Call To Vigilance
CALL TO VIGILANCE
MATTHEW 24:36-51
We can no more predict the date of Christ’s return than the day a thief calls.
While the fall of the temple and city will take place before the passing of “this generation” (24:34), no time indication can be given for the Son of Man’s advent. While the Son’s subordination to the Father is seen in his not knowing “of that day and hour,” his supremacy over all created beings is expressed by his being mentioned after “the angels of heaven” (24:36). As no warning signs preceded the flood of Noah’s day, so none will precede the coming of the Son of Man (24:37-39): it will overtake people as they pursue their everyday activities and separate one from the other in judgment (24:40f.; cf. 25:32f.). No opportunity now for flight!
The necessity of vigilant readiness, in view of the Son of Man’s unpredictable coming (24:42-44), is illustrated by two parables—the thief by night (24:43) and the returning master (24:45-51). The parable of the thief by night recurs throughout the New Testament (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 3:3; 16:15); his nefarious plan succeeds only when the house is not adequately guarded. When the chief steward whose master leaves him in charge during his absence has no idea when his master will return, that ought to keep him on his toes: only a very foolish steward would abuse his authority and neglect his duty in such a situation. If, even so, he does misconduct himself, his master’s return will mean for him not commendation and reward (24:47) but flogging and dismissal (24:51). The reference to “the hypocrites” in 24:51 suggests that the defaulter played the part of a faithful steward only when his master was around; the parallel in Luke 12:46 has “the unfaithful.”
Consider Why did Christ not make it clear that we should have to wait so long? Can you think of events in this century which can be treated as significant in the outworking of God’s increasing purpose, as the fall of Jerusalem was in the first century?