The thief in the night

Watchfulness. Stripes. Division. Make peace betimes.

(The Gospel History, Section 100)

But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched, and not have left his house to be broken through. Be ye also ready: for in an hour that ye think not the Son of man cometh.

Commentary by J. R. Dummelow

Lk 12:39, 40. Another parable in which, by a curious inversion, the goodman (master) of the house means the apostles, and the thief Christ. Christ is so called from the secrecy and unexpectedness of His coming. See on Mt 24:43, 44:

Mt 24:43. The goodman (RV ‘master’) of the house] i.e. in the application of the parable, the Apostles, and their successors in posts of authority in the Church. The thief] i.e. on account of the suddenness and unexpectedness of His coming, our Lord: see 1 Th 5:2 Rev 16:15. Although the second coming is chiefly in view, it must be remembered that Christ comes in judgment to the individual soul at death. Broken up] RV ‘broken through’: see 6:19.

The thief in the night

(The Saviour of the World, Vol VI Book IV Poem L)

Again the Master oped His lips and spake—
So careful lest His servants should mistake
Needful delays for His forgetfulness,
And think, not His the power to blame or bless.
“Watch,” said He once again, “your peril lies
In letting summons take you by surprise”:
But, for He knew advice of slight avail,
Again He clothed His warning in a tale:—

“A man had heard of burglaries
In neighbours’ houses; ill at ease,
He said to this one, that, ‘I pray,
Heaven send those thieves come not my way!’
And then he went to bed and slept
Nor ward over his substance kept.
Peaceful at first the hours wore on;
But stealthy steps were heard anon,
Or had been heard did any watch,
Did any wake, the thieves to catch!
When morning came, his rifled store
Vexed the good man, each hour the more,
The more his losses he perceived;
‘Ah, had I known,’ said he, much grieved,
‘What hour the thieves would come, awake,
And ready, I, those thieves to take!’

“So be ye ready in that hour
The Son of Man shall come with power.”

St. Luke xii. 39–40.

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