You Must Be Ready

Luke 12:37 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.

Jesus’ teaching about readiness

In this section Jesus told two parables (Luke 12:35-40 and Luke 12:42-48) which were joined by a question by Peter (Luke 12:41). The second parable expands and explains the first. We see verse 37 here, review 42-48.

Blessed...

μακάριος

makarios

mak-ar'-ee-os

A prolonged form of the poetical μάκαρ makar (meaning the same); supremely blest; by extension fortunate, well off: - blessed, happy (X -ier).

are those...

ἐκεῖνος

ekeinos

ek-i'-nos

From thither; that one (or [neuter] thing); often intensified by the article prefixed: - he, it, the other (same), selfsame, that (same, very), X their, X them, they, this, those.

servants (all believers),...

δοῦλος

doulos

doo'-los

From to bind; a slave (literally or figuratively, involuntarily or voluntarily; frequently therefore in a qualified sense of subjection or subserviency): - bond (-man), servant.

whom...

ὅς, ἥ, ὅ

hos hē ho

hos, hay, ho

Probably a primary word (or perhaps a form of the article the); the relative (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that: - one, (an-, the) other, some, that, what, which, who (-m, -se), etc.

Lord...

κύριος

kurios

koo'-ree-os

From κῦρος kuros (supremacy); supreme in authority, that is, (as noun) controller; by implication Mr. (as a respectful title): - God, Lord, master, Sir.

when He (Jesus) cometh...

ἔρχομαι

erchomai

er'-khom-ahee

Middle voice of a primary verb (used only in the present and imperfect tenses, the others being supplied by a kindred [middle voice] word, ἐλεύθομαι eleuthomai or ἔλθω elthō; which do not otherwise occur); to come or go (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively): - accompany, appear, bring, come enter, fall out, go, grow, X light, X next, pass, resort, be set.

shall find...

εὑρίσκω

heuriskō

hyoo-ris'-ko

A prolonged form of a primary word εὕρω heurō; which (together with another cognate form, εὑρέω heureō) is used for it in all the tenses except the present and imperfect; to find (literally or figuratively): - find, get, obtain, perceive, see.

Jesus taught that the disciples (believers) should be ready because the Son of Man will come at a time when they will not be expecting Him. The parable describes a scene in which several servants were waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet. The point was that they had to remain constantly vigilant so that the master would be able to come into the house whenever he might arrive at home. If they are watching (Luke 12:37) and ready (Luke 12:38), their master will serve them. The second watch was from 9 p.m. to midnight, and the third watch was from midnight to 3 a.m. The point of the words about the thief (Luke 12:39) is the same - the disciples must “be ready” for “the Son of Man will come” unexpectedly.

watching:...

γρηγορεύω

grēgoreuō

gray-gor-yoo'-o

From to waken; to keep awake, that is, watch (literally or figuratively): - be vigilant, wake, (be) watch (-ful).

verily...

ἀμήν

amēn

am-ane'

Of Hebrew origin [sure]; properly firm, that is, (figuratively) trustworthy; adverbially surely (often as interjection so be it): - amen, verily.

I (Jesus) say...

λέγω

legō

leg'-o

A primary verb; properly to “lay” forth, that is, (figuratively) relate (in words [usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas to speak or say and to show generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while to utter is properly to break silence merely, and preach means an extended or random harangue]); by implication to mean: - ask, bid, boast, call, describe, give out, name, put forth, say (-ing, on), shew, speak, tell, utter.

unto you (disciples/believers),...

ὑμῖν

humin

hoo-min'

Irregular dative case of you; to (with or by) you: - ye, you, your (-selves).

that...

ὅτι

hoti

hot'-ee

Neuter of which some as conjugation; demonstrative that (sometimes redundant); causatively because: - as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.

Here He (Jesus) girds Himself to serve and reward His servants for faithfulness.

He (Jesus) shall gird...

περιζώννυμι

perizōnnumi

per-id-zone'-noo-mee

From around and to bind about; to gird all around, that is, (middle or passive voice) to fasten on one's belt (literally or figuratively): - gird (about, self).

Himself, and...

καί

kai

kahee

Apparently a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so, then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words: - and, also, both, but, even, for, if, indeed, likewise, moreover, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yea, yet.

make them...

αὐτός

autos

ow-tos'

From the particle αὖ au (perhaps akin to the base of respire through the idea of a baffling wind; backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the compound of him) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons: - her, it (-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, ([self-], the) same, ([him-, my-, thy-]) self, [your-] selves, she, that, their (-s), them ([-selves]), there [-at, -by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with], they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.

to sit down to meat,...

ἀνακλίνω

anaklinō

an-ak-lee'-no

From up and to slant or slope; to lean back: - lay, (make) sit down.

and... see above.

will come forth...

παρέρχομαι

parerchomai

par-er'-khom-ahee

From from beside and to come or go; to come near or aside, that is, to approach (arrive), go by (or away), (figuratively) perish or neglect, (causatively) avert: - come (forth), go, pass (away, by, over), past, transgress.

and serve...

διακονέω

diakoneō

dee-ak-on-eh'-o

From to run on errands; to be an attendant, that is, wait upon (menially or as a host, friend or [figuratively] teacher); technically to act as a Christian deacon: - (ad-) minister (unto), serve, use the office of a deacon.

them... see make them above.