The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ – G098 The Lord Jesus Instructs The Disciples – Part 3

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Commentary on the Four Gospel Books
The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ
G098 The Lord Jesus Instructs The Disciples – Part 3
Luke 12:35-59

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All New Testament verses quoted in this article are from the English Majority Text Version, and Old Testament verses are from the King James Version, unless otherwise noted.

Luke 12:35-59

35 “Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning;

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

37 Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly I say to you, that he will gird himself and have them recline to eat, and he will come and serve them.

38 And if he comes in the second watch, or comes in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have kept watch, and not allowed his house to be broken into.

40 Therefore you also be ready, for in an hour that you think not, the Son of Man comes.”

41 Then Peter said to Him, “Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?”

42 And the Lord said, “Who then is a faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?

43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.

44 Truly I say to you, that he will appoint him over all his possessions.

45 But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk,

46 the master of that servant will come on a day which he does not expect, and at an hour which he does not know, and he will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

47 And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not get ready or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many blows.

48 But he who did not know, yet did things worthy of blows, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be demanded; and to whom much has been entrusted, of him they will ask much more.

49 “I came to cast fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!

50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is completed!

51 Do you think that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division.

52 For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three.

53 Father will be divided against a son and a son against father, a mother against a daughter and a daughter against a mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

54 Then He also said to the crowds, “Whenever you see a cloud rising from the west, immediately you say, ‘A rainstorm is coming’; and it happens thus.

55 And whenever you see the south wind blow, you say, ‘There will be hot weather’; and it happens.

56 Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the earth and of the sky, but how is it you do not discern this time?

57 “And why do you not judge what is right even of yourselves?

58 When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make an effort to make a settlement with him on the road, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the bailiff, and the bailiff throw you into prison.

59 I tell you, you shall by no means depart from there till you have paid the very last mite.”

In this lesson, we will continue with the third part of the teachings of the Lord Jesus to His disciples on the eastern bank of the Jordan River. These are warnings about the need to be watchful; to understand that the Lord Jesus brings division among mankind; to discern the time frames; and to be reconciled quickly with one’s adversary.

Luke 12:35-36

35 “Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning;

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

Girding the waist refers to the posture of readiness for action—either for battle, as in the case of a soldier, or for service, as in the case of a servant. Having the lamps lit signifies being prepared with the necessary means for battle or service.

The master going to a wedding feast represents the master attending to his business. He may return late, even in the middle of the night. The servants have already served the master in their daily tasks but still wait for his return in order to serve him one last time before resting. Faithful servants are always in a posture of readiness to serve the master—at all places, at all times.

The words of the Lord Jesus imply that the disciples, while serving the Lord, must also be ready and waiting for the day of His return.

Ephesians 6:14 speaks of “having girded your waist with truth,” implying that God’s people are to be ready in every truth of the Word of God; that is, to live a life of service to the Lord entirely based on His Word. Psalm 119:105 compares the Word of God to “a lamp unto my feet” and “a light unto my path.” The “feet” signify daily living—our thoughts, speech, and actions. The “path” refers to the whole life lived according to a set course. The Word of God is the principle, the framework for the entire life of mankind. Lighting the lamp symbolizes exalting the Word of God and living in accordance with it.

Luke 12:37-38

37 Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly I say to you, that he will gird himself and have them recline to eat, and he will come and serve them.

38 And if he comes in the second watch, or comes in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

In Israelite society during the time of the Lord Jesus, the master-servant relationship was clearly hierarchical: the master held absolute authority, and the servants were expected to serve and obey (Luke 17:7–10). For a master to serve his servants was highly unusual—even shocking. There is no evidence in Israel or the broader Middle East of masters serving their servants.

The words of the Lord Jesus teach His disciples a truth about the Heavenly Kingdom. Psalm 23 speaks of the Self-Existing and Eternal One as the Shepherd of God’s people. Verse 5 mentions that He prepares a table before His people. Revelation 7:17 says that the Lamb “shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters.” We can understand from this that the Lord Jesus Christ will come to bring the Church out of the world. He will bring God’s people into heaven. There, He will serve them at the table with the fruit of the Tree of Life (Revelation 2:7).

In the time of the Lord Jesus, the night was divided into three watches:

  • First watch: From sunset, around 6:00 p.m., to about 10:00 p.m.

  • Second watch: From about 10:00 p.m. to about 2:00 a.m.

  • Third watch: From about 2:00 a.m. to sunrise, around 6:00 a.m.

The master returning during the second or third watch implies that he may return very late at night.

