Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

Mark 13:34

Enforcement of the exhortation to watch by a brief parable. At this point each of the synoptical evangelists goes his own way. In Mt. Jesus presses home the lesson by historical and prophetical pictures of the surprises brought by unexpected crises; in Lk. by general statements; in Mk. y a comparison which seems to be the germ of the parable in Matthew 25:14-23. ἄνθρωπος ἀπόδημος (here only), a travelling man, cf. ἄνθ. ἔμπορος, a merchant man, in Matthew 13:45. ἀφεὶς, τοὺς : these participles specify the circumstances under which the command to the porter, the main point, was given; it was when the master was leaving, and when he gave to all his servants his parting instructions. τὴν ἐξουσίαν, his (the master's) authority, distributed among the servants when he could no longer exercise it himself. τὸ ἔργον α., to each one his work, in apposition with ἐξουσίαν. In the master's absence each man became his own master; put upon his honour, the seat of the ἐξουσία, and prescribing careful performance of the ἔργον entrusted to each. καὶ τ. θυρωρῷ, also, among the rest, and very specially, to the porter (he gave instructions). The καὶ here is emphatic, as if it had been καὶ δὴ καὶ. ἵνα γρηγορῇ, that he should watch: note that in this parable the function of watching becomes the business of one the porter. Each servant has his appropriate task; the porter's is to watch. Yet in the moral sphere watching is the common duty of all, the temper in which all are to discharge their functions. All have to be porters, waiting at the gate, ready to open it to the returning master. Hence the closing exhortation in Mark 13:37. What I say to you, the four disciples (Mark 13:3), I say to all: watch. This had to be added, because it was not said or suggested by the parable; a defect which makes it doubtful whether we have here a logion of Jesus in authentic form, and which may account for its omission by Lk.

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Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

Mark 13:34

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