Matthew 24:43, commentary and pictures

Christ's picture is of a householder who, had he known at what hour of the night a thief would break in, would have stayed awake and guarded his house so it would not be broken into. No one knows the day or hour of the Lord's coming, for the Father keeps it secret, yet because the Son of man comes in an hour not expected, constant watching and readiness at all times are required lest that coming catch people by surprise like a thief. Readiness means being the faithful and wise servant who gives the household spiritual food in due season, while the evil servant who says in his heart that his lord delays his coming and smites his fellows and eats and drinks with the drunken will be overtaken suddenly and cut asunder. Watching must be joined with diligent working, self-denial, purity of soul, and warning those perishing in sin, guarding heart and mind against earthly cares, pleasure-loving, and worldly business that cloud vision and leave a door open to the enemy. We are living when these predictions are being fulfilled and judgments are falling to arouse a sleeping world, so now while probation lingers is the time for speedy repentance, conversion, and preparation before each destiny is fixed and probation closes.

Words and Historical Setting

The verse pictures the goodman of the house who, if he had known in what watch the thief would come, would have stayed awake and watched and guarded his house and would not have suffered it to be broken up. The unknown watch makes the householder's duty to keep watch, and the same unknown hour makes watching the required response to the coming of the Son of man in an hour not expected.

It belongs to Christ's memorable discourse given shortly before Gethsemane in answer about the signs of His coming and the end of the world. That discourse traces important events from His first advent to His second, including Jerusalem's destruction, persecution, signs in the heavens, and His coming in glory. It sets forth the history of the present dispensation to the complete restitution of all things, with its most thrilling and momentous part the closing scenes of this world's history leading to the promised redemption of the church, the final triumph of the people of God, the destruction of Satan and all his followers, the total and eternal extirpation of evil from the universe, and the renovation of the earth as the everlasting inheritance of the saints when the great controversy is concluded. The closing teaching about servants awaiting their master leads into the parable of the ten virgins, which illustrates the last-days church and the Advent people's experience of expectation, delay and testing.

It teaches a future second coming requiring preparation, not an event already fulfilled at the destruction of Jerusalem. Jerusalem's destruction in that prophecy typifies the final destruction of the world by fire. No one knows the day or hour of the Lord's coming, though people are required to watch and recognize from the signs when it is near, lest neglecting the warning leave them unprepared as Noah's generation was unprepared for the flood. The day and hour of Christ's second appearing is kept secret by the Father alone, which Christ Himself was not at liberty to reveal, and the time is placed in a thick cloud so that the day, the month, and even the year cannot be known. All earnest attempts to map out the future and set the time are false reasoning that God has warned off, for the coming of the Son of man remains God's mystery.

Unknown Hour Demands Watchfulness

Because the hour of the Lord's coming is unknown, like the watch in which a thief comes, watching is required. If the householder had known in what watch the thief would come he would have stayed awake, guarded his house and not allowed it to be broken up, and so believers must keep watch and be ready always because the Son of man comes in an hour not expected and not thought of, lest His coming find them unready and catch them by surprise like a thief. The faithful and wise servant found giving meat in due season when his lord comes is blessed and made ruler over all goods, while the evil servant who says in his heart his lord delays his coming and smites fellow servants and eats and drinks with the drunken will be overtaken in a day unlooked for and an hour he is not aware of, suddenly cut asunder and appointed his portion with the hypocrites where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Carelessness about the delay is fed by worldly concerns such as buying, selling and gaining wealth, which can cloud spiritual vision.

Although the exact day and hour cannot be known, people are required to watch, heed the warning given beforehand, and recognize from the signs when the coming is near. Faithful watchmen who attend to rapidly fulfilling prophecies and world events will recognize them and will not be caught by surprise or left unprepared. Neglecting that warning leaves people unprepared, as the eating and drinking, marrying and unheeding indifference that prevailed in Noah's days before the flood took them all away exists today, and as signs of summer show summer is near so the signs Christ gives show His coming is near and the world is to be warned of coming judgment.

