Stay alert, because you don’t know what day your Lord will return.
44
Stay alert, for the Son of Man will come at the hour you least expect.
Commentaries
24:32 - 24:44
The Example of the Fig Tree – About the Day and the Hour.
The moment of the final judgment is unknown; it is an intentional ignorance meant to encourage vigilance and should not be mistaken for carelessness in the present. The commentary following the comparison with the fig tree offers a new call to discernment—the attitude that disciples should prioritize as the end approaches. The imminent coming should be seen not just as chronological proximity but as theological closeness. What is shown here and in the following parables is the certainty that the Lord can return at any moment, and this awareness should motivate the community not to become complacent or settle into circumstances but to remain alert for the Lord’s arrival.
Commentaries
The Example of the Fig Tree – About the Day and the Hour.
The moment of the final judgment is unknown; it is an intentional ignorance meant to encourage vigilance and should not be mistaken for carelessness in the present. The commentary following the comparison with the fig tree offers a new call to discernment—the attitude that disciples should prioritize as the end approaches. The imminent coming should be seen not just as chronological proximity but as theological closeness. What is shown here and in the following parables is the certainty that the Lord can return at any moment, and this awareness should motivate the community not to become complacent or settle into circumstances but to remain alert for the Lord’s arrival.