Mark 13:36Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Believers, let us acknowledge that our shortcomings prompt genuine repentance, while our failure to repent hinders our spiritual progress. Our invocation to the Lord signifies our conclusion. As we perceive the approach of our end, we become aware of our calling. We recognize our mortality, even as we remain unaware of its timing. This is the nature of the Lord’s call, as we cannot predict when He will summon us. If one desires to stand righteous before the Lord upon being called, he must live in constant repentance, embodying the character he wishes to present at his end. Do you long for a peaceful passing? Remember this moment and conduct yourself in a godly manner. Wise and vigilant servants remain awake, always anticipating their master's call. Believer, be as shrewd as the sons of this world in your vigilance and longing for your Lord's call. Exercise discernment and wisdom concerning this critical aspect, and you shall be blessed. Your fate—eternal joy or suffering—hinges on this moment. Herein lies the gateway to eternity, leading to either blessing or condemnation. You will either embark on a journey to everlasting life and solace or to endless death and anguish. Consider how serious this moment is. Blessed is the one who remains watchful and anticipates this hour! Remain alert, my soul, and await this hour. Then, joyfully, you will be able to proclaim: "Lord, now You let Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word" (Luke 2:29-32). "Tell me, O Lord, my end, and the measure of my days: what is it, that I may know what remains for me. Indeed, You have made my days like a handbreadth, and my lifespan is as nothing before You. Truly, each man at his best is but a mere breath. He walks about like a shadow; he toils in vain, amasses riches, and does not know to whom they will belong" (Psalm 38:5-7). O Jesus, my Redeemer, cleanse me first, even when I cannot escape this place.

Likewise, when the Son of Man returns, such negligence, indulgence, disbelief, and moral decay will prevail. The Lord added that the suddenness of that day might see two men working in a field: one will be taken, the other left; two women grinding at the mill: one will be taken, the other left. In such unpredictability, vigilance is essential, so that one's heart is not burdened with excess or the anxieties of life. For that day will come unexpectedly, like a trap, ensnaring all who inhabit the earth (Luke 21:35). Each person should therefore behave as the owner of a house would if he knew a thief planned to come at an unknown hour. He would remain alert, ensuring his dwelling remains secure. All the more, we too must stay awake, for at a time when we least expect it, the Son of Man will arrive.

By grace, Christians experience a yet superior spiritual life, as indicated by the Lord's words: “Except a man be born by water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). To grasp the kingdom of God, or to become a follower of Christ, one must be born of the Spirit; therefore, it is essential to lead a life imbued with the Spirit, surpassing that of the natural or the ‘spiritual’ person, as the Apostle describes (1 Cor. 2:14). This spiritual existence, drawing from the Spirit of God as its source, finds God and His grace as its illumination, strength, sustenance, initiator of actions, and ultimate aspiration.

When this spiritual life elevates and prevails over the life of the soul and the senses, it is characterized as a state of spiritual vigilance. When, however, the spiritual life becomes entwined with the mental and sensory aspects, allowing those aspects to overshadow it, this manifests as spiritual slumber or sleep. When your spirit turns towards God through faith, prayer, and contemplation, it is awake; but should you cease contemplating God, then you begin to doze off, and if you forget Him entirely, you succumb to sleep.

If you are inspired by love for God, you remain vigilant and awake; however, if your heart is swayed by affections for worldly matters, desires for their emptiness, or the allure of transient pleasures, you drift into a dreamlike state. If you seek sustenance not merely from physical bread but from every word that emanates from the mouth of God (Matt. 4:4), and like Christ, draw nourishment from fulfilling God's will, this reflects a state of awareness, for true sustenance cannot be gained while asleep. But if you are indifferent to the word of God and neglect the pursuit of divine truths and spiritual teachings—if you fail to delight in executing God's will—this suggests a numbness of the spirit. If, concurrently, you find yourself craving sensory pleasures, being captivated by diversions and distractions, mistaking such fleeting experiences for true satisfaction, know that these are more the illusions of a dreamer than the sensations of one who is awake. This truth will unfold when your spirit awakens, be it in a divine moment of grace or on the day of judgment.

If the thought of God spurs you towards good deeds, and mutual acts of kindness draw you nearer to Him, leading you to offer a good deed as a sacrifice and to express gratitude for His assistance, it is clear you are walking in His presence and thus are awake. Conversely, if your motivations stem from selfish desires, ambitions, or the pursuit of wealth, no matter your achievements, there will come a time when you will reflect upon what you deemed tireless endeavors and realize the fulfillment of the prophetic saying: “They have fallen asleep in their sleep, and the men of wealth have found nothing in their hands” (Psalm 75:6). Sleeping when one can be awake is not commendable; remaining in a state of sleep without awakening is particularly perilous.

Awakening from physical slumber is not always under our control, but waking from spiritual sleep is entirely dependent on our choices. The awakening call from our conscience, from the word of God, and through divine providence is not beyond reach, unless we choose deliberately to ignore it. The Lord cautions us in a parable: “the enemy comes to the sleeping man, and all the tares in the midst of the wheat” (Matthew 13:25). This signifies that during periods of negligence and carelessness, the adversary plants evil thoughts, sinful ambitions, and unlawful actions into our lives. Thus, it is evident how perilous spiritual slumber can be.

The Lord further illustrates, “you are like men who wait for their Lord,” and affirms, “Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord will find watching” (Luke 12:36-37). Therefore, He commands: “Watch ye therefore; for ye know not when the Lord will come home, lest when he cometh suddenly, he find you sleeping” (Mark 13:35-36), and be destined to miss His blessings.