The Lord Jesus desires that His disciples always remain watchful and patiently wait for His coming, even if that waiting is prolonged and filled with unusual difficulties.

For nearly two thousand years, the Church has faithfully awaited the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Church has remained faithful in preaching the Gospel and living a life in obedience to the Word of God. Praise the Lord! That waiting is now in the final part of the third watch. The current moment is “The night is far spent, the day is at hand” (Romans 13:12). The Church is living in the final moments of its history on earth. Christ may come at any moment to bring the Church out of the world and into heaven.

Luke 12:39-40

39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have kept watch, and not allowed his house to be broken into.

40 Therefore you also be ready, for in an hour that you think not, the Son of Man comes.”

The Lord Jesus gave another parable to illustrate the need for His disciples to stay watchful and wait for His return. He compared His return to the unexpected arrival of a thief breaking into a person’s house to steal. But if the homeowner knew the hour the thief would come, he would stay awake and guard the house, not allowing the thief to break in.

In the final days before being arrested and crucified, the Lord Jesus repeated this parable, as recorded in Matthew 24:43. In the letter to the Church in Sardis, He warned: “Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you like a thief, and by no means shall you know what hour I will come upon you” (Revelation 3:3).

Through the Apostle Paul, the Holy Spirit also warned the Church about the unexpected return of the Lord Jesus Christ:

“For you yourselves know accurately that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.” (1 Thessalonians 5:2).

Even the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth, at the end of the End Time, will also be unexpected.

“Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and guards his garments, lest he should walk naked and they should see his shame.” (Revelation 16:15).

We need to remember this important detail: Before the Lord Jesus completed His atoning death for humanity in His human person, He knew that the time frame of the Church would come to an end and that He would return to take the Church out of the world; yet He did not know the “day and hour” of His return (Matthew 24:36; Mark 13:32). Therefore, He instructed His disciples to stay watchful and be ready for that day. In reality, the time of His return would be extended to about two thousand years.

At present, although He still bears the human body, in His divine person, the Lord Jesus Christ certainly knows the exact time of His return, for He is the all-knowing God.

God’s people can rely on the signs occurring in the world to discern the time frame of the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Church looks to the following events to recognize that the day Christ will come to take the Church out of the world is very near and may happen at any moment:

  • The reestablishment of the nation of Israel on May 14, 1948, after more than 2,500 years of Israel being without a homeland.

  • The regaining of sovereignty over the city of Jerusalem by the people of Israel on June 7, 1967.

  • The recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel by the United States on December 6, 2017.

God’s people in the End Time can look to the following events to know that the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth is near:

  • The Gospel being proclaimed by an angel in midheaven to every nation and people.

  • The two witnesses are killed and brought back to life.

  • The destruction of spiritual Babylon.

In summary, God’s people in the Church and God’s people in the End Time alike do not know the exact hour or day of Christ’s return. But they can observe current events to discern the time frame of His return. What matters is that each one must be watchful and ready for the coming of the Lord.

Luke 12:41-42

41 Then Peter said to Him, “Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?”

42 And the Lord said, “Who then is a faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?

Hearing the Lord Jesus speak in this way, the Apostle Peter asked Him whether His teaching was meant specifically for the disciples or for everyone. This was because, as the Lord Jesus was teaching, there was still a large crowd following Him and listening.

The Lord Jesus did not answer Peter’s question directly. However, His reply helped Peter understand that the teaching about being watchful and waiting for the Lord was meant only for those who serve Him. These are the ones who have faith in Him and have been called by Him into His service. They are the elders in the Church. The Lord Jesus likened them to stewards who manage the household on behalf of the master, ruling over and caring for the other servants in the house.

Luke 12:43-44

43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.

44 Truly I say to you, that he will appoint him over all his possessions.

The faithful steward who diligently serves the master will be recognized and rewarded accordingly by the master. The Lord Jesus Christ will also duly reward the elders who faithfully fulfill their God-given duty. This is a word of encouragement for those who are elders in the Church.

Luke 12:45-46

45 But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk,

46 the master of that servant will come on a day which he does not expect, and at an hour which he does not know, and he will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

The unfaithful steward, who is selfish, lazy, and wicked—failing to fulfill his duty and even abusing the other servants—will be severely punished by the master. The Lord Jesus Christ will also judge and severely punish the unfaithful elders in the Church. They will suffer eternal destruction in hell.

Luke 12:47-48

47 And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not get ready or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many blows.

48 But he who did not know, yet did things worthy of blows, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be demanded; and to whom much has been entrusted, of him they will ask much more.