Habitual watching is the only safety, so that the day does not overtake anyone as a thief. Every passing hour leaves one hour less to make preparation of character for this great event, and the coming will catch the unprepared by surprise. Readiness is needed at all times, including through faithful living and seeking forgiveness even if the Lord should come while asleep. No soul, in the world or in the church, is secure from the danger of being surprised when some door or window is left unsecured and open for the enemy to enter. He comes when the world sleeps in carnal security, putting His coming afar off, laughing at warnings, calling those who arouse them fanatics, boasting tomorrow will be more abundant and going deeper into pleasure-loving as lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, when the scorner and rejecter of truth has become presumptuous, when routine money-making is carried on without principle, when the student is engaged in ambitious aims to obtain knowledge of everything but the Bible, and when pulpit and press proclaim the law of God done away. Come when it may, His advent will surprise as a prowling, stealthy midnight thief with muffled footsteps those false teachers and false watchmen who say peace and safety and all things continue as from the beginning and all is well, and sudden destruction will come upon them and the day of God come as a snare upon all dwelling on the face of the whole earth, overtaking the pleasure-lover and sinful man retired to contented rest imagining himself safe under popular churches, while those who know the truth must like Noah lift the voice in warning that the end of all things is at hand.

The passing of an expected time tests whether people truly love His appearing and must not lead to renouncing faith. Even after disappointment exposed careless or wavering faith, believers are still to wait with hope and trust, do duty, live up to faith, assemble for instruction, encouragement and comfort, let light shine into darkness, and remain ready for the Master to come at any time because the word of the Lord is sure and cannot fail and the signs still point to the nearness of the end.

Prophecy Fulfilled in Present

Matthew 24 holds predictions to be studied and brought above matters of lesser consequence to the attention of all, both believers and unbelievers. Ministers and teachers are to present them and explain them to the people. Their truth decides the eternal destiny of souls.

We are living in the time when these predictions are being fulfilled. Their unmistakable fulfilment in present events, dangers, and the perils of the last days shows that Christ's coming is at hand. That fulfilment calls the church to arouse to questions of eternal importance and to make faithful use of the light given in God's Word, including giving teaching suited to the time.

The warning reaches beyond Jerusalem to people living in the final scenes and final period of earth's history. It applies directly to the present time. It was given to instruct those who would afterward believe, to help them discern the signs, recognize their dangers, prepare for the great conflict, and reach a higher standard.

The Lord is near at the door. Judgments are being sent upon cities and the world because they greatly dishonor God and lie in apathy and indifference. Those judgments are meant to arouse the inhabitants from apathy rather than leave them unprepared, and now is the opportunity to warn the world that the end of all things is at hand.

Faithful and Evil Servants

Readiness means being the faithful and wise servant set over the household to give meat in due season, which is teaching suited to the time, faithful use of the light of God's Word, and giving the world the warning message and the flock what they need for the perils of the last days. Because the hour of the Lord's coming is unknown and the Son of man comes in an hour not expected and not thought of, like a thief whose watch cannot be known, continual watching is required lest the house be broken up and believers be caught unprepared. When the lord comes and finds that servant so doing, he is blessed and is made ruler over all goods, over all that the lord has. That readiness includes warning those perishing in sin, proclaiming the last message of mercy, letting light shine into darkness, investing money as the Lord's lent treasure to advance gospel work and sustain ministers, refusing self-gratification and trust in worldly riches that crumble to dust, and warring the good warfare without laying down weapons until rest is given.

