Luke 12:39

Luk 12:39. Γινώσκετε) ye know [but Engl. Vers. Know ye].—ἐγρηγόρησεν ἂν, he would have watched) Nor would that have been anything particularly remarkable. The doubtfulness attending the hour (of the thief s coming) renders the watching both continuously-maintained and praiseworthy.—V. g.]

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk_12:39-40. See on Mat_24:43 f. The less, however, should ye be wanting in watchfulness, since the Messiah will appear unexpectedly like a thief in the night. A sudden change of figures, but appropriate for sharpening the warning in question, and not at all startling to people accustomed to the sudden turns of Oriental imagery. Whether, moreover, the passage has received its true historical place here or in the discourse on the end of the world, Matthew 24, cannot be decided.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 12:39-40 . The thief (Mat 24:43-44 ). A new figure is now employed to give pictorial embodiment to the counsel: be ever ready. The master returning from a wedding is replaced by a thief whose study it is to come to the house he means to plunder at an unexpected time. This logion is reproduced by Lk. substantially as in Mt. with only slight stylistic variations.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Matt. 24:43; Rev. 26:15; Rev. 3:3

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(39, 40) And this know, that if the goodman of the house . . .—Better, “if the master of the house.” See Notes on Mat_24:43-44, where the words are almost identical.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

39. this know] Rather, this ye know.

the goodman of the house] An archaic expression for the master of the house, the paterfamilias. It is said to be a corruption of the Saxon gumman ‘a man,’ good wife being formed from it by false analogy.

to be broken through] Literally, “to be dug through,” the houses being often of mud.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Be ye therefore ready also,.... Not habitually, but actually, in the exercise of grace, and the discharge of duty, with loins girt, and lights burning. This may be understood either of a readiness to meet the Lord in the way of his judgments, and particularly the destruction of Jerusalem, which was to be in a few years; or of a preparation for death, and the last judgment, which lies in the righteousness of Christ imputed, and his grace imparted: and to have a comfortable view of the one, and a gracious experience of the other, as they will engage to the performance of good works, to which such are ready; so they make meet for the coming of Christ, be it in what way, and whensoever it will: and the rather, a concern should be had for such a preparation, because of the following reason,

for the son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not; in either of the above ways; See Gill on Mat 24:44.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

39 And this 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.

Ver. 39. See Mat 24:43.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Some have imagined that the devil, our implacable enemy, is designated by the thief, and our souls by the house, and man by the householder: yet this interpretation does not agree with what follows; for the coming of our Lord is compared to the thief, as if surprising us on a sudden. This latter opinion, therefore, seems to be the more probable one. (Theophylactus)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

39. The goodman of the house—The householder. The image is now changed. Before, it was the servant, knowing not the hour of the coming of his Lord; now it is a householder, knowing not the hour of the coming of the thief.

His house to be broken through—Be digged through; for the walls of the eastern houses are often of clay, and the house would be attacked by excavation.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vers. 39, 40. And this 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. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. The Lord abruptly changes the scene of his parable imagery, and with another striking and vivid example enforces his teaching on the subject of the urgent necessity of his servants keeping a sleepless and diligent watch and ward against his coming again in judgment. Very deeply must this image of the Lord"s sudden return, as a thief breaks into the house in the still hours of the night, have impressed itself on the hearts of the awestruck, listening disciples, for we find in the case of SS. Paul and Peter the very words and imagery, and in the ease of St. John the imagery again made use of. (see 1Th_5:1, 2 1Pe_3:10 Rev_3:3 Rev_16:15) The meaning of the simile is obvious. The disciples and all followers of Jesus would do well to remain always on the watch for the second advent of the Lord. The time of that awful return was unknown, never could be known; men, however, must not be deceived by the long tarrying; the clay of the Lord would surely come on the world as a thief in the night.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

had known the hour

"had known when"

he would not have let his house be broken into

This can be stated in active form. AT: "he would not have let the thief break into his house" (See: Active or Passive)

because you do not know the hour when the Son of Man comes

The only similarity between a thief and the Son of Man is that people do not know when either one will come, so they need to be ready.

do not know the hour when

"do not know at what time"

when the Son of Man comes

Jesus is talking about himself. AT: "when I, the Son of Man, will come"

translationWords

lord

hour, hours

thief

Son of Man

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

39. τοῦτο … γινώσκετε. ‘This ye know.’

