90. Watchfulness and Faithfulness
35“Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning. 36And be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the marriage feast, so that they may open to him at once when he comes and knocks. 37Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Then he will have them sit at table, and he will come and serve them.”39“You understand that if the householder had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. 40You also must be ready; for the Son of Man is departing at an unexpected hour.”
41Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us,a or for all?”
42And the Lord said, 43“Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find doing his duties. 44Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.”
45“But if that servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed in coming,' and begins to mistreat his fellow servants and to eat and drink and be drunken, 46the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will punish him; and will put him with the unfaithful. 48Everyone to whom much has been given, of him will much be required.”
49“Fiery trials are drawing near. 50I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how I am on watch until it is accomplished! 51Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.b 52For henceforth in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three.”
(Lk. 12:35–37, 39–46, 48–52)
a “for us”—(the apostles). At this time Jesus is very popular and attracts large crowds and many followers. But he knows that soon great trials will be upon them. He is warning the apostles to be watchful and ready, “Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning.”
b “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.”—Jesus is the Prince of Peace; but his coming to earth did not bring peace—not at first, at least. Although the individual believer will find great peace in his heart, the world will not know Jesus' peace until all are willing to accept his teaching of the kingdom of heaven. Until then there will be inevitable division between believers and nonbelievers.
Lk. 12:37 Then he will have / truly, I say to you, he will gird himself and have (RSV)
Lk. 12:39 You understand that / But know this that (RSV)
Lk. 12:40 is departing at / is coming at (RSV)
Lk. 12:42 said, / said, “Who is the faithful and wise steward, whom the master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? (RSV)
Lk. 12:43 find doing / find so doing. (RSV) • doing his duties. (Rieu) / doing. (RSV)
Lk. 12:45 to mistreat his fellow servants and / to beat the menservants and maidservants and (RSV) • and be drunken (KJV) / and get drunk (RSV)
Lk. 12:49 "Fiery trials are drawing near. / “I came to cast fire upon the earth; (RSV)
Lk. 12:50 am on watch until / am constrained until (RSV) (165:5–6/1824)
