hope the truth about "the truth" begins to dawn for you and your wife even more :)
All the best,
Stephen
