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Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary">Alford</a> • <a href="/commentaries/barnes/luke/12.htm" title="Barnes' Notes">Barnes</a> • <a href="/commentaries/bengel/luke/12.htm" title="Bengel's Gnomen">Bengel</a> • <a href="/commentaries/benson/luke/12.htm" title="Benson Commentary">Benson</a> • <a href="/commentaries/illustrator/luke/12.htm" title="Biblical Illustrator">BI</a> • <a href="/commentaries/calvin/luke/12.htm" title="Calvin's Commentaries">Calvin</a> • <a href="/commentaries/cambridge/luke/12.htm" title="Cambridge Bible">Cambridge</a> • <a href="/commentaries/clarke/luke/12.htm" title="Clarke's Commentary">Clarke</a> • <a href="/commentaries/darby/luke/12.htm" title="Darby's Bible Synopsis">Darby</a> • <a href="/commentaries/ellicott/luke/12.htm" title="Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers">Ellicott</a> • <a href="/commentaries/expositors/luke/12.htm" title="Expositor's Bible">Expositor's</a> • <a href="/commentaries/edt/luke/12.htm" title="Expositor's Dictionary">Exp Dct</a> • <a href="/commentaries/egt/luke/12.htm" title="Expositor's Greek">Exp Grk</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gaebelein/luke/12.htm" title="Gaebelein's Annotated Bible">Gaebelein</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gsb/luke/12.htm" title="Geneva Study Bible">GSB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gill/luke/12.htm" title="Gill's Bible Exposition">Gill</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gray/luke/12.htm" title="Gray's Concise">Gray</a> • <a href="/commentaries/guzik/luke/12.htm" title="Guzik Bible Commentary">Guzik</a> • <a href="/commentaries/haydock/luke/12.htm" title="Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary">Haydock</a> • <a href="/commentaries/hastings/luke/12-15.htm" title="Hastings Great Texts">Hastings</a> • <a href="/commentaries/homiletics/luke/12.htm" title="Pulpit Homiletics">Homiletics</a> • <a href="/commentaries/icc/luke/12.htm" title="ICC NT Commentary">ICC</a> • <a href="/commentaries/jfb/luke/12.htm" title="Jamieson-Fausset-Brown">JFB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/kelly/luke/12.htm" title="Kelly Commentary">Kelly</a> • <a href="/commentaries/king-en/luke/12.htm" title="Kingcomments Bible Studies">King</a> • <a href="/commentaries/lange/luke/12.htm" title="Lange Commentary">Lange</a> • <a href="/commentaries/maclaren/luke/12.htm" title="MacLaren Expositions">MacLaren</a> • <a href="/commentaries/mhc/luke/12.htm" title="Matthew Henry Concise">MHC</a> • <a href="/commentaries/mhcw/luke/12.htm" title="Matthew Henry Full">MHCW</a> • <a href="/commentaries/meyer/luke/12.htm" title="Meyer Commentary">Meyer</a> • <a href="/commentaries/parker/luke/12.htm" title="The People's Bible by Joseph Parker">Parker</a> • <a href="/commentaries/pnt/luke/12.htm" title="People's New Testament">PNT</a> • <a href="/commentaries/poole/luke/12.htm" title="Matthew Poole">Poole</a> • <a href="/commentaries/pulpit/luke/12.htm" title="Pulpit Commentary">Pulpit</a> • <a href="/commentaries/sermon/luke/12.htm" title="Sermon Bible">Sermon</a> • <a href="/commentaries/sco/luke/12.htm" title="Scofield Reference Notes">SCO</a> • <a href="/commentaries/ttb/luke/12.htm" title="Through The Bible">TTB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/vws/luke/12.htm" title="Vincent's Word Studies">VWS</a> • <a href="/commentaries/wes/luke/12.htm" title="Wesley's Notes">WES</a> • <a href="#tsk" title="Treasury of Scripture Knowledge">TSK</a></div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="comtype">EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)</div><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/luke/12.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(38) <span class= "bld">And if he shall come in the second watch.</span>—In <a href="/mark/13-35.htm" title="Watch you therefore: for you know not when the master of the house comes, at even, or at midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or in the morning:">Mark 13:35</a> we have the Roman four-fold division of the night. (See Note there.) Here we find the older Jewish division into three watches. (<a href="/judges/7-19.htm" title="So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came to the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and broke the pitchers that were in their hands.">Judges 7:19</a>, <a href="/1_samuel/11-11.htm" title="And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the middle of the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.">1Samuel 11:11</a>.)<p><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/benson/luke/12.htm">Benson Commentary</a></div><span class="bld"><a href="/context/luke/12-38.htm" title="And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants....">Luke 12:38-40</a></span>. <span class="ital">And if he shall come in the second or third watch, </span>&c. — This included all the time from nine in the evening to three in the morning; and was as if he had said, whether he come early or late. Here our Lord enforces “this constant watchfulness and habitual preparation for his coming, from the consideration of the uncertainty of the time of it; telling them, that as there is no master of a family but would make some preparation against a thief, if he knew of his coming, so it would be no great matter if they should make some preparation, on receiving certain information of his approach: for which reason, their zeal could only show itself by keeping them in constant readiness, as they did not know what hour he would come. <span class="ital">Be ye therefore ready also, for the Son of man cometh, </span>&c. — “The coming of the Son of man often signifies his providential interposition for the destruction of Jerusalem; but it cannot be taken in such a sense here, because our Lord speaks of an <span class="ital">immediate </span>reward to be bestowed on all faithful servants; and an immediate punishment to be executed on all that were unfaithful; and expressly declares this to be a matter of universal concern: all which particulars have very little sense or propriety, when applied to the destruction of Jerusalem. It must, therefore, be understood of his coming to remove them from the capacities of service here, to give up their account. And, if we suppose it to relate to death, as well as judgment, (which by a consequence at least it undoubtedly does,) it strongly intimates his having such a dominion over the invisible world, that every soul removed into it might be said to be fetched away by him.” — Doddridge.