Parable on Servants, Awaiting the Return of their Master.

(Mat. 24:42-51 and Luke 12:35-48).

One has to be ready at all times, because it’s unknown when Christ’s Second Coming or death will arrive — which has the same meaning for a person. In both instances, a person will be obliged to give an account to God on how he lived his earthly life. “Let your waist be girded” — an illustration taken from the Eastern loose clothing: whenever anything had to be done, this loose and long attire was girded around the waist with a belt, so that it didn’t get in the way. Consequently, this expression meant — to be ready for action. “Your lamps burning” expresses the same thought: servants should be ready to meet their lord with lighted lamps when he returns home at night. Just as alert servants have to be ready to meet their master at any hour of the night, whatever time he returns — “come in the second watch, or come in the third watch,” — so should the true followers of Lord Jesus Christ be morally ready to meet His Second Coming. The Lord promises blessedness for this spiritual vigilance — “blessed are those servants.” This blessedness is figuratively presented in that the lord will “gird himself” and begin to serve his servants, ostensibly making them his guests — a tremendous honor that can only be bestowed to servants according to Eastern customs.