SEV Biblia, Chapter 13:35
Velad pues, porque no sabis cundo el Seor de la casa vendr; si a la tarde, o a la medianoche, o al canto del gallo, o a la maana;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Mark 13:35
Verse 35. Watch ye therefore] The more the master is expected, the more diligent ought the servants to be in working, watching, and keeping themselves in readiness. Can one who has received the sentence of his death, and has no right to live a moment, need any admonition to prepare to die? Does not a prisoner who expects his deliverance, hold himself in continual readiness to leave his dungeon?
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 35. Watch ye therefore , etc..] Against false Christs, and false prophets; over yourselves, and the whole church; for the words are particularly addressed to the disciples of Christ: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh ; when Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven, and in earth, is named, who is a Son in his own house, is an high priest over the house of God, and Lord of his church and people, whom he has bought with his blood, and provides for with his grace, and by his Spirit, when he will come to break up housekeeping with the Jews, and bring his wrath upon them to the uttermost: whether at even, or at midnight, or at the cock crowing, or in the morning . This is agreeably to the division of the night among the Jews, who speak of the first watch, the middle of the night, the cock crowing, and morning, as distinct from each other. The three first of these we have in one passage f234 : every day they remove the ashes from the altar, rbgh tayrqb , at cock crowing, or near it, either before, or after it; and on the day of atonement, tw x hm , at midnight; and on the feast days, at the first watch, the same with the evening here: and elsewhere the morning and cock crowing are distinguished f235 ; for a last of the congregation, how long may a man eat and drink? until the pillar of the morning ascends, (or until it is morning,) the words of R. Eliezer ben Jacob; R. Simeon says, until cock crowing. And so the phrase, from cock crowing till morning, is used by them f236 .
The Romans also divided the night in like manner, into evening, the dead of the night, or midnight, cock crowing, and the morning f237 . The allusion seems to be to the time of the president of the temple's coming into it, who had the management of the affairs of it, and of appointing to each priest his work: it is said f238 , whoever would remove the ashes from the altar, rose up early, and washed himself before the president came; but in what hour does the president come? not at all times alike: sometimes he comes, rbgh tayrqm , at cock crowing, or near it, before it, or after it; and the president comes and knocks for them, and they open to him; and he says unto them, whosoever has washed himself, let him come and cast lots: they cast lots, and he is worthy whom he counts worthy.
Such who understand these words of Christ's coming by death, or at judgment, apply these seasons to the several ages of men, as childhood, youth, manhood, and old age.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 28-37 - We have the application of this prophetic sermon. As to the destructio of Jerusalem, expect it to come very shortly. As to the end of the world, do not inquire when it will come, for of that day and that hou knoweth no man. Christ, as God, could not be ignorant of anything; but the Divine wisdom which dwelt in our Saviour, communicated itself to his human soul according to the Divine pleasure. As to both, our duty is to watch and pray. Our Lord Jesus, when he ascended on high, lef something for all his servants to do. We ought to be always upon ou watch, in expectation of his return. This applies to Christ's coming to us at our death, as well as to the general judgment. We know no whether our Master will come in the days of youth, or middle age, or old age; but, as soon as we are born, we begin to die, and therefore we must expect death. Our great care must be, that, whenever our Lor comes, he may not find us secure, indulging in ease and sloth, mindles of our work and duty. He says to all, Watch, that you may be found i peace, without spot, and blameless __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
γρηγορειτε 1127 5720 V-PAM-2P ουν 3767 CONJ ουκ 3756 PRT-N οιδατε 1492 5758 V-RAI-2P γαρ 1063 CONJ ποτε 4219 PRT-I ο 3588 T-NSM κυριος 2962 N-NSM της 3588 T-GSF οικιας 3614 N-GSF ερχεται 2064 5736 V-PNI-3S οψε 3796 ADV η 2228 PRT μεσονυκτιου 3317 N-GSN η 2228 PRT αλεκτοροφωνιας 219 N-GSF η 2228 PRT πρωι 4404 ADV
Vincent's NT Word Studies
35. Watch (grhgoreite). A different word from that in verse 33. See also verse 34. The picture in this word is that of a sleeping man rousing himself. While the other word conveys the idea of simple wakefulness, this adds the idea of alertness. Compare Matt. xiv. 38; Luke xii. 37; 1 Peter v. 8. The apostles are thus compared with the doorkeepers, verse 34; and the night season is in keeping with the figure. In the temple, during the night, the captain of the temple made his rounds, and the guards had to rise at his approach and salute him in a particular manner. Any guard found asleep on duty was beaten, or his garments were set on fire. Compare Apoc. xvi. 15: "Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments." The preparations for the morning service required all to be early astir. The superintending priest might knock at the door at any moment. The Rabbis use almost the very words in which scripture describes the unexpected coming of the Master. "Sometimes he came at the cockcrowing, sometimes a little earlier, sometimes a little later. He came and knocked and they opened to him" (Edersheim, "The Temple").
Robertson's NT Word Studies
13:35 The four watches of the night are named here: evening (oye), midnight (mesonuktion), cock-crowing (alektorofwnias), morning (prwi).
