Section 12:35–48
Jesus’ servants should be watchful and faithful
In this section Jesus continued to teach his disciples. He told them to do their work faithfully and to be ready for the time he would return to earth. He used three illustrations that all emphasized how important it is to be prepared for his return. In 12:35–38 he described a man who had gone to a wedding feast. His servants needed to be ready to open the door for him at whatever time he returned. In 12:39 he described the owner of a house watching out for a thief who might come at an unexpected time. In 12:41–48, Jesus explained the difference between a faithful servant and an unfaithful servant. This encouraged his disciples to be faithful.
Some other headings for this section are:
Faithful and Unfaithful Servants (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Be Ready for the Lord’s Coming (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Watchfulness (New International Version)
There is a parallel passage for 12:41–48 in Matthew 24:45–51.
Paragraph 12:35–38
In this paragraph Jesus continued to speak. It may be helpful to indicate this here at the beginning of this new section. For example:
⌊Jesus also said⌋…
-or-
⌊Jesus continued teaching⌋ ⌊his disciples⌋ ⌊and he said⌋…
12:35–36a
In 12:35–36a, Jesus used three figures of speech:
(1) Be dressed for service.
(2) Keep your lamps burning.
(3) Be like servants waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet.
These figures of speech indicate that the disciples should be ready for Jesus’ return, just as servants should be ready for their master’s return. See the General Comment on 12:35–36a at the end of 12:36a for a way to reorder these figures of speech.
12:35
Be dressed for service: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Be dressed for service is more literally “Have your waists/hips girded.” Jesus referred here to how servants tucked the lower part of their robe up into their belt so they could work more easily. The form of the Greek verb indicates that they should remain dressed in this manner. Some ways to translate this metaphor are:
• Use a specific metaphor that would be appropriate in your culture. For example:
Keep your belts tightened
-or-
Have your clothes tucked in
• Use a general metaphor and make the function explicit, as the Berean Standard Bible has done. For example:
Be dressed and ready to work
• Change the metaphor to a simile and supply the point of similarity. For example:
Be ready to serve me, ⌊like people who are⌋ dressed in their work clothes
• Translate the meaning without the figure of speech. For example:
Be ready for action (God’s Word)
The last option is especially appropriate if other options imply that the disciples are to dress in a particular way. The point is that they should be ready to serve Jesus.
keep your lamps burning: Jesus was referring to how good servants kept lamps burning all night when they thought their master would return so that everything would be ready for him. (See also Matthew 25:1–13.) In the same way, Jesus’ disciples should be ready for him to return at any time.
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