Mark 13:35, commentary and pictures

Jesus spoke this warning on the Mount of Olives about the destruction of Jerusalem and His coming at the end of the world, picturing Himself as the absent Master of the house who has gone to heaven and left His household, authority and work in the hands of His servants, with the charge to watch given not to a few disciples only but to all. The four watches at even, at midnight, at the cockcrowing, and in the morning show that He may come at any hour of the night, suddenly and unexpectedly after a prolonged wait. Because the time is unknown though the coming is certain, His servants must watch continually, staying spiritually awake, alert, prepared and ready rather than being found sleeping when He comes suddenly like a thief in the night. Watching is not idle waiting but faithfully doing the work entrusted by the Master at one's post, in vigilant prayer joined with obedient daily life, temperance, humility and soul-winning labor while the time to work is short. The warning presses with special urgency upon the closing work of Christ's intercession in the heavenly sanctuary, when every case is decided and probation closes suddenly and unnoticed, so that growing weary and becoming absorbed in worldly gain, business and pleasure leaves those who sleep unprepared and lost.

Setting and Language

The warning stands in the discourse given on the Mount of Olives concerning the destruction of the temple and the signs of its fulfillment and concerning His coming at the end of the world. The two crises of Jerusalem's destruction and the final crisis at the close of earth's history are joined together in that discourse. Its call to watch was therefore given not only to the disciples who first heard it but to those living amid the final scenes.

The Son of man is pictured as a man on 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. Christ is that absent Master of the house, returned to heaven, who has left His household and His interests in charge of His people as stewards. The trust committed to them is the work of service He came into this world to do, to be done faithfully for time and for eternity in readiness for His appearing.

The naming of even and midnight and cockcrowing and morning shows that the coming of the master may fall at any hour of the night. It may therefore be sudden and unexpected, arriving when men are not looking for it. The succession of watches pictures a prolonged wait in which the expected morning is delayed and faithfulness is tested. The faithful keep watching and encourage one another to keep watching, while those absorbed in earthly cares fall asleep.

The charge to watch, though spoken to a few disciples, is spoken to all. No one is excepted from its vigilance, since no one knows when the master comes. Everyone is warned to remain awake through every part of the night lest a sudden return find him sleeping.

Call to Constant Watchfulness

Because no one knows when the master of the house comes, his servants are commanded to watch continually and remain spiritually awake, alert, prepared and ready rather than be found sleeping and unprepared when he comes suddenly. The coming is sudden and its time unknown, so weariness, carelessness and absorption in worldly gain must not lull watchfulness to sleep. His coming may be at any hour, at even, at midnight, at the cockcrowing or in the morning, and through every part of the night the porter and the servants must stay awake lest a sudden return find them sleeping. That charge spoken to a few disciples is spoken to all, and watchfulness means faithfully doing the individual work entrusted to each rather than falling spiritually asleep.

His coming is certain but its time is unknown, and it may arrive at any hour like a thief in the night. It will take many by surprise while they are occupied with ordinary work and business and ordinary life, overtaking those who disregard the warnings. The decisive hour will arrive suddenly and unnoticed, when people are not expecting it, and find them unprepared unless they stay spiritually alert, watchful, prayerful and ready at all times.

The successive watches picture a prolonged wait that tests faithfulness, a delayed morning that tempts servants to grow weary and relax vigilance. The faithful must keep watching and be ready rather than grow weary, and they encourage one another to keep watching. Those absorbed in earthly cares, riches and worldly pursuits fall into spiritual sleep and become unready and are in peril, while continued watchfulness guards against worldly compromise and preserves a distinct, holy character.

Judgment and Close of Probation

The coming is Christ's return from His ministry in the heavenly sanctuary, when His intercession ends and every person's case is finally decided, and those unprepared at that close of probation are found sleeping and lost. The warning bears with special urgency on the closing work of the atonement and the investigative judgment, when lives come up for review and judgment will soon pass to the cases of the living, though no one knows how soon that will be. Before He appears each person's destiny will be fixed and mercy's offer withdrawn, yet the decisive hour will arrive suddenly and unnoticed while people are occupied with ordinary life, and the living may remain unaware that the final decision has been made.

Those who grow weary of watching and turn to business, pleasure, riches, and worldly display may be found unprepared when the Judge pronounces the final sentence upon them. Signs announce the approach of the day so that those who heed the warning can be ready and not be caught unprepared. The day of final destruction will overtake the ungodly who refuse to watch unexpectedly.

That warning stands joined to God's authority to bring judgment and destroy cities through earthquakes, fire, and flood, showing that human wealth and seemingly secure buildings cannot withstand His power.

Meaning of Faithful Watching

To watch for the unknown hour of the Master's coming is to work faithfully at the individual duty He has entrusted to each servant, staying at one's post and helping to build others up in the faith rather than falling into inactivity or idle expectation. The different watches of the night show that His coming may be sudden and unexpected, so watchfulness means remaining ready at all times instead of being found spiritually asleep. Watching is therefore vigilant waiting joined with faithful labor and not idle waiting, for every one who claims to be a child of God has work to do for His cause.

That labor is inseparably joined with persistent, vigilant prayer, watching unto prayer and working that prayer out in right action in cooperation with Christ so as to be always ready. This wakefulness is demanded now because the time demands wakefulness, and to sleep at one's post now is highly dangerous. It extends to all business transactions, requiring no move on the wrong side and no move that vindicates principles God condemns, turning aside from wicked examples by whomsoever set. It requires bowing to no human authority unless a plain Thus saith the Lord makes it safe, and refusing to follow or vindicate those claiming authority in business lines when they deviate in the slightest from mercy and justice.

