Luke:12:35-48
rwp@Luke:12:35 @{Be girded about} (\estsan periezsmenai\). Periphrastic perfect passive imperative third plural of the verb \periznnumi\ or \periznnu\ (later form), an old verb, to gird around, to fasten the garments with a girdle. The long garments of the orientals made speed difficult. It was important to use the girdle before starting. Cf. strkjv@17:8; strkjv@Acts:12:8|. {Burning} (\kaiomenoi\). Periphrastic present middle imperative, already burning and continuously burning. The same point of the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew:25:1-13|) is found here in condensed form. This verse introduces the parable of the waiting servants (Luke:12:35-40|).
rwp@Luke:12:36 @{When he shall return from the marriage feast} (\pote analusi ek tn gamn\). The interrogative conjunction \pote\ and the deliberative aorist subjunctive retained in the indirect question. The verb \analu\, very common Greek verb, but only twice in the N.T. (here and strkjv@Phillipians:1:23|). The figure is breaking up a camp or loosening the mooring of a ship, to depart. Perhaps here the figure is from the standpoint of the wedding feast (plural as used of a single wedding feast in strkjv@Luke:14:8|), departing from there. See on ¯Matthew:22:2|. {When he cometh and knocketh} (\elthontos kai krousantos\). Genitive absolute of the aorist active participle without \autou\ and in spite of \autoi\ (dative) being used after \anoixsin\ (first aorist active subjunctive of \anoig\).
rwp@Luke:12:37 @{He shall gird himself} (\perizsetai\). Direct future middle. Jesus did this (John:13:4|), not out of gratitude, but to give the apostles an object lesson in humility. See the usual course in strkjv@Luke:17:7-10| with also the direct middle (verse 8|) of \perisnnu\.
rwp@Luke:12:38 @{And if} (\k'an = kai + ean\). Repeated. \Elthi\ and \heuri\, both second aorist subjunctive with \ean\, condition of the third class, undetermined, but with prospect of being determined. {Blessed} (\makarioi\). Beatitude here as in verse 37|.
rwp@Luke:12:39 @{The thief} (\ho klepts\). The change here almost makes a new parable to illustrate the other, the parable of the housebreaking (verses 39,40|) to illustrate the parable of the waiting servants (35-38|). This same language appears in strkjv@Matthew:24:43f|. "The Master returning from a wedding is replaced by a thief whose study it is to come to the house he means to plunder at an unexpected time" (Bruce). The parallel in strkjv@Matthew:24:43-51| with strkjv@Luke:12:39-46| does not have the interruption by Peter. {He would have watched} (\egrgorsen an\). Apodosis of second-class condition, determined as unfulfilled, made plain by use of \an\ with aorist indicative which is not repeated with \ouk aphken\ (first aorist active indicative of \aphimi\, \k\ aorist), though it is sometimes repeated (Matthew:24:43|).
rwp@Luke:12:40 @{Be ye} (\ginesthe\). Present middle imperative, keep on becoming. {Cometh} (\erchetai\). Futuristic present indicative. See strkjv@Matthew:24:43-51| for details in the comparison with Luke.
rwp@Luke:12:41 @{Peter said} (\Eipen de ho Petros\). This whole paragraph from verse 22-40| had been addressed directly to the disciples. Hence it is not surprising to find Peter putting in a question. This incident confirms also the impression that Luke is giving actual historical data in the environment of these discourses. He is certain that the Twelve are meant, but he desires to know if others are included, for he had spoken to the multitude in verses 13-21|. Recall strkjv@Mark:13:37|. This interruption is somewhat like that on the Mount of Transfiguration (Luke:9:33|) and is characteristic of Peter. Was it the magnificent promise in verse 37| that stirred Peter's impulsiveness? It is certainly more than a literary device of Luke. Peter's question draws out a parabolic reply by Jesus (42-48|).
rwp@Luke:12:42 @{Who then} (\tis ara\). Jesus introduces this parable of the wise steward (42-48|) by a rhetorical question that answers itself. Peter is this wise steward, each of the Twelve is, anyone is who acts thus. {The faithful and wise steward} (\ho pistos oikonomos ho phronimos\). The faithful steward, the wise one. A steward is house manager (\oikos, nem\, to manage). Each man is a steward in his own responsibilities. {Household} (\therapeias\). Literally, service from \therapeu\. medical service as in strkjv@Luke:9:11|, by metonymy household (a body of those domestics who serve). {Their portion of food} (\to sitometrion\). Late word from \sitometre\ (Genesis:47:12|) for the Attic \ton siton metre\, to measure the food, the rations. Here only in the N.T. or anywhere else till Deissmann (_Bible Studies_, p. 158) found it in an Egyptian papyrus and then an inscription in Lycia (_Light from the Ancient East_, p. 104).
rwp@Luke:12:44 @{Over all} (\epi psin\). See strkjv@Matthew:24-47| for \epi\ with locative in this sense. Usually with genitive as in verse 42| and sometimes with accusative as in verse 14|.
rwp@Luke:12:45 @{Shall say} (\eipi\). Second aorist subjunctive, with \ean\, condition of the third class, undetermined, but with prospect of being determined. {Delayeth} (\chronizei\). From \chronos\, time, spends time, lingers. {Shall begin} (\arxtai\). First aorist middle subjunctive with \ean\ and the same condition as \eipi\, above. {The menservants} (\tous paidas\) {and the maidservants} (\kai tas paidiskas\). \Paidisk\ is a diminutive of \pais\ for a young female slave and occurs in the papyri, orginally just a damsel. Here \pais\ can mean slave also though strictly just a boy.
rwp@Luke:12:46 @{Shall cut him asunder} (\dichotomsei\). An old and somewhat rare word from \dichotomos\ and that from \dicha\ and \temn\, to cut, to cut in two. Used literally here. In the N.T. only here and strkjv@Matthew:24:51|. {With the unfaithful} (\meta tn apistn\). Not here "the unbelieving" though that is a common meaning of \apistos\ (\a\ privative and \pistos\, from \peith\), but the unreliable, the untrustworthy. Here strkjv@Matthew:24:51| has "with the hypocrites," the same point. The parallel with strkjv@Matthew:24:43-51| ends here. strkjv@Matthew:24:51| adds the saying about the wailing and the gnashing of teeth. Clearly there Luke places the parable of the wise steward in this context while Matthew has it in the great eschatological discourse. Once again we must either think that Jesus repeated the parable or that one of the writers has misplaced it. Luke alone preserves what he gives in verses 47,48|.
rwp@Luke:12:47 @{Which knew} (\ho gnous\). Articular participle (second aorist active, punctiliar and timeless). The one who knows. Songs:as to \m hetoimasas poisas\ (does not make ready or do). {Shall be beaten with many stripes} (\darsetai pollas\). Second future passive of \der\, to skin, to beat, to flay (see on strkjv@Matthew:21:35; strkjv@Mark:12:3,5|). The passive voice retains here the accusative \pollas\ (supply \plgas\, present in strkjv@Luke:10:30|). The same explanation applies to \oligas\ in verse 48|.
rwp@Luke:12:48 @{To whomsoever much is given} (\panti de hi edoth polu\). Here is inverse attraction from \hoi\ to \panti\ (Robertson, _Grammar_, pp. 767f.). Note \par' autou\ (from him) without any regard to \panti\. {They commit} (\parethento\). Second aorist middle indicative, timeless or gnomic aorist. Note the impersonal plural after the passive voice just before.
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