Matthew 24:36-51
No One Knows the Hour
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36No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
37As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man.
38For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark.
39And they were oblivious until the flood came and swept them all away. So will it be at the coming of the Son of Man.
40Two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left.
41Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.
42Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day on which your Lord will come.
43But understand this: If the homeowner had known in which watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.
44For this reason, you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.
45Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the others their food at the proper time?
46Blessed is that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.
47Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
48But suppose that servant is wicked and says in his heart, ‘My master will be away a long time.’
49And he begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards.
50The master of that servant will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not anticipate.
51Then he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Berean Standard Bible
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Jesus says that no one knows the day or hour of his coming—not the angels of heaven nor the Son, but the Father only. He compares those days to the time before the flood, when people were eating, drinking, marrying, and carrying on until Noah entered the ark.
They did not understand until the flood came and swept them all away. Jesus says the coming of the Son of Man will be unexpected. Two people will be in a field, or two women grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left.
Jesus therefore tells his disciples to stay awake. If the master of a house knew when a thief was coming, he would stay awake and not let the house be broken into. The Son of Man comes at an hour no one expects.
Jesus then describes a faithful and wise servant whom the master finds feeding the household at the proper time. The evil servant says the master is delayed, begins beating fellow servants, and eats and drinks with drunkards. The master comes unexpectedly, cuts him to pieces and assigns him a place with the hypocrites, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. The terrible ending makes abuse of the household a matter of judgment before God.
Watchfulness is not anxious staring at the sky. It is faithful responsibility while the master seems delayed. The passage is especially clear that waiting for Jesus never excuses mistreating people placed under our care.
Questions
1 What does faithful readiness look like while the master is away?
AnswerJesus calls his disciples to readiness without date-setting and defines readiness as faithful, responsible care while they wait.
2 How does the faithful servant differ from the one who abuses others?
AnswerThe faithful servant feeds the household, while the servant who assumes delay begins beating others and is judged when the master returns unexpectedly.
3 Why is uncertainty no excuse for cruelty?
AnswerThe master still owns the household and will return to judge his servant. Not knowing the day gives the servant no right to mistreat those entrusted to his care.
4 Which ordinary responsibility can serve our household while we wait?
AnswerEach person can take responsibility for one task that serves the household and examine whether anyone is being treated harshly while waiting for change.
What This Means for Us
Jesus does not give his disciples a date to circle. He gives them work to do and people to care for. The faithful servant is not impressive because he predicts the master's arrival; he is faithful because he feeds the household at the proper time.
The evil servant exposes a dangerous use of delay. When leaders think accountability is far away, they may exploit the people beneath them. Jesus' return means that hidden cruelty is not hidden forever, and authority will be judged by how it treats the vulnerable.
Watchfulness includes ordinary readiness: keeping promises, caring for dependents, repairing damage, and refusing the intoxicating power of “no one will know.” It also includes safety planning and seeking help when another person's behavior is threatening.
Ask, “What responsibility has God placed in front of me today?” Do it faithfully, and make sure no one is being harmed while you wait.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, keep us awake to faithful responsibility. Give us patience without passivity, courage to confront cruelty, and hearts that care for those entrusted to us as we await your coming. Amen.