Matthew Chapter 24

We continue once again with our look at the parable of “The Faithful Servant and the Evil Servant”, as we believe it will greatly aid us when we continue with our Matthew study.

Luke 12

Verse 36 “And you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.”

Our Lord gave a parable to illustrate the alertness and attentiveness that should characterize his followers.

Amongst the Jews there would be no occasion on which the servants of the household would be expected to be more alert or to manifest more interest in the welfare of the household than on the night or morning on which their master would come to his home bringing with him his bride. And so the Lord chooses this as an appropriate illustration of the alertness that should characterize his followers while waiting for his second coming.

As a matter of fact, the servants in this parable are the bride of another parable, but represent the matter from another standpoint. The sole lesson here is that diligence in service, that watchfulness for the interests of the Master’s cause, that faith in his promise to return and expectancy of the event, serve as an aid or stimulus to proper service. When the master of the house should arrive with his company it would be a reflection against the interest of his servants and their love and devotion for him if on such an occasion they were found asleep or otherwise than ready to open the door at the Master’s intimation of his arrival.

IF YOU WILL NOT WATCH YOU SHALL NOT KNOW

The parable implies that at our Lord’s second coming he will have arrived BEFORE any of his faithful servants will be aware of the fact. His presence will be made known by the KNOCK, and the knock would correspond to an announcement, through some special servant or servants, either orally or by the printed page, setting forth the evidences of the Master’s presence.

For instance, the publishing of time prophecies showing that the time is fulfilled–that certain prophecies marking events belonging to the close of the Gospel dispensation and the opening of the Millennial dispensation are accomplished, and that certain signs mentioned in the Scriptures are fulfilled–such testimonies are in the nature of a knock (a wake-up call to those who are asleep), which would be heard by such of the servants of the Lord as would be awake at that time.

It is not for the servants in general to do the knocking, but for the Master himself to set in operation the forces and agencies he may choose to use for producing this knock and the announcement. A blessing is promised to those servants who at that time shall be on the alert and hear the knock AND UNDERSTAND IT, and thus welcome the Master.

Verse 39 shows quite distinctly that NONE except the servants are to appreciate the knock–that the world (and thus the worldly or professing church) will not know of the time of the Master’s return, but only his (true) servants. No particular time for the Master’s coming is set, but the intimation is clearly given that it is not for them to know (in advance) the times and seasons, but for them to be on the alert continually, not only during the first watch, but during the second and during the third, that at whatever time the Master’s knock may be heard they may respond promptly.

IT IS NOT the thought, let it be noticed, that the servants are never to know when the Master will come: it is the thought that on his arrival he will cause such a knocking (an enlightenment of the scriptures, especially in regards to relevant prophecy) to be made as will be appreciated by all of his servants (the faithful or wise virgin class, those who not only have sufficient oil in their lamps, but who likewise have them trimmed), who are awake, waiting and watching (not to the sky’s as do nominal Christians, but rather to the scriptures, the more sure word of prophecy).

Wherein would be the use of the knock if the servants were not to know when they heard the knock?

The knock is to be THE EVIDENCE OF THE PRESENCE, and the servants are not to know in advance, but are to know at the time of the arrival (i.e. during the period in which it takes place), and that without seeing. The seeing comes by way of the eyes of their understanding being opened through the scriptures.

We continue with Verse 37 in our next post.