Verse 47 still speaks about the elders in the Church. They are those who understand the Word of God and God’s will. They clearly know the duties and responsibilities of elders. If they fail to fulfill their God-given office, they will be judged and severely punished by the Lord.

Verse 48 refers to God’s people who do not hold any office in the Church; yet they are also priests of God, worshiping Him, and they are also servants of Christ, serving Him by preaching the Gospel and building up the Church. They may make mistakes in serving the Lord due to lack of understanding. They will be judged and punished less severely than those who have understanding but still err. They may also be those who are saved as if through fire (1 Corinthians 3:15).

God’s people, whether holding office or not in the Church, need to diligently read and meditate on God’s Word day and night to carefully obey it, as commanded by the Lord in Joshua 1:8. Only then can their service to the Lord be without error and be rewarded by Him.

God’s gifts differ for each person according to His will. But those who are given much must make full use of all God’s gifts to serve Him. God’s gifts include time, health, status, power, reputation, wealth, talents, insight, and wisdom…

We also need to understand that the Lord’s reward does not depend on the quantity of works or the level of success of each work but depends on the heart of the person doing each work. Because the result of everything we do comes from God:

“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gives the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.” (1 Corinthians 3:6-7).

If we do anything without going against the Word of God and do it as if doing it for the Lord, we will be rewarded by the Lord accordingly:

“And whatever you may do, work it from your soul, as to the Lord and not to men.” (Colossians 3:23).

In other words, the Lord’s reward depends on the heart with which we do the work. There is no greater joy than to use each day the gifts God has given us to do good works that glorify His name and bring blessings to ourselves and many others.

Luke 12:49-50

49 “I came to cast fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!

50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is completed!

“Fire” symbolizes judgment, like the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:24). “Fire” also symbolizes purification, making holy, like the purification of the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 6:6-7). The Lord Jesus affirmed that He came not to judge the world but to save the world (John 12:47). Therefore, we can understand that the “fire” that the Lord Jesus “casts” on the earth is the purification of God’s Word through the Gospel that He preached. The Word of God helps humanity recognize themselves as sinners, repent, and believe in God’s salvation.

The Gospel preached by the Lord Jesus on earth is the “fire” He “cast” on the earth. Many who believe in the Gospel and become His disciples are the “fire” that has “kindled.” The Lord Jesus completed His ministry of preaching the Gospel to humanity. The holiness of the Gospel will spread to the ends of the earth, purifying many hearts and bringing them into God’s salvation. The holy fire of the Gospel has burned on the earth for nearly two thousand years. Despite persecution and opposition in every era, many still believe in the Gospel and are willing to sacrifice their lives to hold fast to their faith.

After completing the ministry of preaching the Gospel, the Lord Jesus had to offer His own life to God as a sacrifice for the redemption of humanity. He called this His “baptism.” The term “baptism” literally means immersion into a liquid, like a weaver dipping cloth into dye or a person immersing their body in water for purification.

The baptism that the Lord Jesus would undergo was the baptism into death to become the sacrifice for the redemption of humanity. The penalty for sin is death. Only the substitutionary death of the Lord Jesus can rescue humanity from the punishment of their rebellion against the God, which is the violation of His Ten Commandments.

The Lord Jesus was deeply anguished about the death He had to endure. Because it meant bearing God’s judgment, enduring all pain and humiliation both physically and spiritually. Above all the pain and humiliation, while bearing God’s judgment on humanity, the Lord Jesus also had to be separated from the God.

Luke 12:51-53

51 Do you think that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division.

52 For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three.

53 Father will be divided against a son and a son against father, a mother against a daughter and a daughter against a mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

The Lord Jesus repeated words similar to those He spoke earlier to the twelve apostles. We would like to quote the commentary on Matthew 10:34-36:

The Lord Jesus did not come into the world to bring peace on earth in the way that the world expects. True peace cannot be attained while humanity still lives in sin, seeking to satisfy sinful pleasures regardless of the harm caused to themselves and others. In the world and even within a family, there is always hostility and division. This is affirmed in Micah 7:2-6.

The Lord Jesus came into the world first to bring peace to the mind and soul of each person when they believe in His sacrificial death and are reconciled with God. Next, He brings division between those who accept God’s salvation and those who reject it. He is preparing citizens for the Heavenly Kingdom to be manifested on earth when He returns the second time with the title “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.”

The best course for every true child of God is to separate from unbelieving relatives who persecute them. God’s people are permitted to divorce an unbelieving husband or wife and to separate from unbelieving relatives, as commanded in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18. As for children and teenagers, they must wait until they are 18 years old to leave the family, according to national law. For God’s people who have rebellious and unbelieving children, they should separate from them when the children reach 18.

