In verse 35, Jesus is speaking about being prepared, but not everyone is understanding it fully, much less the parable that He speaks. Peter makes that fact clear in verse 41, when he asks “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” He begins by telling them to “stay dressed for action” (literally, “let your loins stay girded”), and “keep your lamps burning.” He speaks in terms of servants who keep watch while they wait for their master to return. They would be ready to serve him as soon as he returned, perhaps taking turns keeping watch. Those who “stay awake” and ready are blessed.

Vision from Book of Revelation (Photo credit: cliff1066™)

Referring to Himself as well (in the second coming), he speaks of having them recline at table, as He serves them – reminds us of the heavenly banquet of the “marriage supper of the lamb” (Revelation 19:9). He says that if he finds them awake and ready on the second or third watch, they are surely blessed. Having gone past the first watch with nothing happening, the servants would be normally inclined to be lackadaisical. But he points out that the master of the house would not leave his house unguarded if he knew when the thief would come.  As Christians, we would be ready at the right time for certain if we knew exactly when Jesus will return.

But that is the point. We do not know, and so we must always be prepared. The comparison is made then to the servants who are overseers of other servants. They know what is expected of them, but the wicked ones beat the others, thinking themselves far removed from the authority of the absent master. But the righteous behave well , and are just and compassionate all of the time because that is how their hearts are, and it is what is expected of them. Jesus wants us to live always as servants with that sort of heart – one who will always be ready because we want to do what is right.

It is our love for the Lord first, and our love for others secondly that will compel us to always be ready doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord.

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from Luke here
Read or listen to audio of today’s selection from 1 Chronicles here

/Bob’s boy

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some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.