BE VIGILANT – OCTOBER 19TH – TUESDAY (Lk 12: 35-38)

1. Our attitude in life must be that of servants, at once loyal and devoted, whom their employer has left in his house while he is absent at the great wedding feast. The day of his absence passes into evening and evening shades into night and even night wears slowly and tediously away, and still the master of the house comes not back from his festival.

2. The title blessed, when used by our Lord, is ever a very lofty one, and implies some rare and precious virtue in the one to whom this title to honour is given. It seems as though the house master of the parable scarcely expected such true devotion from his servant; so he hastens to reward a rare virtue with equally rare blessedness and honour.

3. Among the Jews at the time of our Lord, the old division of the night into three watches had given place to the ordinary Roman division into four from six to nine, nine to midnight, midnight to three and three to six; for the banquet would certainly not over before the end of the first watch and in the fourth, the day would be breaking. The second and third watches then represent the still and weary hours of night, when to watch is indeed a task of difficulty and painfulness. The delay involves a test of their loyalty.

4. The passage urges disciples to eschatological vigilance and readiness, for in their present condition they all like servants who are expected to carry out their duties in the absence of their master, whose return may occur at any time.

5. The Oriental dress consisted of a long, loose, flowing robe. This was in the way, when quick action became necessary and was either laid aside altogether as when the witnesses against Stephen laid down their clothes at Saul’s feet while they proceeded to stone this martyr or was girded up by a belt about the waist as when the Israelites ate their first Passover in haste, ready for instant- departure from Egypt. So when they were travelling men girded up their loins and men who were serving at table where quick movement was necessary also did so.

Many of us might have had this experience of visiting families. If we enter certain houses without the prior information, we see a sort of reaction mixed with surprise and embarrassment from the hosts. They feel embarrassed if the house is not in order. They somehow put us in a better place, tell the father of the family to keep us occupied and meanwhile the mother tries to put some order in the house. Some may even say, ‘You could have told us early, we might have prepared everything”. Jesus tells us that He would do such a thing. If we know that the guest is going to come, we somehow arrange everything and give the guest an impression that the house is neat and tide always. Jesus does not want a temporary preparation but wants us to maintain the order in our lives throughout.

Courtesy
The Holman New testament Commentary
The Pulpit Commentary
The Anchor Bible Commentary
Interpretation of St. Luke