Mark 13:36
Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
Original Language Analysis
μὴ
Lest
G3361
μὴ
Lest
Strong's:
G3361
Word #:
1 of 6
(adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas g3756 expects an affirmative one)) whether
ἐλθὼν
coming
G2064
ἐλθὼν
coming
Strong's:
G2064
Word #:
2 of 6
to come or go (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
Cross References
Mark 14:40And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him.Luke 21:34And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.Matthew 25:5While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.Isaiah 56:10His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.Mark 14:37And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?
Historical Context
The early church grappled with delayed parousia. Some mocked, 'Where is the promise of his coming?' (2 Peter 3:4). Others became idle, quit working, expecting immediate return (2 Thessalonians 3:6-12). Jesus's warning guards against both extremes: neither complacent presumption ('My master delays') nor frenetic date-setting, but steady, watchful obedience. Church fathers saw believers' death as individual 'coming' requiring equal readiness.
Questions for Reflection
- What areas of spiritual 'sleep' (complacency, compromise, distraction) do you need to wake from?
- How does remembering Jesus found his own disciples sleeping challenge your confidence in staying alert?
- What practices help you maintain long-term watchfulness without burning out or growing cynical about Christ's return?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping—The Greek exaiphnēs elthōn (ἐξαίφνης ἐλθών, 'suddenly coming') emphasizes unexpectedness, not imminence. The aorist participle elthōn (coming) pictures decisive arrival. Heurē hymas katheudontas (εὕρῃ ὑμᾶς καθεύδοντας, 'he find you sleeping') uses present active participle—caught in the act of sleeping, not having fallen asleep momentarily.
This warning recalls Jesus's Gethsemane rebuke: 'Could you not watch one hour?' (Mark 14:37). Peter, James, and John—the three present for this Olivet Discourse (13:3)—failed this very test hours later. Spiritual sleep means negligence, complacency, moral compromise (Romans 13:11-13, Ephesians 5:14). The shame of being found unprepared appears in 1 John 2:28, 'that we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.' Jesus frames eschatology pastorally: the issue isn't decoding timelines but maintaining faithfulness until the Master's return.