The opposite is the evil servant who says in his heart that his lord delays his coming, and who smites fellow servants and eats and drinks with the drunken. He will be overtaken in a day unlooked for and an hour he is not aware of, when ordinary self-indulgence and unheeding indifference like that before the flood leaves him unprepared while pulpit and press say the law of God is done away. He will then be suddenly cut asunder and appointed his portion with the hypocrites, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Readiness therefore means faithful service rather than assuming delay and abusing others, diffusing light and practicing received truth by living by Christ's words as spirit and life instead of a merely assenting faith that does nothing like the man who buried his talent.

The charge to watch and give spiritual food is not limited to preachers. All who receive God's message are accountable to share it with others, to care for the people around them, to serve others faithfully with truth suited to their time, and to give God's people their proper spiritual food while remaining watchful against the danger of being unprepared like the householder surprised by the thief. No one is to become careless or assume that His coming is delayed, for since the time of the Son of man's coming is unknown all must be ready rather than be caught unprepared.

Links to Other Scriptures

As in the days of Noah before the flood came and took them all away, the same eating and drinking and marrying and unheeding indifference exists today, and neglecting the warning leaves people unprepared as that generation was. Ordinary activities such as eating and building and marrying are lawful in themselves, but pursuing them to excess becomes sinful and lulls vigilance asleep. While pulpit and press proclaim that the law of God is done away, those who know the truth must lift the voice like Noah that the end of all things is at hand, giving meat in due season as the faithful and wise servant who will be blessed and made ruler over all goods, and not saying in the heart that the Lord delays His coming and eating and drinking with the drunken lest they be overtaken unlooked for and appointed with the hypocrites where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. The day and hour remain unknown, yet the signs show the coming is near as surely as signs of summer show summer is near, and the world is to be warned of coming judgment.

The chapter’s closing teaching about servants awaiting their master leads directly into the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25. That parable illustrates the experience of the church in the last days and of the Advent people in expectation and delay and testing. It explains why five were wise and five were foolish. The call to watch therefore and be ready because the Son of man comes in an hour not expected means diffusing light and practicing received truth, living by Christ’s words as spirit and life rather than holding a merely assenting faith that does nothing like the man who buried his talent.

The coming is as a prowling thief in the night and as a snare upon all who dwell upon the face of the whole earth. Come when it may, it will surprise false teachers and false watchmen who soothe consciences crying peace and safety and all things continue as they were from the beginning, and sudden destruction will come upon every soul not watching. Habitual watching is the only safety, and everyone must be ever ready so that day does not overtake them as a thief. Faithful watchmen must stand at their post and give the trumpet warning with a certain sound to agitate and arouse sleepers, and that arousing work is the third angel’s message going forth in power till the earth is lightened with his glory.

The decisive hour fixing each destiny and closing probation comes before Christ appears, while ordinary life continues and the unwary sleep spiritually. The day of trial and the time of trouble arrive unexpectedly like a thief, and the gathering storm of end-time events steals gradually upon many as a thief in the night. Earthly concerns and possessions and the cares of life burden minds and entangle people so they fail to prepare beforehand. While the end approaches outward life goes on unchanged, with the sun shining in its usual round and the heavens declaring God’s glory, men eating and drinking and planting and building and marrying and giving in marriage, merchants buying and selling, publications issuing, men jostling for highest place, and pleasure lovers crowding theaters and horse races and gambling hells, yet probation’s hour is fast closing and every case is about to be eternally decided between heaven to win and hell to shun, which few believe with heart and soul and those who do show by works.

The verse is misused to teach that Christ comes invisibly to take the saints without anyone knowing and after a time returns through the air to Jerusalem where the Jews have gathered and others can still repent and be saved.

Practical Readiness in Daily Life

Watching for the unknown hour must be joined with diligent, earnest, vigilant working as well as waiting, praying and preparing, for waiting without work or work that neglects personal piety leaves Christian character unbalanced. All who have the light are to take up a decided line of service in the vineyard and show active virtues, so others see the truth and its saving power upon the life. Doing the work of Christ while constantly watching and praying in daily life now is what makes ready for His appearing and prepared to receive eternal life.

