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“Fear not, little flock, in this! That your Father is well pleased to give the kingdom to you. Sell your belongings! And give mercy! Make for yourselves non-decaying moneybags that do not grow old! An unfailing treasury in the heavens, where no thief draws near and no moth destroys. For where your treasury is, there also your heart will be. Be!” (Luke’s AD 60 research report re Jesus: Chapter 12: 32-48)
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What did Jesus mean when he commanded his disciples (above) “Be!”? As you can see he had just encouraged them to see themselves as sheep looked after by a loving “Father” who was (and is) “well pleased to give the kingdom to you.” By “Be!” was he commanding them to live (every part of their lives) in this new realization? Kind of, “Be born anew!”
“Your hips having been dressed for service; your lamps being burning; and you yourselves like men awaiting the Lord of their own selves whenever he may move forward from the wedding contract so that, he coming and knocking, they may immediately open to him.”
Jesus then indicated key things about this new “being”. Service ready. Light burning. Be anticipating your Lord to come to you. Be ready to open to him.
But what’s this about “the wedding contract”? At that time, a “wedding contract” was a celebration of a permanent marriage contract. But it was not immediately followed by setting up home together. Instead, a groom went away to prepare the marital home. When that was done, he would return – often unexpectedly – to whisk away his bride into new life together.
It seems that Jesus was referring to this. He would complete the “marriage contract” at the cross and resurrection and would return. In a later book (Acts of the Apostles), Luke records the return of Jesus in the form of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost around AD 30. He came to them there on earth.
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“Blessed those same servants whom the Lord, coming, will find watching. Truly, I state to you that he will dress for service and will set them at rest and coming near will minister to them. And if he may come in the second, or in the third prison, and may find them watching, blessed are those same ones.”
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Those disciples who responded to his “Be!” would be blessed by Jesus himself ministering to them – serving them – on earth.
“But know this that, if the house-overlord had perceived at what hour the thief is coming, he would not ever leave his house to be burgled. Also, you yourselves - become prepared ones! For the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not think.”
Who is this “house-overlord” whose “house” will be “burgled”? I think Jesus may have been referring to the “adversary” – see Infos BJ and BK – the enemy of humanity, whose “house” of captive souls would “be burgled” at the cross and resurrection by Jesus’ offer of mercy, to all.
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But Peter said, “Lord, for us you state this parallel. Or also for all?” And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise house-manager, whom the Lord will appoint over the Lord’s own healing, to give the food from it in time?”
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Good question, Peter. Did this teaching apply to "all" who, at that time, were not disciples? Jesus’ reply was devastating. They – the disciples – were responsible to “all” to bring God’s “healing” to “all”. Five things were real for those disciples that day. As below.
(1) “Blessed is that same servant who, his Lord coming, will find so doing. Truly, I state to you, that he will appoint him over all his belongings.” (2) “But if that same servant may say in his heart, ‘My Lord delays to come,’ and begins to beat the juniors, male and female, not only to eat but also to drink, also to be intoxicated, the Lord of that same servant will arrive on a day which he does not expect and at an hour which he does not know, and will excise him and will place his portion with the faithless.”(3) “And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating.” (4) “But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating.” (5) “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.”
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