PP....Well, as we saw with the Matthean logion on Peter being given the keys to the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 16), a later use by the Western churches to support their ecclesiastical authority does not necessarily mean the logion originated in that context.
In the parable, the glorification of the faithful servant by granting him authority over all the lord's domain is something that comes after the lord's return, so I would regard this promise of authority as eschatological in nature -- not referring to existing relations. The promise would then parallel the other promise in Q that "at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." "You may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30). This notion derives directly from Jewish merkebah mysticism and is also attested in Daniel 7:9, 13-14, Revelation 4:4, 20:4, b. Sanhedrin 38b (which designates David as sitting on a heavenly throne judging the world), and Tan. B Leviticus 7:
"Our rabbis say, 'What does 'thrones' in the plural mean? In the time to come, the Holy One, blessed be he, will take his seat, and the angels will set up thrones for the great ones of Israel, and they will be seated and will judge with the Holy One, blessed be he, the nations of the world, as it says: 'The Lord enters into judgment with the elders and princes of his people.' "
The allusion to Daniel 7:9 might also reflect Psalm 122:4-5 which says "there the thrones of judgment were set up, the thrones of the house of David". So imho, the eschatological granting of authority to the apostles is perfectly in keeping with Jewish apocalyptic tradition, and the parable functions within Q and early Christian communities as a warning to those who fail to practice the word. Because of the theme of the Lord "delaying," it would likely belong to the latter, more apocalyptic layers of Q (e.g. 60s and 70s). As for the distinction between the servant and the household, this would not be much different from the distinction between the apostles/elders and the rest of the community that we find in Matthew 18, the Didache, Luke 11:49, 1 Corinthians 12:28, Galatians 1-2, etc. I see no reason to assume the church structure of the Pastorals here, as the early community still had its leadership as did the Qumrun community.
