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The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 12:39-40

And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not . The Lord abruptly changes the scene of his parable imagery, and with another striking and vivid example enforces his teaching on the subject of the urgent necessity of his servants keeping a sleepless and diligent watch and ward against his... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Luke 12:32

Little flock - Our Saviour often represents himself as a shepherd, and his followers as a flock or as sheep. The figure was beautiful. In Judea it was a common employment to attend flocks. The shepherd was with them, defended them, provided for them, led them to green pastures and beside still waters. In all these things Jesus was and is eminently the Good Shepherd. His flock was small. Few “really” followed him, compared with the multitude who professed to love him. But, though small in... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Luke 12:33

Sell that ye have - Sell your property. Exchange it for that which you can use in distributing charity. This was the condition of their being disciples. Their property they gave up; they forsook it, or they put it into common stock, for the sake of giving alms to the poor, Acts 2:44; Acts 4:32; John 12:6; Acts 5:2.Bags which wax not old - The word “bags,” here, means “purses,” or the bags attached to their girdles, in which they carried their money. See the notes at Matthew 5:38. By bags which... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Luke 12:35-36

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 5:38-41. 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... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Luke 12:37

Shall gird himself - Shall take the place of the servant himself. Servants who waited on the table were girded in the manner described above.Shall make them sit ... - Shall place them at his table and feast them. This evidently means that if we are faithful to Christ, and are ready to meet him when he returns, he will receive us into heaven - will admit us to all its blessings, and make us happy there - as if “he” should serve us and minister to our wants. It will be as if a master, instead of... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Luke 12:38-46

See the notes at Matthew 24:42-51.Second watch - See the notes at Matthew 14:25. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Luke 12:32-34

Luke 12:32-34. Fear not, little flock You, my dear property and charge, however feeble you may seem; fear not, I say, that you shall be left destitute of those common blessings of providence, for it is your Father’s good pleasure, &c. Ευδοκησεν , he takes delight, or joyfully acquiesces, in giving you the kingdom, even the kingdom of eternal glory; and can you possibly imagine, that while he intends to bestow that upon you, and even takes pleasure in the thought of making you so... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Luke 12:35-36

Luke 12:35-36. Let your loins, &c. Our Lord, having recommended to his disciples disengagement of affection from the things of this world, and a due moderation as to their esteem for, and cares about, earthly possessions, proceeds now to exhort them to be in constant readiness for the proper discharge of their duty, for their final remove from earth, and for the awful solemnities of death, judgment, and eternity. That this is the purport of this paragraph, seems evident from every part... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Luke 12:37

Luke 12:37. Blessed are those servants, &c. And blessed also will you be, if this shall be your case: verily, he shall gird himself, and make them sit down to meat The master of such servants, pleased with their care, would perhaps order them a refreshment, after having watched and fasted so long; and if he were of a very humane disposition, might even bring it them himself, and give it them out of his own hand. It may not be improper to observe here, that it was usual for servants to... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Luke 12:38-40

Luke 12:38-40. And if he shall come in the second or third watch, &c. This included all the time from nine in the evening to three in the morning; and was as if he had said, whether he come early or late. Here our Lord enforces “this constant watchfulness and habitual preparation for his coming, from the consideration of the uncertainty of the time of it; telling them, that as there is no master of a family but would make some preparation against a thief, if he knew of his coming, so it... read more

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