What is the meaning of Matthew 24:43? But understand this Jesus begins with an urgent call: “But understand this” (Matthew 24:43a). He is not sharing an optional tidbit; He is issuing a clear, authoritative alert. • The same tone appears just one verse earlier: “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come” (Matthew 24:42). • Paul echoes the seriousness of grasping divine warnings when he writes, “Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this” (2 Timothy 2:7). The Lord expects His followers to pay attention, receive, and act on His words. If the homeowner had known “If the homeowner had known…” (Matthew 24:43b) highlights a hypothetical scenario. The point is simple: knowledge of timing would change behavior. • Jesus reminds the disciples in Acts 1:7 that “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority”. • Because exact knowledge is withheld, the call to readiness becomes even more critical. In which watch of the night “…in which watch of the night the thief was coming” (Matthew 24:43c) places the event in the dark hours, when people are most vulnerable. • Mark 13:35 lists the Roman night watches—“whether in the evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or in the morning”—underscoring unpredictability. • Psalm 119:148 speaks of eyes awake “through the watches of the night,” modeling continual alertness for God’s word. The thief was coming Jesus likens His return to a thief’s arrival—sudden and unexpected. • “For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night” (1 Thessalonians 5:2). • “The day of the Lord will come like a thief” (2 Peter 3:10). • Revelation 16:15 records Christ’s own words: “Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who remains awake…”. The imagery communicates the surprise element, not any wrongdoing on Christ’s part. He would have kept watch “…he would have kept watch” (Matthew 24:43d) shows that alertness is the rational response to impending intrusion. • Luke 21:36 exhorts, “But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things”. • 1 Peter 5:8 applies the same principle to spiritual warfare: “Be sober-minded and alert”. Readiness involves eyes open, hearts engaged, and lives aligned with God’s will. And would not have let his house be broken into By watching, the homeowner would have protected his household. Jesus wants His disciples to guard what He has entrusted to them. • Proverbs 4:23 urges, “Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life”. • Revelation 3:3 warns the complacent church in Sardis: “If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come upon you”. Vigilance thwarts loss—spiritually and practically. summary Matthew 24:43 teaches that because no one knows the exact moment of Christ’s return, continual watchfulness is essential. Just as a homeowner would stay alert if he knew a thief’s timing, believers are called to live in a state of readiness, guarding their lives and households through faithfulness, prayer, and obedience, so that the Lord’s sudden appearing finds them prepared rather than surprised. |
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