Luke 12:38
“And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.”
This verse is part of a larger passage in which Jesus is teaching His disciples about the importance of being watchful and ready for His return. In this particular verse, Jesus is describing a scenario where the master of a house returns unexpectedly and finds his servants vigilant and prepared for his arrival.
To better understand the context, let’s look at the surrounding verses:
“35 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;
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.: 37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.
And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.: 39 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.” (Luke 12:35-40, KJV)
In this passage, Jesus draws a parallel between the return of the master of a house and His own second coming. He encourages His disciples to be vigilant and prepared, as they do not know the exact hour when He will return. Jesus emphasizes the importance of being ready at any time, regardless of whether it is the “second watch” (approximately between 9 p.m. and midnight) or the “third watch” (approximately between midnight and 3 a.m.).
The message behind this verse is that those who are found faithfully watching and ready for the Lord’s return will be blessed. In verse 37, Jesus states that the master will reward those servants by serving them and allowing them to partake in a feast. This highlights the idea that those who are diligent in their faith and await the Lord’s return with anticipation will be rewarded and blessed by Him.
Furthermore, Jesus uses the analogy of a thief coming in an unexpected hour in verse 39. Just as a homeowner would stay alert if he knew a thief was coming, Jesus urges His followers to be spiritually alert and prepared, knowing that His return will come at an unexpected hour.
In summary, Luke 12:38 teaches us the importance of being watchful, faithful, and prepared for the return of Jesus Christ. It encourages believers to maintain a state of readiness, as the blessings and rewards will be bestowed upon those who remain vigilant in their faith, eagerly awaiting the Lord’s return.
