“Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”
My Notes
What Does Matthew 24:44 Mean?
Jesus draws the practical conclusion from the Noah comparison: "Therefore be ye also ready." The readiness He commands isn't a one-time preparation but a sustained state of alertness. The reason: the Son of man comes at an hour you don't expect. Not at the hour you do expect—at the hour you think not. The timing is deliberately unpredictable to force perpetual readiness.
The phrase "such an hour as ye think not" means the return will happen precisely when you've let your guard down. Not during the moments of heightened spiritual alertness. Not during the prayer meeting or the revival service. At the moment you think not—the ordinary Tuesday, the distracted afternoon, the season when eschatology is the last thing on your mind.
The command "be ye also ready" uses the Greek ginomai (become) rather than eimi (be)—suggesting an active, ongoing process of becoming ready rather than a static state. Readiness isn't achieved once and maintained automatically. It's cultivated continually, requiring ongoing attention and effort.
Reflection Questions
- 1.If Jesus returned in the next hour—the hour you 'think not'—would He find you ready? What would He find you doing?
- 2.How do you maintain spiritual readiness over the long haul rather than in short bursts of intensity?
- 3.Readiness is an ongoing process, not a completed state. What aspect of your readiness has decayed and needs renewing?
- 4.What does 'being ready' look like practically in your daily life—not in dramatic spiritual terms, but in how you handle today?
Devotional
"Be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." He comes when you don't expect it. Not when you're watching for it. Not when you're spiritually peaked. At the hour you think not. The moment you've relaxed. The season you've gotten comfortable. That's when.
The unpredictability is the feature, not the bug. Jesus made the timing unknowable on purpose—so you'd stay ready all the time. If you knew the day, you'd prepare for that day and live carelessly until it arrived. By hiding the timing, Jesus forces perpetual readiness. You can't cram for an exam with no date. You have to study all the time.
Readiness isn't a destination you arrive at. It's a posture you maintain. The Greek word suggests becoming ready—an ongoing process, not a completed state. You're never done being ready. You're always in the process of it. Each day requires fresh alertness. Each season requires renewed attention. Readiness that was genuine last year might have decayed by now.
What does readiness look like? It's not standing at the window scanning the sky. It's living each day as if it's the day—handling your relationships with integrity, managing your resources faithfully, keeping short accounts with God, and doing the work He's given you with diligence. Ready means found doing the right thing when the unexpected moment arrives. Not panicking. Not cramming. Already doing what you were supposed to be doing all along.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Who then is a faithful and wise servant,.... The Vulgate Latin adds, "do you think?" and is a question put to the…
Be ye also ready - Luke Luk 21:36 says that he charged them to pray always, that they might be accounted worthy to…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture