Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit. Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them. Whether he comes in the second watch, or even in the third, and finds them so blessed are those slaves.
Luke 12:35-38
Having warned the disciples not to be tempted by possessions and things but to seek God’s kingdom, Jesus now switches gears. Don’t be trapped by the trappings of the world, but instead ready yourself for The Coming of the Master. Don’t be caught in laziness or indulging yourself but instead prepare for the Coming Day. That moment when the Master comes. This is another of those passages packed with features to note. The scene is one of a high state of expectation and excitement. He’s coming, be ready! It reminds me of when the girls were little and would get really excited when daddy came home. The excitement between them was tangible, almost touchable. When I came in the door I was swamped by their attention. Tania would tell me they had been in a state of readiness for the last hour before I came home. Of course, they knew the likely moment of my arrival if I was on time or being true to form. But on those days when I was “late” then the excitement, tension, expectation or readiness was raised to a whole new level. I see the same thing now in my grandchildren when Josh’s arrival is imminent. This is the kind of excitement described here. The household is on high alert.
The level of excitement and expectation depends on our interpretation of the word [gamos]. The word is related to the verb [gameo]– to marry, and so almost all translations render it “wedding feast”. But the word [gamos] had two senses – “marriage feast” and / or “just feasting of any sort”. That is why the Literal Version has, “and you be like men awaiting their lord when he returns from the feasts, so that when he’s coming and knocking, they will at once open to him.” (LITV) There are two opinions between the commentators on this one. Some see a wedding feast; others interpret it to mean the master is just returning from normal feasting. I am of the opinion it is the first sense that is meant here. It is like the whole household is in a high state of excitement. It fits the return of the master after the wedding feast. For me, I favour that interpretation above a normal feast. This is a better fit to the Second Coming of the Lord. A Jewish wedding celebration would continue for 7 days. The servants would not know exactly when the Master would return. Not like my kids or grandkids who can approximate the time when Daddy will arrive. The return from the wedding feast was more difficult to predict. Not only that, but there is every reason for the house to be filled with excitement. The master is coming home with his bride. [The text here does not make it clear that it is this master’s wedding feast.] But the fit is perfect. When He comes He will return with the bride. The servants will be there waiting with sleeves rolled up, ready for action. Actually the text says, “loins girded” and lamps lit. Now what does “loins girded” mean? Lamps lit, we know and we can figure out why. But what are loins and why do they have “girders” around them? This is a term meaning to be ready for action. The servant, if he was ready for action, tightened the belt around the long flowing robes and tucked the length of the robe into the belt so they could run or move quickly. The verb here is a mix of the perfect participle and the present imperative meaning to be in a constant state of readiness.
The word [wait – prosdechomai] contains the sense of expectation. The servants here would be in a high state of excitement and would be waiting for the moment the master would be about to knock on the door. They would hope that they could open the door the moment before he knocked. Tania at times even now, waits for the sound of the lift suggesting I am coming, and loves to stand behind the door and open it just as I am going to put the key in the door. “Surprise!” It is this atmosphere that is created here by Jesus. The word [to be alert – gregoreo] is used in this setting as well. Keep watching, stay alert, stay wide awake. Imagine the incongruity of one slave sleeping at the moment of the Master’s appearing. It would be unthinkable. There is possible imagery here of “the night” being the lulling sedative of the world with all its entrapment, to entice to laziness and indolence. But that might be reading too much into it. Ask Luke or Jesus when you can get close to them in heaven.
Luke talks of the servants who are found to be faithfully watching and waiting with expectancy, in the second or third watch. Wow, that will test your readiness and your willingness to go the extra mile. This is not the friend at midnight stuff, this goes beyond that. There are two possible time frames here, depending on which system is used. If Jesus used the schedule of the Roman night watch, then He means from 9.00 p.m. to 12.00 (2nd watch) and from 12.00 till 3.00 a.m. (3rd watch). If He is using the schedule according to the Jewish or Greek night watches, then He is referring to 10.00 p.m. till 2.00 a.m. and then 2.00 a.m. till 6.00 a.m. Whichever system is used, what is meant is the hardest period of time to stay awake, and the time frame when we least likely expected to receive the Master. People didn’t usually arrive during the 2nd Jewish watch or the third Roman watch. It’s the wee small hours.
This Master has a surprise for the servants. Kids love it when Daddy is coming home with a surprise, a present or gift after a trip away. It adds to the excitement. These servants are in for a surprise too. But one they would never imagine possible. Blessed are these servants who are ready to receive the Master. Not because of something they have done, but for something that they are, that they practice. It’s not because the floors are cleaned and banisters are shiny. It’s because their excitement is written all over their faces because Abba Father is home. Can you feel the excitement? Home with His bride no less. Even more exciting. [The angels are craning their necks to see who is among the Bride of Christ.] They ought to be serving Him. But in this case He turns around and serves them. Amazing. It would be unheard of for an Indonesian man of the household to serve the pembantu. It is just not done. The gap between master and servant is too great. I notice a reaction in Ardi, who works with me to check the Indonesian Gems, if I offer to get him a coffee. He will spring to his feet and say, “No, no, I’ll get you a coffee Pak Ian.” Its unheard of for the master to serve the servants. It’s just not done. But this Master, this Coming One, came to serve, not to be served. Ponder that one.
Don’t miss the moment! I feel another song coming on. [You can tell I love music]
The King is Coming
- The marketplace is empty,
- no more traffic in the street
- All the builder’s tools are silent,
- no more time to harvest wheat
- Busy housewives cease their labor,
- in the courtroom no debate
- Work on earth has been suspended
- as the King comes through the gate.
- Happy faces line the hallway,
- those whose lives have been redeemed
- Broken homes He has mended,
- those from prison He has freed
- Little children and the aged
- hand in hand stand all a-glow
- Who were crippled, broken, ruined,
- clad in garments white as snow
- The King is coming, the King is coming
- I just heard the trumpet sounding
- and soon His face I’ll see
- The King is coming, the King is coming
- Praise God, He’s coming for me
- I can hear the chariot’s rumble,
- I can see the marching throng
- And the fury of God’s trumpet
- spells the end of sin and wrong
- Regal rolls are now unfolded,
- heaven’s grandstands all in place
- Heaven’s choir now assembled,
- start to sing “Amazing Grace”
- The King is coming, the King is coming
- I just heard the trumpet sounding
- and soon His face I’ll see
- The King is coming, the King is coming
- Praise God, He’s coming for me
- Praise God, He’s coming for me, for me, for me
Live as though He is coming back tomorrow; as though each day is your last. One day you’ll get it right.
Ian Vail
Be ready for the sudden surprise visits of God. A ready person never needs to get ready.
Oswald Chambers
Don’t twitter away your life! Live for what matters!
Anon
Ask God to reveal to you His purpose for your life. Until you find it you haven’t lived, and until you fulfil it you’re not ready to die.
Ian Vail
The closer you get to God, the smaller everything else appears!
Rick Warren