Readiness is not to begin only when the coming seems near but must shape life every day, obeying His will whether He comes soon or after many years. Waiting and watching mean walking with God continually and living with a single eye to His glory. Carelessness about His return is to be resisted by keeping it in view, for readiness for His coming and the judgment belongs to preparation for immortal life. Keeping the scenes of the judgment before the mind affects the character.

Those entrusted with the bodies and souls of others must be faithful watchmen who use every influence to win souls to Christ, doing their work faithfully for time and for eternity while always ready to speak a timely word for Him, so they will not be found asleep when He comes suddenly. Because the time to work is short, God's sentinels must not sleep through their duties or neglect the work of saving souls. Watching therefore fulfills Christ's commission to preach the gospel to all people as the end draws near, working in expectation of the soon-coming solemn events and the near end. It sounds forth the message of Christ's soon return in earnest warning, persuading men and women to repent and flee from coming wrath, arousing them to immediate preparation and sending ministers and lay members into ripening fields where proclaiming forgotten Bible truths will gather a harvest of those who accept truth and devote their lives to winning souls.

Watchfulness means faithful readiness and vigilance in serving, working to awaken others to their danger, and living in temperance, humility, and simplicity. It requires keeping close to Christ in self-denial and self-sacrifice, keeping the human will in subjection to the will of God and not letting spiritual perception be blinded by a strong determined will. It requires avoiding not only glaring dangers but worldly entanglements, error, and superstition by which Satan strives to win followers from Christ and occupy minds with his devices. Because believers live in an enemy's country where Satan, cast out of heaven, has come down with great power and seeks with every artifice to take souls captive, sometimes with smooth words and fair speeches to deceive if possible the very elect and sometimes by open attack as a roaring lion, constant guard is necessary lest they fall an easy prey to unnumbered deceptions. To detect his artifices and withstand his unexpected attacks requires the grace of Christ and the impartation of His Spirit, with watching unto prayer, watching and praying always.

Dangers and Present Urgency

The great danger is growing weary of watching and becoming absorbed in worldly gain, ordinary business, pleasure, riches, and display, falling spiritually asleep and being caught unprepared when the Master comes suddenly at an unknown hour. The prolonged wait through successive watches tests faithfulness and tempts servants to relax vigilance when the expected morning is delayed, while the faithful keep watching and encourage one another to keep watching. The coming is certain but its time is unknown, and the day of the Lord will overtake those absorbed in ordinary work and business who disregard warning. Continued watchfulness guards against worldly compromise and preserves a distinct, holy character, marking God's waiting people as distinct from the world and as pilgrims and strangers on earth amid perilous times, corrupting influences, and active satanic influence.

Sorrow and tribulation are no excuse for carelessness or becoming less watchful, but call for greater vigilance through every hour of the night-watch. Christ's example in suffering points the church to God as its strength in distress and danger. The sleeping disciples at Gethsemane show the danger of failing to watch, for prayerful vigilance could have strengthened their faith as they saw Christ die, helped them grasp His suffering, and helped them recall His words about His death and resurrection, giving them hope in their darkest hour. Those sleeping disciples represent a sleeping church when the day of God's visitation is near, a perilous time of clouds and thick darkness.

Watchfulness includes resisting Satan's suggestions and refusing to entertain evil suspicions that stir conflict and destroy brotherly love, remaining earnest and diligent at one's post. This is urgent because believers live in an enemy's country where Satan, cast out of heaven, has come down with great power with his angels and seeks with every artifice, hidden and open, to take souls captive. Enemies are manifold and often hidden, coming at times with smooth words and fair speeches to deceive if possible the very elect and at other times attacking openly, so constant guard is necessary lest believers fall an easy prey to unnumbered deceptions. Watching applies in all business transactions, especially by ministers and presidents of conferences, through watching unto prayer and working out prayer in right action in cooperation with Christ. It means making no move on the wrong side, no move vindicating principles God condemns, turning aside from wicked examples by whomsoever set, bowing to no human authority unless a plain Thus saith the Lord makes it safe, and refusing to follow or vindicate those claiming authority in business lines when they deviate in the slightest from mercy and justice.

The present is the closing scenes of earth's history when prophecy is fast fulfilling and the hours of probation are fast passing with not a moment to lose. To watch is to refuse to be found sleeping on guard and to refuse to say in heart or by works that Christ delays His coming. It requires sounding forth the message of Christ's soon return in earnest words of warning, persuading men and women everywhere to repent and flee from the wrath to come, arousing them to immediate preparation because little is known of what is before them, and sending ministers and lay members into the ripening fields to tell the unconcerned and indifferent to seek the Lord while He may be found, where proclaiming forgotten Bible truths will find a harvest of those who accept truth and devote their lives to winning souls to Christ. The expectation of His coming gives urgency to warning others and working for perishing souls, for the time to work is short and His coming will take many by surprise, so God's sentinels must remain watchful and prayerful at their posts and must not sleep through duty or neglect soul-saving.

No one can be a happy Christian without being a watchful Christian, and to overcome means to watch. The time demands wakefulness with constant watchfulness and prayer, and sleeping at one's post now is highly dangerous for those looking for their Lord, who must live in solemn readiness because the time of His coming is unknown.