Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 12:39
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.
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.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
35-40. loins . . . girdedtofasten up the long outer garment, always done before travel and work(2Ki 4:29; Act 12:8).The meaning is, Be in readiness.
lights, &c.(See onMt 25:1).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And this know,…. The Ethiopic version reads, “this only know”; only take notice of this one thing, and it may be of some use to direct you in your conduct how to behave during the absence of your Lord, until the time he shall come again:
that if the good man of the house had known what hour the thief would come; that is, if the owner, or master of the house, whose the goods in the house are, could by any means know what time of the night the thief would come to break into his house, in order to plunder it, and carry off his goods:
he would have watched; either he himself in person, or he would have set a watch about his house, or in it:
and not have suffered his house to be broken through; either the door to be broken up, or the wall to be dug through, but by a guard about it, or within it, would have prevented such a design. And so in like manner, could it be known in what time Christ would come, either to the destruction of Jerusalem, or at death, or to judgment, every thoughtful, prudent man that should know it, would be upon his guard, that he might not be surprised with it; and though the precise time could not be known, yet inasmuch as the thing itself is certain, it became all the servants of Christ to be watching for it;
[See comments on Mt 24:43].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The thief ( ). The change here almost makes a new parable to illustrate the other, the parable of the housebreaking (verses Luke 12:39; Luke 12:40) to illustrate the parable of the waiting servants (35-38). This same language appears in Mt 24:43f. “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” (Bruce). The parallel in Mt 24:43-51 with Lu 12:39-46 does not have the interruption by Peter.
He would have watched ( ). Apodosis of second-class condition, determined as unfulfilled, made plain by use of with aorist indicative which is not repeated with (first aorist active indicative of , aorist), though it is sometimes repeated (Mt 24:43).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
What hour [ ] . See on Mt 24:42.
Would come. Lit., cometh. See on Mt 24:43.
Broken through. See on Mt 6:19.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And this know,” (touto de ginoskete) “Then you all recognize this,” as premise or principal of wisdom, Mat 24:43. It is an appeal to good judgment.
2) “That if the goodman of the house had known,” (hot! el edei ho oikodespotes) “That if the housemaster perceived,” really knew, as overseer of the servants whom he supervised, while his Lord was away, Mat 24:43; Mar 13:34; 1Th 5:2; 2Pe 3:10.
3) “What hour the thief would come,” (poia hora ho kleptes erchetai) “At what hour the thief, thug, bandit, or kleptomaniac comes,” in an unexpected moment. Suddenly the coming of the Son of man is switched to the comparison of a night-thief or robber’s coming, for night-burglary purposes, Rev 16:15.
4) “He would have watched,” 1Th 5:2.
5) “And would not have suffered his house to be broken through.” (ouk an apheken dioruchthenai ton oikon autou) “He would not have permitted his residence to be dug through,” as an house of mud walls, plundered or torn apart, Mat 24:43.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(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.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
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.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Second Parable – The Thief Breaking In (12:39).
“But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched, and not have left his house to be broken through.”
The second illustration is of the arrival of a thief. No one knows when it will happen, for if they did they would be in readiness and it would not happen. ‘Broken through.’ The thief would enter a house by breaking through the mud walls of a typical Palestinian house. Again the point is that the only hope of avoiding it is to be in constant readiness. But here there is the added thought that for this man who was not in readiness, the Son of Man’s arrival will have the same unpleasantness as that which is experienced by the advent of a thief. The man has been caught out and the results will not be pleasant. He is one who has not been keeping in mind the Lord’s coming at all.
This parable gives us the warning that we must not read too much into every detail of parables. We are hardly to see a thief as a picture of Jesus in any other way than because he comes unexpectedly, and because his coming is unpleasant for the householder involved because he is not ready.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
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, Mat 24 , cannot be decided.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
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 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
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 . For the purposes of this verse, they represent the collectively, as put in charge with the Lord’s house and household (thus the verse is intimately connected with Luk 12:42 ): and in the further application, individually each as the of his own , to be kept with watchfulness against that day: He is represented by the thief , Rev 16:15 ; Rev 3:3 .
Olshausen’s view, that the . is the . , 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 ( ) seems impossible: besides that the below is this very ., being such in the absence of his Lord, but the when He appears.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
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.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Luk 12:39-40
39″But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 40You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.”