ὁ οἰκοδεσπότης. “Goodman” is an archaic expression for the master of the house, the paterfamilias. It is said to be a corruption of the Saxon gumman, ‘a man,’ goodwife being formed from it by false analogy.

οὐκ ἂν ἀφῆκεν διορυχθῆναι τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ. ‘He would not have left his house to be broken into.’ Literally, ‘to be dug through,’ the houses being often of mud.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

39.] I am surprised that Schleiermacher can have imagined (transl. p. 198) that this verse has been inserted so as to break the connexion, and by a later hand. Nothing can be more exact and rigid than the connexion as it now stands. Our Lord transfers, to shew the unexpected nature of his coming, and the necessity of watchfulness, the relation between Himself and the servants, to that between the thief and the οἰκοδεσπότης. For the purposes of this verse, they represent the οἰκοδεσπότης—collectively, as put in charge with the Lord’s house and household (thus the verse is intimately connected with ver. 42):—and in the further application, individually—each as the οἰκοδεσπότης of his own σκεῦος, to be kept with watchfulness against that day:—He is represented by the thief—ἰδοὺ ἔρχομαι ὡς κλέπτης, Rev 16:15; Rev 3:3.

Olshausen’s view, that the οἰκοδ. is the ἄρχων τοῦ κόσμ. τούτου, is surely quite out of keeping with the main features of the parable. That he should be put in the place of the watching servants (καὶ ὑμεῖς) seems impossible: besides that the πιστὸς οἰκονόμος below is this very οἰκοδ., being such in the absence of his Lord, but the οἰκονόμος when He appears.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

39. γινώσκετε. Probably indic. But Vulg. Luth. Beza, and all English Versions make it imperat. There is nothing strange in the sudden change of metaphor, especially in Oriental language. The “thief in the night” is a proverb for unexpected events (1Th 5:2; 2Pe 3:10; Rev 3:3, Rev 16:15). Comp. the changes of metaphor in the parallel passage Mat 24:40-44.

ἀφῆκεν. “Left his house” (RV.). AV., makes no distinction between ἀφῆκεν here and εἴασεν in Mat 24:43, rendering both “suffered.” But the RV. elsewhere renders ἀφίημι by “suffer” (8:51, 18:16); and ἀφῆκεν here cannot mean that he went out of the house, for “he would have kept awake” implies that he remained in it. If the distinction between εἵασεν and ἀφῆκεν is to be marked, the latter might be translated “allowed,” a word which the Revisers nowhere use, except in the margin of Mar 4:29.

διορυχθῆναι. “To be dug through,” the walls being made of mud. Wic. has “to be myned” here and “to be undermynyde” in Mt. for perfodiri of Vulg. Comp. διώρυξεν ἐν σκότει οἰκίας (Job 24:16); ἐὰν δὲ ἐν τῷ διορύγματι εὑρεθῇ ὁ κλέτης (Exo 22:2); οὐκ ἐν διορύγμασιν εὗρον αὐτούς (Jer 2:34).

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

What hour [ποια ωρα] . See on Mt 24:42.

Would come. Lit., cometh. See on Mt 24:43.

Broken through. See on Mt 6:19.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

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, Luk 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 (Mat 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 (1Th 5:1-2; 2Pe 3:10; Rev 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.

Frédéric Louis Godet — Commentaries on Luke, John, Romans, and 1 Corinthians — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1870s–1890s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.