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; 3:513Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. (John 16:13)
5Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (John 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 14:33And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:3)), also mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-1716For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:16‑17). No time is told; they are exhorted to “wait” for Him (1 Thess. 1:1010And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. (1 Thessalonians 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.
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.