Luke 12:37

37 Blessed are those slaves, whom the lord when he comes shall find watching; verily I say unto you that he shall gird himself and make them to sit down to food and will come forth and serve them.

Luke 12:37 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 12:37

Blessed are those servants whom the Lord
The Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions read, "their Lord", the master of them, or the Lord Jesus Christ:

when he cometh shall find watching:
for him, and not asleep. The Ethiopic version reads, "so doing, and watching"; girding up their loins, trimming their lamps, and waiting for their Lord's coming: such servants are happy, they will appear to be in the favour of their master, who will take notice of them and show some marks of respect to them; as Christ will to all his good and faithful servants, whenever he comes, whether at death, or at judgment; and who will be happy then, being found so doing, and found in him:

verily I say unto you that he shall gird himself;
not that Christ shall really do this, or appear in the form of a servant; but that he shall readily, cheerfully, and at once introduce his servants into his joy, and make them partakers of all the glories of the other world:

and make them to sit down to meat;
at his table in his kingdom; see ( Matthew 8:11 ) ( Luke 22:30 )

and will come forth and serve them;
with food, yea, will feed them himself, and lead them to fountains of living water, ( Revelation 7:17 ) The Arabic version renders it, "he shall stand to minister unto them": the phrase is expressive of the posture of a servant; who, as Dr. Lightfoot observes, is (Klwh) , "walking", and who goes round about the table, whilst others sit ^F20: some think there is allusion in the words to a custom used at some feasts, particularly at the feasts in honour of Saturn, in which servants changed clothes with their masters, and sat at their tables, and their masters served them ^F21

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 Jarchi in T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 77. 2.
F21 Vide Lipsii Saturnal. l. 1. c. 2. p. 6.

Luke 12:37 In-Context

35 Let your loins be girded about and your lamps burning,

36 and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he comes and knocks, they may open unto him immediately.

37 Blessed are those slaves, whom the lord when he comes shall find watching; verily I say unto you that he shall gird himself and make them to sit down to food and will come forth and serve them.

38 And if he shall come in the second watch or come in the third watch and find them so, blessed are those slaves.

39 And know this: that if the husband 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.