Scripture Blog

This weblog is my personal online scripture journal. I try to read the scriptures each morning as I exercise on my cross-trainer. It has a great impact on my life and my testimony of the Savior and his restored church. The journal is really for my own benefit but I have set it up as a web log in hopes to benefit anyone else that may be interested. "For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost..." 1 Nephi 10:19

Thursday, April 07, 2011

Luke 12

As an illustration, the Savior said -

"...that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.
40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not." (New Testament | Luke 12:39 - 40)

Less than two weeks ago, my vehicle was broken into during the later morning hours at my office in broad daylight and many personal valuable items were stolen - very little of value to a theif. But nonetheless, this parable seems to ring very true. It is interesting that Peter responded with the question -

"...Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?" (New Testament | Luke 12:41)

In the Joseph Smith translation of the Bible, the Savior responded -

"...I speak unto those whom the Lord shall make rulers over his household, to give his children their portion of meat in due season.

And they said, Who then is that faithful and wise servant?

And the Lord said unto them, It is that servant who watcheth, to impart his portion of meat in due season." (JST)

It seems to me the Savior is saying to both, the leaders and the saints. Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote -

"Inserted in the Inspired Version [JST] by revelation, these sayings of Jesus give a new and added concept to the teaching that men should watch, pray, and be ready for the Second Coming; they outline a concept which is not elsewhere set forth with the clarity and plainness here recorded. Interestingly, Dummelow came close to the very truth Jesus is here teaching when he speculated, as above quoted, that "Christ's return from the marriage feast . . . may mean his judgment of each individual soul at death."

All of the Lord's ministers, all of the members of his Church, and for that matter all men everywhere ('What I say unto one, I say unto all'), are counseled to await with righteous readiness the coming of the Lord. However, most men will die before he comes, and only those then living will rejoice or tremble, as the case may be, at his personal presence. But all who did prepare will be rewarded as though they had lived when he came, while the wicked will be "cut asunder" and appointed their "portion with the hypocrites" as surely as though they lived in the very day of dread and vengeance.

Thus, in effect, the Lord comes in every watch of the night, on every occasion when men are called to face death and judgment. The phrase, "He hath already come, as it is written of him," pointedly inserted in verse 42, is a witness that even then he ministered among mortal men and that they were judged by their acceptance or rejection of him." (DNTC 1:676-77.)