This coming Sunday is the 19th Sunday, Year C. In yesterday’s post there is a message about being prepared for when the master of the house returns. Peter engages Jesus: ⁴¹ Then Peter said, “Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?” Peter perhaps speaks for all the apostles when he asks about the parable. Peter’s question may be meant to raise the question of the privileges and responsibilities of the apostolate. It certainly has relevance to the work of the ministry, a topic that would have been important to Luke’s readers. Both the disciples and the crowd of thousands are introduced in 12:1. In 12:13–14 Jesus responds to a man from the crowd. The sayings introduced in v. 22 are directed to the disciples; therefore, Peter’s question in v. 41 asks for clarification regarding the intended audience, but Jesus answers with another parable. Jesus does not answer directly, but draws attention to the responsibility of all servants, stressing that the greater the privilege the greater the responsibility (v.48)

Green [503] notes: “Perhaps Peter will be as frustrated as the reader may be with Jesus’ answer in vv 42–48, for no direct answer is forthcoming. Instead, Peter’s question (1) draws attention to the universal relevance of Jesus’ message regarding alertness—equally applicable to Pharisees and scribes, the masses, and the disciples; (2) heightens, however, the responsibility of the disciples as people to whom the divine will has been disclosed… and, thus, (3) at least potentially captures the reader in the web of self-reflection: Is this instruction for us?