Mark 13:37Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

See again that He has not said, I know not when the time will be, but, Ye know not. For the reason why He concealed it was that it was better for us; for if, now that we know not the end, we are careless, what should we do if we knew it? We should keep on our wickednesses even unto the end. Let us therefore attend to His words; for the end comes at even, when a man dies in old age; at midnight, when he dies in the midst of his youth; and at cockcrow, when our reason is perfect within us; for when a child begins to live according to his reason, then the cock cries loud within him, rousing him from the sleep of sense; but the age of childhood is the morning. Now all these ages must look out for the end; for even a child must be watched, lest he die unbaptized.

For He not only speaks to those in whose hearing He then spake, but even to all who came after them, before our time, and even to us, and to all after us, even to His last coming. But shall that day find all living, or will any man say that He speaks also to the dead, when He says, Watch, lest when he cometh he find you sleeping? Why then does He say to all, what only belongs to those who shall then be alive, if it be not that it belongs to all, as I have said?

For he who sleeps applies not his mind to real bodies, but to phantoms, and when he awakes, he possesses not what he had seen; so also are those, whom the love of this world seizes upon in this life; they quit after this life what they dreamed was real.

Be vigilant and pray so that you do not succumb to spiritual slumber (cf. Luke 21:36). Your past virtues will offer you no aid if, in the end, you turn away from true faith (cf. Ezek. 18:24, Ezek. 33:13; 1 Tim. 1:18-19).

This ignorance of the day and hour is urged against the Only-Begotten God, as if, God born of God had not the same perfection of nature as God. But first, let common sense decide whether it is credible that He, who is the cause that all things are, and are to be, should be ignorant of any out of all these things. For how can it be beyond the knowledge of that nature, by which and in which that which is to be done is contained? And can He be ignorant of that day, which is the day of His own Advent? Human substances foreknow as far as they can what they intend to do, and the knowledge of what is to be done, follows upon the will to act.

For the earth is properly the place for the flesh, which was as it were carried away to a far country, when it was placed by our Redeemer in the heavens. And he gave his servants power over every work, when, by giving to His faithful ones the grace of the Holy Ghost, He gave them the power of serving every good work. He has also ordered the porter to watch, because He commanded the order of pastors to have a care over the Church committed to them. Not only, however, those of us who rule over Churches, but all are required to watch the doors of their hearts, lest the evil suggestions of the devil enter into them, and lest our Lord find us sleeping. Wherefore concluding this parable He adds, Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning: lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

The man who taking a far journey left his house is Christ, who ascending as a conqueror to His Father after the resurrection, left His Church, as to His bodily presence, but has never deprived her of the safeguard of His Divine presence.

An extraordinary divine grandeur was evident in the words spoken by Jesus. Each listener perceived that they were receiving more than a simple warning, sensing that both heaven and earth were poised to shift in order to accommodate the fulfillment of His message. The God-Man further asserted, concerning the final day and hour of the world, that “no one knows it—not the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” He explained for their edification that during the arrival of the Son of Man, the situation would mirror that of Noah's time: people were engaged in eating, drinking, and marrying until the day when Noah entered the ark, utterly oblivious to the impending doom until the flood came and swept them all away.

In conclusion, He affirms that this admonition is essential for everyone universally: ‘To all I say, Watch’ (Mark 13:37).

The Lord emphasized this matter and sought to communicate to the disciples the essential need for vigilance, diligence, and loyalty in such times. Therefore, remain alert: for you do not know at what moment your Lord will return. You are entrusted with the stewardship of the household in My absence; the householder is always watchful, fearing that a thief may invade at any hour. Consider, too, your role following My departure, much like that of the servants entrusted with the master's estate during his absence. What distress will the servant face if the master finds him squandering his resources? Conversely, how favored will be the steward whom the master finds commanding respect, with no grievances raised against him, as all are content with his management.

Among the teachings of Jesus Christ, wherein He encouraged His followers to remain vigilant regarding the unpredictable arrival of the Son of Man, various Jewish traditions have retained unique recollections. The Gospel of Luke offers a concise directive on this subject and subsequently summarizes the life and ministry of Jesus from His royal entry into Jerusalem to the Last Supper. Mark presents the parable of the servants and the gatekeeper awaiting their master's return. In contrast, Matthew shares four parables: 1) the tale of the householder facing the threat of a thief, 2) the story of the faithful and unfaithful servant (cf. Luke 12:39-48), 3) the parable of the wise and foolish virgins, 4) the parable of the talents, and concludes with the depiction of the final judgment.

Let us not become complacent or assume that the end times and the Final Judgment are far off; we cannot predict the day or the hour of our departure from this life, that is, our death, and after we pass, there is no opportunity for repentance. We must remain vigilant at every moment, guarding against the entrapments of worldly concerns and the possessions of this earth. Let our spirit remain alert and protect us from all temptations and deviations from the righteous path, so that we may approach the Judgment of the Son of Man with confidence at any moment.

The day will arrive unexpectedly, serving as both a reward for all loyal servants and a day of judgment for those who have strayed from their true calling and are unprepared for that significant moment. To instill this message of vigilance and steadfastness deep within their hearts and to caution them further against the risks of a careless lifestyle and the dimming of their spiritual readiness, He shared with them two parables: the parable of the ten virgins and the one about the talents (Matthew 25:1-30).

Through His Apostles, the Lord issues the exhortation to remain vigilant to all believers throughout the ages, until His return.

When the arrival of the Son of Man remains uncertain, believers must maintain spiritual vigilance: stay alert, stay alert, and pray, for the hour of His coming is unknown. To instill this call to spiritual awareness more profoundly in the hearts of His disciples, the Lord shared a parable, portraying Himself as a master leaving His home, symbolizing the Church, to return to His Father in heaven, and then come back to His servants to assess their stewardship. Just as a man departs his house, entrusting his servants with authority and assigning each their tasks, he instructs the gatekeeper to remain attentive. This divine directive for vigilance is a timeless command to all Christ's followers until the end of the age: I say unto you, I say unto all, remain watchful.