Luke 12:36

And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. AND YE YOURSELVES LIKE UNTO MEN THAT WAIT FOR THEIR LORD ... In the corresponding parable of the Virgins (, etc.) the preparedness is for the wedding; here it is for return from the wedding. But in both, the thing intended is Preparedness for Christ's Coming....

Luke 12:36._And you yourselves like men that wait for their master. _He uses another parable not mentioned by Matthew, who writes more briefly on this subject; for he compares himself to _a householder _who, while he is joining in the festivities of the marriage feast, or in other respects indulging in pleasure, out of his own house, wishes _his servants _to conduct themselves with modesty and sobriety at home, attending to their lawful occupations, and diligently waiting for his return. Now though the Son of God has departed to the blessed rest of heaven, and is absent from us, yet as he has assigned to every one his duty, it would be improper for us to give way to indolent repose. Besides, as he has promised that he will return to us, we ought to hold ourselves prepared, at every moment, to receive him, that he may not find _us sleeping. _For if a mortal man looks up

22-40 Christ largely insisted upon this caution not to give way to disquieting, perplexing cares, Matthew 6:25. The arguments here used are for our encouragement to cast our care upon God, which is the right way to get ease. As in our stature, so in our state, it is our wisdom to take it as it is. An eager, anxious pursuit of the things of this world, even necessary things, ill becomes the disciples of Christ. Fears must not prevail; when we frighten ourselves with thoughts of evil to come, and put ourselves upon needless cares how to avoid it. If we value the beauty of holiness, we shall not crave the luxuries of life. Let us then examine whether we belong to this little flock. Christ is our Master, and we are his servants; not only working servants, but waiting servants. We must be as men that wait for their lord, that sit up while he stays out late, to be ready to receive him. In thi...

Verse 36. _THAT WAIT FOR THEIR LORD_] Matthew 25:1, c. _THE WEDDING_] How the Jewish weddings were celebrated, see in the notes on Matthew 8:12; Matthew 22:13....

LET YOUR LOINS ... - This alludes to the ancient manner of dress. They wore a long flowing robe as their outer garment. See the notes at Matthew 5:38. When they labored, or walked, or ran, it was necessary to “gird” or tie this up by a “sash” or girdle about the body, that it might not impede their progress. Hence, to gird up the loins means to be “ready,” to be active, to be diligent. Compare 2 Kings 4:29; 2 Kings 9:1; Jeremiah 1:17; Acts 12:8. YOUR LIGHTS BURNING - This expresses the same

EXPOSITION LUKE 12:1 _The Lord_,_ after leaving the Pharisee_'_s house_,_ speaks at great length to a numerous crowd waiting for him_,_ addressing his words principally to his own disciples. _The foregoing scene (Luke 11:1.), when the Master addressed his bitter reproaches to the learned and cultivated of the great Pharisee party, took place in a private house belonging to an apparently wealthy member of this, the dominant class. The name of the large village or provincial town where all this happened is unknown. The crowd who had been listening to the great Teacher before he accepted the Pharisee's invitation still lingered around the house. Many from the adjoining villages, hearing that Jesus was in this place and was publicly teaching, had

AND YE YOURSELVES LIKE UNTO MEN THAT WAIT FOR THEIR LORD,.... Who either was at a wedding, or was the bridegroom himself; so be ye in a readiness, waiting for the coming of Christ, the bridegroom of the church: WHEN HE WILL RETURN FROM THE WEDDING, The Syriac version renders it, "from the house of feasting"; from any entertainment, or from the marriage feast, or rather the marriage itself, to the bride chamber: so when Christ has, by the preaching of the Gospel, and the power of his grace, espoused all his elect, he will descend from heaven, and take them to himself; they shall then be called to the marriage supper of the Lamb, and enter with him into the nuptial chamber, and be for ever with him: THAT WHEN HE COMETH AND KNOCKETH, THEY MAY OPEN TO HIM IMMEDIATELY; and let him in without any delay, as soon as ever he comes to the door; and at the first knock, open it to him at once, hav...

In this chapter, our Saviour dispels the fears of his disciples concerning temporal things, and especially their fear of persecution and their fear of want. Luke 12:1. _In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid; that shall not be known._ What, therefore, can be the use of hypocrisy? Hypocrisy leads a man to pretend to be what he is not. His only hope lies in not being discovered; but, as Christ declares that «there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known;» hypocrisy becomes insanity as well as iniquity. Therefore, keep clear of it in every shape and form....

CHAPTER 12 _ 1. Warning Against Hypocrisy. (Luke 12:1)_ 2. Encouragements. (Luke 12:4) 3. Warning Against Covetousness. (Luke 12:15) 4. Warning Against Anxiety. (Luke 12:22) 5. The Disciples Comfort and Hope. (Luke 12:32) 6. The Parable of the Steward. (Luke 12:41) 7. The Purpose of God and the Resulting Division. (Luke 12:49) 8. Concerning signs.

LUKE 12:35 THREE REFERENCES TO THE PAROUSIA. Luke 12:35 (with Luke 12:47 F.). THE NEED OF WATCHFULNESS. These verses, like Luke 13:25, are clearly akin in thought to Mt.'s parable of the Ten Bridesmaids (_cf._ also Mark 13:33)* Loisy thinks we have here reminiscences and echoes of that parable; Wellhausen thinks Lk.'s form the earlier; the fermentation in Lk. has in Mt. settled down and disappeared. But it is quite possible that Mt. and Lk. are independent of each other here, especially if we disregard the return from the marriage feast in