Luke 12:38 — Community Reflections

LUKE 12:38 — KING JAMES VERSION 0

“And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.”

At that time some people who were present told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices — the report functions as a theodicy question: what theological meaning should be assigned to the victims of Pilate's atrocity? Were they worse sinners than all the other Galileans? Jesus explicitly rejects the sin-disaster causation formula while converting the question into a summons to repentance.

Church Fathers on Luke 12:38

Our Lord having taught His disciples moderation, taking from them all care and conceit of this life, now leads them on to serve and obey, saying, Let your loins be girded, that is, always ready to do the work of your Lord, and your lamps burning, that is, do not lead a life in darkness, but have with you the light of reason, showing you what to do and what to avoid. For this world is the night, but they have their loins girded, who follow a practical or active life. For such…
Theophylact · 11th century

Or, he teaches us to keep our lamps burning, by prayer and contemplation and spiritual love.
MAXIM ·

Or, to be girded, signifies activity and readiness to undergo evils from regard to Divine love. But the burning of the lamp signifies that we should not suffer any to live in the darkness of ignorance.
Cyril of Alexandria · 5th century

Read all 27 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain

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