It is this separation from unbelieving relatives that allows us to have peace and focus on doing good. No matter how much we love our relatives, it can never compare to God’s love for them. Therefore, separating from them as God commands is actually the best thing we can do for them and ourselves. If relatives say they love us but refuse to accept God’s salvation and live according to His Word, they are only using us to serve their sinful lifestyle. God does not call us to suffer or become slaves to unbelieving relatives. He commands us to separate from them. If we choose not to separate, we are disobeying God’s command and will inevitably bear unnecessary suffering.

Luke 12:54-56

54 Then He also said to the crowds, “Whenever you see a cloud rising from the west, immediately you say, ‘A rainstorm is coming’; and it happens thus.

55 And whenever you see the south wind blow, you say, ‘There will be hot weather’; and it happens.

56 Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the earth and of the sky, but how is it you do not discern this time?

This teaching of the Lord Jesus is similar to what He previously said to the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matthew 16:2-3).

Since ancient times, through experience, people have been able to predict the weather quite accurately by observing the color of the sky.

The Israelites in the time of the Lord Jesus were familiar with the prophecies about the Messiah, that is, the Christ, in the Old Testament. But when they heard Jesus’ teaching and saw the miracles He performed, they did not recognize Him as the Christ. They failed to recognize that the time of salvation had come to them. This was because they judged and considered the matter with prejudice and by worldly standards.

The Lord Jesus called the crowds “hypocrites.” This was probably because they followed Him to hear His teaching and to be healed or delivered from demons, but they were not yet willing to believe that He was the Christ. They did not believe in Him as the Christ because His teaching opposed their lifestyle, prejudices, and beliefs.

Today, many people claim to be disciples of the Christ, but their lives do not conform to the Word of God. They do not even recognize that the coming of the Christ is very near. They even ridicule those who preach about the coming of the Christ.

Luke 12:57-59

57 “And why do you not judge what is right even of yourselves?

58 When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make an effort to make a settlement with him on the road, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the bailiff, and the bailiff throw you into prison.

59 I tell you, you shall by no means depart from there till you have paid the very last mite.”

Verse 57 implies that among the crowds listening to the Lord’s teaching, there were people living unrighteous lives. Unrighteous living primarily means living in violation of the Ten Commandments of the God. Furthermore, violating the God’s Ten Commandments causes harm, suffering, and injustice to others.

The words spoken in verses 58-59 are also teachings of the Lord found in the Sermon on the Mount. We would like to quote the commentary on Matthew 5:25-26 as follows:

These two verses express the situation where God’s people have faults with those outside the Church, symbolized by being in debt. When they wrong others, God’s people must quickly admit their fault and resolve the matter satisfactorily, avoiding being taken to court, judged, and punished.

In cases of faults with brothers and sisters within the Church, the one at fault must also promptly admit their fault and be reconciled to maintain unity in the Church. If the person at fault refuses to admit their fault, the Church must sever fellowship with that person, according to the Lord’s teaching in Matthew 18:15-17. A person who refuses to admit fault is stubborn. Stubbornness is a serious sin, comparable to idolatry, because in reality, the stubborn person worships their own ego:

“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.” (1 Samuel 15:23a).

Today, in many churches bearing the Lord’s name, not only do people refuse to admit faults and reconcile with one another, but they also split into factions, attack each other, and even take one another to secular courts, causing the name of the Lord to be mocked by unbelievers.

We conclude this lesson here.

May the Holy Spirit guide us into all the truths of God’s Word (John 16:13). May the Word of God sanctify us (John 17:17). May the Faithful *God of Peace Himself sanctify our spirit, soul, and body entirely, without blame (1 Thessalonians 5:23), at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Beloved Savior. Amen!

Timothy Christian Huynh
Priscilla Christian Huynh
02/08/2025

Note:

About Using “*God”, “the God” and “holy spirit”

Wherever the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts of the Bible use a definite article with a noun to denote GOD, we translate it into English as *God or “the God” to refer to God the Father. We understand that “God,” without a definite article, was used as a collective noun for all and any of the three Persons of the Godhead. And “God,” with a definite article, was used to refer to God the Father.

In the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, the term “holy spirit” (πνευματι αγιω) without the definite article “the” (το) is used to denote the power of God, which is given by God the Holy Spirit. “The Holy Spirit” (το πνευματι το αγιω) is God, and “holy spirit” (πνευματι αγιω) is the power that comes from God.