Mark 13:33-37

Mark 13:33-37. Take ye heed Of every thing that would unfit you for your Master’s coming, that might lull you into a fatal security, and render you negligent and slothful: watch and pray Let your minds be always awake to a sense of your danger, and be on your guard against it: watch for the coming of your Lord, that it may not surprise you, and pray for that grace which is necessary to qualify you for it, by enabling you to fulfil his will in all things. For ye know not when the time is And ought to be ready every day for that which may come any day. This he illustrates in the close by a parable. The Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, &c. Being about to leave this world and go to the Father; who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, &c. Gave authority to some that were to be overseers, and work to others that were to be labourers; and commanded the porter to watch To be ready to open to him at his return; and in the mean time to take care to whom he should open his gates, not to idle vagrants, thieves, and robbers, but only to his master’s friends and servants. Thus our Lord Jesus, when he ascended on high, left something to all his servants to do, expecting they should all serve his cause in his absence, and be ready to receive him at his return. All are appointed to work, and some are authorized to rule. See notes on Matthew 24:42-51. Watch ye therefore The advice is repeated and pressed upon them, because of its unspeakable importance, as it is also upon us. For ye know not when the master of the house cometh The builder, head, and ruler of his house, the church; the Son, presiding over his own house, or family, Hebrews 3:6: Ye know not when he will come to take account of his servants, and of their work, and of the improvement they have made; at even or at midnight, &c. Οψε , evening, answers to the first watch of the night, which began at sun-setting and ended at nine: μεσονυκτιον , or midnight, answers to the second watch, which ended at twelve: αλεκτοροφωνια , or the cock-crowing, answers to the third watch, which ended at three in the morning: πρωι , or the morning, answers to the fourth watch, which ended at six. As if he had said, Early and late, hold yourselves in a prepared state; lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping In a state of lukewarmness and sloth. Observe, reader! 1st, This is applicable to his coming to each of us in particular at death, as well as to his coming to us all in general at the final judgment. Our present life is a night, a dark night, compared with the other life; we know not in which watch of the night our Master will come; whether in the days of youth, or middle age, or old age; but as soon as we are born, we begin to die; and therefore, as soon as we are capable of expecting any thing, we must expect death. 2d, Our great care must be that, whenever our Lord comes, he do not find us sleeping secure in ourselves, off our guard, indulging ourselves in ease and sloth, mindless of our work and duty, and thoughtless of our Lord’s coming; ready to say, He will not come, and so being unprepared to meet him. 3d, His coming will indeed be a sudden coming; it will be a great surprise and terror to those that are careless and asleep: it will come upon them as a thief in the night. It is therefore, 4th, the indispensable duty of all Christ’s disciples to watch, to be awake, and keep awake. What I say unto you twelve, I say unto all My disciples and followers; what I say to you of this generation, I say to all that shall believe in me through your word: Watch Expect my second coming, and prepare for it, that you may be found in peace, without spot and blameless.