John Calvin Commentary Luke 12:36

"and be ye yourselves like unto men looking for their lord, when he shall return from the marriage feast; that, when he cometh and knocketh, they may straightway open unto him." — Luke 12:36 (ASV)

And you yourselves like men that wait for their master. He uses another parable not mentioned by Matthew, who writes more briefly on this subject. For he compares himself to a householder who, while he is joining in the festivities of the marriage feast, or in other respects indulging in pleasure away from his own house, wishes his servants to conduct themselves with modesty and sobriety at home, attending to their lawful occupations, and diligently waiting for his return.

Now although the Son of God has departed to the blessed rest of heaven and is absent from us, yet as he has assigned to every one his duty, it would be improper for us to give way to idle rest. Besides, as he has promised that he will return to us, we should keep ourselves prepared at every moment to receive him, so that he does not find us sleeping.

For if a mortal man considers it a duty that his servants owe him, that, at whatever hour he returns home, they shall be prepared to receive him, how much more does he have a right to demand from his followers that they shall be sober and vigilant, and always wait for his coming? To stir them to greater readiness, he mentions that earthly masters are so delighted with such promptness on the part of their servants, that they even serve them; not that all masters are accustomed to act this way, but because it does sometimes happen that a master, who is kind and gentle, admits his servants to his own table, as if they were his companions.

Yet it may be asked, since Scripture calls us in many passages children of light, (Ephesians 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:5), and since the Lord also shines upon us by his word, so that we walk as at noon, how does the Lord compare our life to the watches of the night? But we should seek the solution to this difficulty from the words of Peter, who tells us that the word of God shines like a burning lamp, to enable us distinctly to see our road in a dark place. We should therefore attend to both statements: that our journey must be performed amid the thick darkness of the world, and yet we are protected from the risk of going astray while the torch of heavenly doctrine goes before us, especially when we have Christ himself for a sun.