Luke 12:39 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into.

NIV: But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.

NASB: But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into.

CSB: But know this: If the homeowner had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.

NLT: Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would not permit his house to be broken into.

KJV: And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.

NKJV: But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.

Jesus switches metaphors. He has explained that those who follow Him well will patiently and expectantly wait for His arrival (Luke 12:35–38). Now, He changes the scene to emphasize that His followers need always to be prepared because they cannot know when He will return.

Bible scholars are torn as to the specifics of the characters in this parable. Some say that the "master of the house" is the owner. The parable, then, is a general warning like Luke 12:35, and just says that Jesus' followers need to "stay dressed for action" with "lamps burning."

Others say the "master of the house" represents Jesus' followers, specifically, the "faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household" (Luke 12:42). This interpretation is more likely to identify the thief with Jesus. The purpose of that connection would simply be that Jesus' followers don't know exactly when He is returning, so they need to be constantly vigilant.

Today, the latter fits well, as Jesus' followers are to be watchful for His return (Luke 12:40; Matthew 24:42–44). At the time, the disciples may have taken it as the former, since they had no idea that Jesus would leave and return. To them, the thief may have represented Jesus overthrowing the Roman occupation and making Israel a free nation again.

The King James Version uses "goodman of the house" to mean the "master of the house:" the homeowner or husband.

Luke 12:35–40 explains that those who wish to live in God's kingdom need to be ready for its arrival. Jesus has told His disciples to hold their integrity more tightly than their lives (Luke 12:1–12). He has taught them to not worry about wealth or even the necessities of life. Instead, they should trust God for their needs while they wait like servants for their master's return (Luke 12:13–34). Next, He explains that leaders in God's kingdom will have even more responsibilities (Luke 12:41–48). Matthew and Mark also touch on the theme (Matthew 24:43–44; 25:1–12; Mark 13:34–37).

Jesus teaches the disciples about proper priorities. This includes recognizing that God knows all things, even secrets. Believers should honor God more than they fear death, or than they worry about things like food and clothes. Christians are to remain ready for Christ's return, even as faith separates those who believe from those who do not. These ideas revolve around the central theme of verse 34: that a person's heart reflects what they value most.

Luke 12:1—13:9 compares the world with the kingdom of God. Jesus has condemned the hypocrisy of the Pharisees (Luke 11:14–54). He now instructs His disciples to reject the fame and security that Pharisees crave, and hold lightly to their lives, wealth, security, and even family. He then warns the crowd to be wise about their relationships with other people and with God. The next two units each include a miracle and teaching on God's kingdom and salvation (Luke 13:10—15:32). Then the final section in the "travelogue" repeats that three-unit pattern (Luke 16:1—19:27) before Jesus arrives in Jerusalem.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.