Luke 12:36-48

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 12:35-38

The First Parable - The Servants in Readiness (12:35-38). In this parable Jesus is dealing with the responsibility that all who claim to be His servants have for the whole world (the lord’s house), although those who originally heard it probably thought in terms of the people of Israel. The emphasis is on the responsibility of those who are put in position of authority by Him, whether high or low. The crowds and the Pharisees probably in fact saw in it just a pointer to the need to be faithful... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 12:35-40

What The Attitude Of His Disciples Should Be (12:35-40). The parable that follows confirms that Jesus will have been previously laying out the background to them (we know so little of the much that He taught them). He had certainly told them that He would die, and rise again (Luke 9:22; Luke 9:31; Luke 9:44; Luke 12:8 assumes it), and as Mark makes clear it was a lesson repeated a number of times (Mark 8:31; Mark 9:12; Mark 9:31; Mark 10:45. Note how the verbs demonstrate that it was constant... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 12:36

“And be you yourselves like to men looking for their lord, when he shall return from the marriage feast, that, when he comes and knocks, they may open to him straight away.” And the servants themselves had to be like men who were waiting for the return of their lord who could arrive at any moment. He had gone to a marriage feast (which would be of uncertain length), but all must be ready for his return, and when he did arrive and knock things had to be in such a state of readiness that they... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 12:37

“Truly I say to you, that he will gird himself, and make them sit down to food, and will come and serve them.” Indeed they will be so blessed that they will receive far more than they could ever have anticipated. It will become a special Servant’s Day. The lord himself will tuck in his robes and sit them down at his table, and will himself come and serve them. It is one of the quirks of human nature that through the ages important men have had ‘servants’ days’ when precisely this was done. For... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 12:38

“And if he shall come in the second watch, and if in the third, and find them so, blessed are those servants.” And they must be in a state of readiness whenever he returns, whether in the second watch or the third. The Jews had three ‘watches’ to the night (as against the Romans with four), at which point guards would be changed, and new sentries posted. And the night was thought of in terms of those three periods of watching. Thus the idea is that they should be ready all night. (No servant... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 12:39

The Second Parable - The Thief Breaking In (12:39). “But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched, and not have left his house to be broken through.” The second illustration is of the arrival of a thief. No one knows when it will happen, for if they did they would be in readiness and it would not happen. ‘Broken through.’ The thief would enter a house by breaking through the mud walls of a typical Palestinian house. Again the... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 12:40

“You be also ready, for in an hour that you think not the Son of man comes.” The lesson of both parables is then made clear. All are to be ready because the Son of Man will come in the very hour that He is not expected. Many in the crowd would be thinking in terms of the coming Messiah. Others might have gathered that Jesus was the Son of Man and have been puzzled. They may have related it to the way in which He kept arriving and then departing. But the disciples should have recognise that it... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 12:41

‘And Peter said, “Lord, do you speak this parable to us, or even to all?” ’ Peter clearly recognised that not all the crowd could be expected to understand the parable as he understood it. So he asks Jesus whether it is a parable for the inner circle or for all. Depending on that will depend its meaning for them. He had not yet caught on to the fact that parables contained a number of meanings, and each one who heard it gathered from it that of which he or she was capable. This was the beauty... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 12:41-42

‘And Peter said, “Lord, do you speak this parable to us, or even to all?” And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall set over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?” Jesus replies to Peter’s question with a question. In other words He says the choice is up to Peter and the other disciples what they apply to themselves. He is aware that it will be some time before they really appreciate its significance. In it He points to the... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 12:42-48

The Parable of The Servants Good and Bad (12:42-48). In reply to Peter’s question Jesus tells a parable about an individual steward (although it expands to cover all level of servants at the end). It should be noted that again the parable is open to varied interpretation. The crowd could see the mention of the lord’s coming as just a part of His comings and goings without reading into it the second coming. They would simply see it as a warning of the need to serve God faithfully, especially... read more

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 12:35-38

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 12:35-40

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 12:36

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 12:37

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 12:38

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 12:39

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 12:40

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 12:41

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 12:41-42

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 12:42-48

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