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="mhc" id="mhc"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/mhc/luke/12.htm">Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary</a></div>12:22-40 Christ largely insisted upon this caution not to give way to disquieting, perplexing cares, Mt 6:25-34. The arguments here used are for our encouragement to cast our care upon God, which is the right way to get ease. As in our stature, so in our state, it is our wisdom to take it as it is. An eager, anxious pursuit of the things of this world, even necessary things, ill becomes the disciples of Christ. Fears must not prevail; when we frighten ourselves with thoughts of evil to come, and put ourselves upon needless cares how to avoid it. If we value the beauty of holiness, we shall not crave the luxuries of life. Let us then examine whether we belong to this little flock. Christ is our Master, and we are his servants; not only working servants, but waiting servants. We must be as men that wait for their lord, that sit up while he stays out late, to be ready to receive him. In this Christ alluded to his own ascension to heaven, his coming to call his people to him by death, and his return to judge the world. We are uncertain as to the time of his coming to us, we should therefore be always ready. If men thus take care of their houses, let us be thus wise for our souls. Be ye therefore ready also; as ready as the good man of the house would be, if he knew at what hour the thief would come.<a name="bar" id="bar"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/barnes/luke/12.htm">Barnes' Notes on the Bible</a></div>See the notes at <a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/24-42.htm">Matthew 24:42-51</a>.<p>Second watch - See the notes at <a href="/matthew/14-25.htm">Matthew 14:25</a>. <a name="jfb" id="jfb"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/jfb/luke/12.htm">Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary</a></div>38. second … third watch—To find them ready to receive Him at any hour of day or night, when one might least of all expect Him, is peculiarly blessed. A servant may be truly faithful, even though taken so far unawares that he has not everything in such order and readiness for his master's return as he thinks is due to him, and both could and would have had if he had had notice of the time of his coming, and so may not be willing to open to him "immediately," but fly to preparation, and let his master knock again ere he admit him, and even then not with full joy. A too common case this with Christians. But if the servant have himself and all under his charge in such a state that at any hour when his master knocks, he can open to him "immediately," and hail his "return"—that is the most enviable, "blessed" servant of all.<div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/poole/luke/12.htm">Matthew Poole's Commentary</a></div> <span class="bld">See Poole on "<a href="/luke/12-37.htm" title="Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he comes shall find watching: truly I say to you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.">Luke 12:37</a>"</span> <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="gil" id="gil"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/gill/luke/12.htm">Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible</a></div>And if he shall come in the second watch,.... Of the night, that is, after nine o'clock, or any time between nine or twelve; for the second watch was from nine o'clock till twelve; and this was coming early from an entertainment, or a wedding, which were commonly kept in the night, and late; <p>or come in the third watch, or after twelve o'clock, or any time between twelve and three; for the third watch was from twelve o'clock to three, which was late; See Gill on <a href="/matthew/14-25.htm">Matthew 14:25</a> The Persic version reads, "in the second, or third part of the night"; and the Ethiopic version, "in the second or third hour of the night"; <p>and find them so. The Arabic version adds, "doing"; as above described, with their loins girt, lights burning, and they watching for their Lord's coming: <p>blessed are those servants; since they shall be used and treated as before related. <a name="gsb" id="gsb"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/gsb/luke/12.htm">Geneva Study Bible</a></div><span class="cverse2">And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.</span></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><div class="comtype">EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)</div><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/meyer/luke/12.htm">Meyer's NT Commentary</a></div><a href="/luke/12-38.htm" title="And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.">Luke 12:38</a>. The earlier or later <span class="ital">time</span> of the Advent will make no difference in this blessed recompense. Jesus does not mention the <span class="ital">first</span> of the four night-watches (see on <a href="/matthew/14-25.htm" title="And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.">Matthew 14:25</a>), because in this the marriage-feast took place; nor the <span class="ital">fourth</span>, because so late a return would have been unusual, and in this place contrary to the decorum of the events that were represented.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/egt/luke/12.htm">Expositor's Greek Testament</a></div><a href="/luke/12-38.htm" title="And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.">Luke 12:38</a>. <span class="greekheb">ἐν τῇ δευτέρᾳ</span>, etc., second and third watches named as the times at which men are most apt to be overtaken with sleep (Hahn), the night being probably supposed to consist of <span class="ital">four</span> watches, and the first omitted as too early, and the last as too late for the return.