Luk 12:39 “if” This is a second class conditional sentence (ei + an + subjunctive), which makes a false assertion to emphasize a false conclusion. It is often called the “contrary to fact condition.” Example: “if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming (which he did not), he would not have allowed his house to be broken into (which it was).” Some other examples of this construction in Luke are Luk 4:26; Luk 7:39; Luk 17:6; Luk 19:23.
“what hour the thief was coming” This metaphor is common in the NT in dealing with the any-moment return of the Lord (cf. 1Th 5:2; 2Pe 3:10; and Rev 3:3; Rev 16:15). There is a tension in the NT between the “any-moment return of the Lord” and “some events must occur first.” See Special Topic below.
Only the Father knows the time of the Second Coming (cf. Mat 24:36; Mar 13:32; Act 1:7)!
SPECIAL TOPIC: THE ANY-MOMENT RETURN OF JESUS VERSUS THE NOT YET (NT PARADOX)
“he would not have allowed” There is an addition of several words from the parallel of this saying in Mat 24:43 that is found in MSS cf8 i1,2, A, B, L, W. The shorter reading is found in P75, *, D. The UBS4 gives the shorter reading a “B” rating (almost certain).
“broken into” This is literally “dug through.” Robbers were called “mud diggers” because they dug through the mud-thatched walls of homes and businesses.
Luk 12:40 “You too, be ready” This is a present middle (deponent) imperative. This is our responsibility (cf. Luk 21:36; Mar 13:33)!
SPECIAL TOPIC: NT TERMS FOR CHRIST’S RETURN
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
goodman = master. App-98.
broken = dug. Occurs only here; Mat 6:19, Mat 6:20; Mat 24:43.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
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 . For the purposes of this verse, they represent the -collectively, as put in charge with the Lords house and household (thus the verse is intimately connected with Luk 12:42):-and in the further application, individually-each as the of his own , to be kept with watchfulness against that day:-He is represented by the thief- , Rev 16:15; Rev 3:3.
Olshausens view, that the . is the . , 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 ( ) seems impossible: besides that the below is this very ., being such in the absence of his Lord, but the when He appears.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Luk 12:39. ) ye know [but Engl. Vers. Know ye].- , 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.]
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Mat 24:43, Mat 24:44, 1Th 5:2, 1Th 5:3, 2Pe 3:10, Rev 3:3, Rev 16:15
Reciprocal: Job 24:14 – in the night Psa 91:5 – terror Pro 7:19 – the goodman Ecc 9:12 – the sons 1Th 5:6 – watch
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
9
This verse is given for the same purpose as the preceding one; the necessity of watching. Incidentally, however, another lesson is taught here. Jesus speaks favorably of this householder who would resist having his house attacked. But the only way he could do so would be to oppose force with force, which shows it is right to use force if necessary in defending one’s home and family.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Luk 12:39. But know this, etc. A new figure (of the thief in the right) brings out the unexpected return. See on Mat 24:43-44.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
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., 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.
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
Luk 12:39-48. The Faithful Steward (Mat 24:45-51*). Luk 12:39 is peculiar to Lk. The answer to Peters question is that the injunctions to watchfulness are particularly applicable to the Twelve. This is emphasized by Lk.s use of steward for Mt.s servant. The other variants are not significant, but Luk 12:47 f. is found only in Lk.: it seems to refer to another affair, and may have been originally a continuation of Luk 12:35-38. It contains a lesson either for Jews (especially Scribes) in contrast with Gentiles, or for Christians (especially teachers and leaders) in contrast with heathen.
Luk 12:46. cut him asunder: cf. Heb 11:37; but see mg. and Mat 24:51*.
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
Verse 39
This is a new metaphor, entirely distinct from what precedes, and illustrating, by a different example, the necessity of faithful Christian vigilance.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
The importance of watchfulness 12:39-40
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
Jesus chose another illustration of the importance of preparedness. He compared His return to the coming of a thief in this one. The point is that those whom He visited would not expect His return. This illustration gives a warning whereas the previous one provided encouragement. The previous one presented the possibility of delay, but the present one stresses sudden and unexpected arrival. [Note: Marshall, The Gospel . . ., p. 538.]