Luke 12:39-40

Vers. 39 and 40. Parable of the Thief. “ And this ye 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. 40. Be ye therefore ready also; for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. ” Γινώσκετε, ye know, should be taken as indic. rather than as imper.; this knowledge is the basis of the exhortation, Luke 12:40. The application should be made as follows: If the hour of attack were known, men would not fail to hold themselves ready against that hour; and therefore when it is not known, as in this case, the only way is to be always ready.

The real place of this saying is possibly that given to it by Matthew (Matthew 24:42-44) in the eschatological discourses; Mark is here at one with him.

Of all the sayings of Jesus, there is not one whose influence has made itself more felt in the writings of the N. T. than this (1 Thessalonians 5:1-2; 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 3:3; Rev 16:15); it had awakened a deep echo in the heart of the disciples. It indicates the real meaning of waiting for the second advent of Christ. The Church has not the task of fixing beforehand that unknown and unknowable time; she has nothing else to do, in virtue of her very ignorance, from which she ought not to wish to escape, than to remain invariably on the watch. This attitude is her security, her life, the principle of her virgin purity. This duty of watching evidently embraces both the disengagement and the attachment which are commanded in this discourse.