In the parable recounted by Mark, the Lord illustrates Himself as a master who entrusted his household to his servants during his absence, assigning each a specific task while instructing the gatekeeper to remain vigilant. It is imperative that each servant be diligent and that the gatekeeper maintain alertness until the master returns. Given the unpredictable timing of the master’s arrival, constant readiness is essential, so they may present themselves to their lord favorably. Likewise, the Lord, having established His church on earth, ascended to heaven, visibly leaving it behind while promising to return at a time known only to God. Every believer has a unique role within the body of Christ, a particular purpose and task to fulfill throughout their lives. Acknowledging that the timing of Christ’s second coming remains unknown—a moment that will usher in the final judgment where all individuals must account for their earthly deeds, as will be the case at the hour of each person's death—believers are urged to remain ever vigilant and prepared to greet the returning Lord, the judge of the living and the dead.

Conversely, if that servant turns out to be unrighteous and thinks: ‘My master will be gone a long time,’ and falls into misconduct, abuses the other servants, and indulges in excess with those who drink, then woe to him! The master will return, and he will return unexpectedly, bringing upon the wicked servant a dreadful outcome; the servant will lament and grind his teeth in frustration, but it will be too late—one cannot reverse the past or alter their destiny.” The Second Coming of the Son of Man will resemble a man who, upon leaving and entrusting his house to his servants, assigned each one their particular tasks and commanded the gatekeeper to remain vigilant; thus, stay alert, for you do not know when the master will arrive, whether in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the roosters, or in the morning; lest he find you unprepared (Mark 13:35-36). In referring to the servants entrusted with the management of his household, Jesus was unmistakably identifying Himself as the master, the earth as His home, and the servants as the inhabitants of the earth. Therefore, those entrusted with the oversight of their master's household must consistently and faithfully fulfill their obligations, so that they can confidently present an account to their master. Similarly, while we partake of life's blessings, we must continually recognize that these blessings are not ours but belong to God, granted to us solely for stewardship, accompanied by certain responsibilities; we must not neglect that we will have to account for our duties and thus must act in a manner that keeps us prepared at all times to render this account. Our reckoning will occur at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, but it will also conclude at the end of our earthly journey. If we live carelessly, disregarding our Lord, treating earthly goods not as entrusted property to manage, but as possessions misappropriated for our whims, upon our death we will face the tragic realization that what was entrusted to us has been squandered, and we will possess no justification for our expenditures or deeds. We will find ourselves akin to the servants discovered sleeping by the returning master. These parables convey that the master not only left his house for the servants to manage but also assigned each one a specific work (Mark 13:34). Thus, each of us must manage God's house, the earthly resources given to us, in accordance with His will, while also engaging in our individual work so that we are at all times prepared to provide an account to our imminent Judge. Each person has their own tasks, ministries, and vocations assigned by God and must report on how they executed them: did they conduct their affairs as God desires? When multitudes came to John in the wilderness seeking repentance and baptism, they asked, “What shall we do?”—to which John advised everyone to carry out their responsibilities diligently. This may seem a small and simple directive. Christ expects the same from us: each of us should perform our duties as commanded by the Lord; if we do so, we will always be ready to encounter our Lord, and that meeting will be a source of joy. However, if we neglect our Lord's commands and pursue our work however we wish, woe to us! These parables also address the servant assigned to supply food to the others at the proper times, as well as the gatekeeper. The food distributor can be understood to symbolize the priest, to whom Christ has entrusted the delivery of spiritual nourishment to His flock, that is, to proclaim the Word of God and administer the sacraments through which divine grace is conferred upon believers; the gatekeeper represents those in positions of authority, called to safeguard the welfare of God's household. The Lord commands them, “Be vigilant” (Mark 13:37). Remain alert in fulfilling the specific duties entrusted to you by God, bearing in mind that you too will need to account for whether you have executed your responsibilities faithfully. The greater the authority entrusted to you, the more the peace and well-being of the flock of Christ you oversee depend on your conscientious execution of that authority; thus, the scrutiny of your judgment will be severe, for “to whom much is given, much will be required.” If Christ came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45); if He stated, “If anyone wishes to be first, he must be a servant of all” (Mark 9:35), then you must always recall that your divine authority obligates you to serve those you are appointed to safeguard. Keep this in mind and be vigilant!

Be careful, so that your hearts do not become burdened by indulgence, intoxication, and the anxieties of this life, causing that day to surprise you like a snare, ensnaring all those who dwell on the earth: stay alert and pray at all times, so that you may be able to escape from all these things and stand before the Son of Man. The Lord enlightened them on what is necessary for wisdom, ensuring they would not be swept away by a tide of negligence and sensuality. Just as it was in the days of Noah, so shall be the coming of the Son of Man: it was business as usual—eating, drinking, marrying, and living life—until the day Noah entered the ark, and they were caught unaware. When the floodwaters came, they lost everything: in the same way, the coming of the Son of Man will be. At that time, two will be in a field: one will be taken, and the other left; two will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken, and the other left. Earlier, the Lord had warned His disciples of the unexpected nature of His return for judgment, emphasizing not only the night time but also the epiphany (Luke 17:26-30, 35-36). In this moment, reiterating this prophecy, He urged His faithful to remain in a state of perpetual watchfulness as they await the final day of the earth: ‘Watch therefore, for you do not know at what hour your Lord will come.’ To illustrate the importance of vigilance in anticipation of His return, and the grave repercussions of neglecting the soul's salvation, the Lord referenced the parable of the servants who awaited their master, a message He had conveyed previously (Luke 12:39, 40, 42-46).