What does Luke 12:35-36 mean?

35 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; 36 And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. (Luke 12:35-36 KJV)

William Burkitt’s Commentary

The next duty Christ exhorts his disciples to is that of watchfulness with reference to his second coming: Let your loins be girded, and your lights burning. The words may be understood two ways, spoken either in a martial phrase, as to soldiers; or in a domestic, as to servants; if as to soldiers, then let your loins be girded, and your lights burning in as much as that we should be always ready for a march, having our armor on, and our match lighted, ready to give fire at the alarm of temptation. If the words are spoken as to servants, then our Master bids us carefully expect his second coming, like a lord’s returning from a wedding supper (which used to be celebrated in the night) that they should not put on their clothes, nor put out their lights, but stand ready to open, though he comes at midnight. When Christ comes, that soul only shall have his blessing whom he finds watching.


BURKITT | Luke 12:1-3 | Luke 12:4-5 | Luke 12:6-7 | Luke 12:8-9 | Luke 12:10 | Luke 12:11-12 | Luke 12:13-14 | Luke 12:15 | Luke 12:16-21 | Luke 12:22-30 | Luke 12:31 | Luke 12:32 | Luke 12:33-34 | Luke 12:35-36 | Luke 12:37-40 | Luke 12:41-44 | Luke 12:45-48 | Luke 12:49-53 | Luke 12:54-59 |