Readiness requires self-denial and bringing appetites and passions into conformity with God's Word. It means diffusing light and practicing the truth received, eating Christ's flesh and drinking His blood by living by His words which are spirit and life, rather than holding a merely assenting faith that does nothing like the man who buried his talent in the earth. Believers are to live and work and wait as though each day belongs to the Lord and not to themselves, cultivating fidelity, faith and love, and purifying the soul through the truth.

Readiness includes giving the world the warning message and faithfully serving others with truth suited to their time. It means warning those perishing in sin and proclaiming the last message of mercy, with faithful watchmen standing at their post and giving earnest, solemn warning with a certain sound of the trumpet to agitate and arouse people from peace and safety slumbers. That warning work that arouses them is the third angel's message going forth in power till the earth is lightened with his glory, while false prophets soothe consciences crying peace and safety. It means letting light shine to those in darkness, refusing self-gratification and trust in worldly riches that will crumble to dust and bring eternal loss, investing money as a treasure lent by the Lord to advance gospel work and sustain ministers, entering the kingdom through much tribulation and self-denial and sacrifice of earthly riches, warring the good warfare without laying down weapons until Christ gives rest, and giving all to Christ to secure an inheritance enduring through eternity and gain eternal life.

Because the time is unknown, the heart must be guarded against Satan's approach as a householder would stay awake to prevent a thief from breaking in, lest vigilance lapse and the enemy take possession and natural and cultivated tendencies overwhelm the safeguard of the heart. Earthly concerns and possessions can burden people and prevent preparation beforehand, and Satan works to entangle people in earthly concerns and burden them with the cares of life. Worldly concerns such as buying, selling and gaining wealth can cloud spiritual vision, and guarding the mind is needed against distractions that keep people from God's Word and from responding to messages of warning and invitation. The routine of money-making work carried on without regard to principle, ambitious study engaged to obtain knowledge of everything but the Bible, and pleasure-loving going deeper into theaters, horse races and gambling, belong to this entanglement.

He comes when the world is asleep in carnal security, putting the coming afar off, laughing at warnings, and calling those who arouse them fanatics, when the scorner and rejecter of truth has become presumptuous. Those taken unawares are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, boasting that tomorrow will be more abundant and going deeper into pleasure-loving. While the end approaches outward life goes on unchanged, with men keeping eating and drinking, planting and building, marrying and giving in marriage, merchants keeping buying and selling, publications keeping issuing, men jostling for the highest place, and pleasure lovers keeping attending theaters, horse races and gambling hells amid the highest excitement. His footsteps steal gradually and muffled like a prowling, stealthy midnight thief upon his prey and do not arouse the world from its deathlike slumber, while false watchmen cry all is well and peace and safety, overtaking the pleasure-lover and the sinful man as a thief in the night when all seems secure and men have retired to contented rest imagining themselves safe, and when it is too late it is found some door or window was left unsecured and open for the enemy to enter.

Now while probation still lingers and mercy's gracious voice is still heard is the time to make diligent work for repentance by taking heed, studying Christ's words, seeing the fulfilment of His predictions, repenting and being converted and forsaking sin, lest that day come unawares as a snare. Time is short so speedy preparation must be made for the work essential for this time, for probation's hour is fast closing and every case is about to be eternally decided between a heaven to win and a hell to shun. Few believe this with heart and soul, and those who do show their faith by their works. The warning is to stay watchful and act without delay when a crisis comes, when satanic influences may work through people who should remain free from deceptive spirits and false teachings.

The call for readiness is applied to families who claim to know the truth. Sinners must seek Christ and prepare before it is too late. It was spoken to help the indifferent and the deceived, meaning not readily giving up brethren and friends but watching for them and working to help them. It warns watchmen who have fallen into spiritual sleep and by words and actions act as if their Lord delays, while the thief is ready to steal and destroy what is entrusted to them.