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/cambridge/luke/12.htm">Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges</a></div><span class="bld">38</span>. <span class="ital">come in the second watch</span>, <span class="ital">or come in the third watch</span>] It is not clear, nor very important, whether St Luke here alludes to the <span class="ital">three </span>watches of the Jews and Greeks (<a href="/lamentations/2-19.htm" title="Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out your heart like water before the face of the LORD: lift up your hands toward him for the life of your young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street.">Lamentations 2:19</a>; <a href="/judges/7-19.htm" title="So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came to the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and broke the pitchers that were in their hands.">Jdg 7:19</a>; <a href="/exodus/14-24.htm" title="And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked to the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,">Exodus 14:24</a>) or to the <span class="ital">four</span> of the Romans (Jerome, Ep. CXL.). But it <span class="ital">is</span> very important to observe that often as our Lord bade His disciples to <span class="ital">be ready </span>for His return, He as often indicates that His return might be long delayed, <a href="/context/matthew/25-5.htm" title="While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept....">Matthew 25:5-19</a>. He always implied that He should come suddenly (<a href="/context/luke/21-34.htm" title="And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come on you unawares....">Luke 21:34-36</a>; <a href="/context/1_thessalonians/5-2.htm" title="For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night....">1 Thessalonians 5:2-6</a>; <a href="/revelation/3-3.htm" title="Remember therefore how you have received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore you shall not watch, I will come on you as a thief, and you shall not know what hour I will come on you.">Revelation 3:3</a>) but not necessarily soon, <a href="/luke/12-46.htm" title="The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looks not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.">Luke 12:46</a>; <a href="/context/2_peter/3-8.htm" title="But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day....">2 Peter 3:8-9</a>. “The <span class="ital">Parousia</span> does not come so quickly as impatience, nor yet so late as carelessness, supposes.” Van Oosterzee.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/bengel/luke/12.htm">Bengel's Gnomen</a></div><a href="/luke/12-38.htm" title="And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.">Luke 12:38</a>. <span class="greekheb">Δευτέρᾳ</span>, <span class="ital">in the second</span>) The first watch is not mentioned: inasmuch as it was the very time itself of the nuptial feast.—<span class="greekheb">τρίτῃ</span>, <span class="ital">in the third</span>) The Romans used to divide the night into four watches, the Jews into three. Accordingly Simonius establishes it as certain, that Luke alludes to the Jewish division.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="pul" id="pul"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/luke/12.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 38.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so</span>. Among the Jews at the time of our Lord, the old division of the night into three watches had given place to the ordinary Roman division into four. They were reckoned thus: from six to nine, from nine to midnight, from midnight to three, and from three to six. In this parable the second and third watches are mentioned as necessary for the completeness of the picture; for the <span class="accented">banquet</span> would certainly not be over before the end of the first watch, and in the fourth the <span class="accented">day</span> would be breaking. The second and third watches, then, represent the still and weary hours of the night, when to watch is indeed a task of difficulty and painfulness; and here again the Lord repeats his high encomium on such devoted conduct in his second "blessed are those servants." It is perfectly clear that in this parable the master's return signifies the coming of Christ. The whole tone, then, is a grave reminder to us, to all impatient ones, that the great event <span class="accented">may</span> be long delayed, much longer than most Christian thinkers dream; but it tells us, too. that this long delay involves a test of their loyalty. "The parousia does not come so quickly as impatience, nor yet so late as carelessness, supposes" (Van Oosterzee). Luke 12:38<a name="vws" id="vws"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/vws/luke/12.htm">Vincent's Word Studies</a></div>Second watch<p>See on <a href="/mark/13-35.htm">Mark 13:35</a>. <div class="vheading2">Links</div><a href="/interlinear/luke/12-38.htm">Luke 12:38 Interlinear</a><br /><a href="/texts/luke/12-38.htm">Luke 12:38 Parallel Texts</a><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/niv/luke/12-38.htm">Luke 12:38 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/luke/12-38.htm">Luke 12:38 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/luke/12-38.htm">Luke 12:38 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/luke/12-38.htm">Luke 12:38 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/luke/12-38.htm">Luke 12:38 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="http://bibleapps.com/luke/12-38.htm">Luke 12:38 Bible Apps</a><br /><a href="/luke/12-38.htm">Luke 12:38 Parallel</a><br /><a href="http://bibliaparalela.com/luke/12-38.htm">Luke 12:38 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="http://holybible.com.cn/luke/12-38.htm">Luke 12:38 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="http://saintebible.com/luke/12-38.htm">Luke 12:38 French Bible</a><br /><a href="http://bibeltext.com/luke/12-38.htm">Luke 12:38 German Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible Hub</a><br /></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td align="center"><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script><br /><br /> </div> <div id="left"><a href="../luke/12-37.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Luke 12:37"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Luke 12:37" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../luke/12-39.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Luke 12:39"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Luke 12:39" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div> <div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>