The Lord Jesus had told some of His disciples the certainty that He would return in power to fulfill all God’s words. He also told them of great sorrows in Judea before that coming, but He said that none will know the day or hour for His return. He told them these words: “The Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.”
The Lord Jesus spoke of Himself as “Son of Man.” He would be away from His disciples (or all who believed His words) for some time, and He would give them work to do for Him.
While He’s Absent
He was Himself a holy Servant for God while on earth and knew the work to give each one. He had before told them to serve one another. Their “authority” for all they did would be His words.
He commanded the porter to watch. A porter is one to watch at all times, to announce an arrival, and other duties. So the “porter” may teach us of the Holy Spirit, most necessary for His “house”: None can enter except by the Holy Spirit, who also awakens His people to danger and teaches them of Christ, what is for Him and of things to come (John 16:13; 3:5).
In the great time of trial told by Jesus, the Holy Spirit is to give men the words to say to rulers about Christ (vs. 11).
Watching
Jesus told them plainly again that none knew the time for His return. He said, “Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: lest coming suddenly He find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.”
Jesus mentioned all the divisions of time as then used, and in much the same way as we now say, excepting the early morning time called “the cockcrowing.” They would know no set time of day to expect Him; they could only watch.
The Lord did not mean that His people do not need sleep for their minds and bodies; He meant they were not to be as not knowing, or careless, about His coming, or as if “asleep” to their work for Him.
Jesus had told the disciples of His coming with glory, which time none knew, and the same is true of His coming in the air to call His people to be with Him, as He said, “I will come again, and receive you unto Myself” (John 14:3), also mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. No time is told; they are exhorted to “wait” for Him (1 Thess. 1:10).
One of the wonderful things about the words of the Lord Jesus and about all Scripture is that what was said to people then has a deep lesson also for His people of later time. That includes us now and for a time still in the future.
What “shall not pass away” (Mark 13:31)?
Further Meditation
1. What other passages in the Word of God show us how we can “watch” for the Lord to come?
2. How do we know that every scripture has an important lesson to teach us?
3. For a challenging look at this topic, consider reading The Watching Servant by J. N. Darby (only 24 pages). You will probably find it easier to read than you might think.