38. Second watch… third watch Our Lord here doubtless uses the old division by which the night was portioned into three watches. In the first would be the wedding; in the second or third the return. read more
39. The goodman of the house The householder. The image is now changed. Before, it was the servant, knowing not the hour of the coming of his Lord; now it is a householder, knowing not the hour of the coming of the thief. His house to be broken through Be digged through; for the walls of the eastern houses are often of clay, and the house would be attacked by excavation. read more
40. Cometh… hour… think not The language is now literal. The judgment day lies in the unknown future. It may be to-day; it may be myriads of years hence. We may be mistaken in placing it nearer than it is, or making it more distant. Even our interpretations of those prophecies which seem to us at the present time to indicate that the day is distant, may be wrong; for prophecy is designedly obscure, in accordance with the law that the future must be profoundly hid from mortal knowledge. But,... read more
VI. Jesus, in answer to Peter, extends the warnings so as to include all. 41. Unto us, or even to all Our Lord had addressed Luke 12:22-34 to the apostles. But so solemn is his charge, 35-40, to watch for his second coming, that Peter wishes to know whether these solemn responsibilities belonged to the apostles alone, or to all Christians. read more
42. Who then is Our Lord in effect says that every man may apply the warning to his own case. In his discourse on the Mount of Olives (Mark 13:37) our Lord expressly extended the warning to ALL: What I say unto you I say unto all. Perhaps our Lord means here to indicate that the all includes more than that whole congregation, and embraces the great, congregation of the entire Church and world between the two advents. See our note on Luke 18:8, and also supplementary note on Matthew... read more
45. Say… delayeth Supposing that he ought to come sooner. It is remarkable that every mistake on the subject of time hitherto made arises from requiring it to be too soon. Beat… eat… drink… drunken Our Lord here gives a graphic description of the disorder and revel of the slaves of a householder, set loose from all fear or sense of responsibility. read more
46. Cut him in sunder The highest punishment here symbolized is inflicted on a certain class of sinners, (of whom the scribes and Pharisees, with whom his struggle now is, are the type,) who, having truth and knowledge in possession or in reach, not only neglect to avoid sin, but even persecute the righteous. But the question now arises: What becomes of those who know not, and have no revelation in reach? To that question the Lord now answers, laying down the law of proportionate... read more
47. Knew his Lord’s will Either actually, from received information, or, virtually, because the revelation was within reach and with due warning. His Lord’s will Namely, that the servant should keep his girded loins and trimmed lamp in readiness for the coming of his Lord; The sin here is rather negligence than the riot of Luke 12:46. The terms of punishment are therefore much milder. Prepared not himself For his Lord’s return in judgment. Beaten with many stripes In the blended... read more
48. Knew not Who had no access to revelation. The case, as it squares with the parable, would be that of a servant whose lord was absent to a night feast, but who has not been informed of his lord’s orders to wait and watch for him. Did commit things worthy of stripes The servant now supposed is one who, nevertheless, commits any things worthy of stripes which he knows, without special revelation, by the light of common sense and conscience, are contrary to his duty as a servant. If... read more
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Whedon's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 12:37
37. Blessed are those servants At the Roman Saturnalia the masters put on the servile dress and waited on and served their servants. As our Lord bases this parable upon the ancient relation of master and servant, so he uses this custom for an image to express the great honour he will confer upon his servants at the judgment day. He will indeed then have put off the “form of a servant;” and all the blessings accruing to his followers from his ever having worn it, he will then confer. read more