Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
David Brown
Watch therefore; for ye know, etc - This, the moral or practical lesson of the whole parable, needs no comment.
A T Robertson
Watch therefore (grēgoreite oun). This is the refrain with all the parables. Lack of foresight is inexcusable. Ignorance of the time of the second coming is not an excuse for neglect, but a reason for readiness. Every preacher goes up against this trait in human nature, putting off till another time what should be done today.
John Gill
Watch therefore ... In ordinances, in prayer, public and private, in hearing the word, at the Lord's supper, and in every religious exercise; over the heart, the thoughts and affections of it; over words, actions, life and conversation; and against all sin and unbelief, Satan's temptations, the world and its charms and snares, false teachers and their doctrines and for the bridegroom's coming. This is the use and application of the whole parable, and shows the general design of it; the reason to enforce watchfulness follows:
for ye know neither the day nor the hour; of death, or of judgment, or of the coming of the son of man, of one or the other; for it is added,
wherein the son of man cometh: that he will come is certain, and that quickly; the time is fixed, but when it will be is unknown; and therefore it becomes us to be our watch and guard. This last clause is not in the Vulgate Latin, nor in the Syriac, Arabic, Persic and Ethiopic versions, and was wanting in three of Beza's copies, but is in most Greek copies and in Munster's Hebrew Gospel, and seems to be necessary.
C H Spurgeon
Our Lord again enjoins upon his followers the duty of watchfulness, as in 24:42; and repeats, in a slightly-altered form, the reason previously given: “For ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” It is idle to say that we may find out the year, if not the day and hour, of Christ’s coming. The time of the end is hidden, and shall not be known until sudden1y he shall appear “in the clouds of heaven in power and great glory.” It should be our one great concern to be sure that we shall be ready to meet him whenever he may come.
John Gill
Watch therefore ... In ordinances, in prayer, public and private, in hearing the word, at the Lord's supper, and in every religious exercise; over the heart, the thoughts and affections of it; over words, actions, life and conversation; and against all sin and unbelief, Satan's temptations, the world and its charms and snares, false teachers and their doctrines and for the bridegroom's coming. This is the use and application of the whole parable, and shows the general design of it; the reason to enforce watchfulness follows:
for ye know neither the day nor the hour; of death, or of judgment, or of the coming of the son of man, of one or the other; for it is added,
wherein the son of man cometh: that he will come is certain, and that quickly; the time is fixed, but when it will be is unknown; and therefore it becomes us to be our watch and guard. This last clause is not in the Vulgate Latin, nor in the Syriac, Arabic, Persic and Ethiopic versions, and was wanting in three of Beza's copies, but is in most Greek copies and in Munster's Hebrew Gospel, and seems to be necessary.
C H Spurgeon
Our Lord again enjoins upon his followers the duty of watchfulness, as in 24:42; and repeats, in a slightly-altered form, the reason previously given: “For ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” It is idle to say that we may find out the year, if not the day and hour, of Christ’s coming. The time of the end is hidden, and shall not be known until sudden1y he shall appear “in the clouds of heaven in power and great glory.” It should be our one great concern to be sure that we shall be ready to meet him whenever he may come.
