“When once the master of the house is risen up, and has shut to the door, and you begin to stand outside, and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us', and he will answer and say to you, “I do not know you, from where you are,' ”
Many interpret this of a banquet to which later arrivals are refused entry, but that is not really the impression given here. In such cases the master does not rise up and shut the door, he simply tell his servants to refuse entry to any more. Nor have guests in stories ever striven to enter a banquet through a narrow door, nor is there any hint of a banquet (Luke 13:29 is not part of the parable). More possible is it that night time has come and the doors are shut because no further visitors are expected. Such a situation had previously resulted in the lord having to knock at his own door (Luke 12:36). The picture may therefore be similar to Luke 11:5-7. But that then leaves open the question as to why men come knocking at the door at such an hour. Of course, we can simply say that it was because, like the friend at midnight, they had awoken to their own need. After all, while Jesus was on earth, had he not said that the door would be opened, because ‘to him who knocked it would be opened'. The idea would then be that now that the master of the house has arrived back and is calling His servants to account He has shut the door, and the promise has been rescinded. But it still does not explain why they want to come in. And it also assumes too much by incorporating ideas from other parables.
The impression given here is rather of an emergency situation. It is a picture where the master has taken personal charge and ensured that the door is shut. Thus the thought may well be that danger threatened. He arose and did it himself because it was necessary for him to check the safety of the premises. This would explain why people came clamouring at the door. And it would explain why he would not let them in. You do not let outsiders in at dangerous times.
But what kind of situation would fit in with such a picture? The answer in fact lies in Isaiah 26:20-21. There we have exactly this situation. It is set in the context of the last days and of the Lord coming in judgment, and the command is to ‘enter your chambers and shut your doors behind you' because of the tribulation that is coming on the world. This would exactly explain why the master rises and shuts the door, and does not leave it to servants. It is because danger threatens (Isaiah 26:20-21; compare Genesis 19:10). It is because end time tribulation has come on the world. Isaiah 26:20 fits the situation exactly for it has in mind the final judgment, as the parable also does here where the last chance is seen to have gone. Others see it as the doors being shut because the guests have arrived, but that is less likely. Quite apart from how unusual that would be, we must not read in other parables.
But the point is that while it was day, and all was going well, they did not want entry. However, now danger loomed and they desperately wanted entry because they recognised that His house would provide their only place of safety. Judgment is coming on the world and they have suddenly awoken to the fact that they have nowhere else where they can find shelter. All they have trusted in is now in vain, and the only one who can possibly help them is this particular householder. But it is too late, the master has shut the door until the danger is past. There is no place of escape. If only they had striven to enter while they were able.
Thus those outside panic. Awful danger is threatening and they have no place of salvation. They are in the same position as the people in Isaiah 2:17-21. But they do not want to flee to caves which cannot protect them. And so they knock desperately at the door and cry, ‘Lord, open to us.' All too late they recognise the master's status. But He replies that He does not recognise or acknowledge them. They have never been in His employ, and He has no responsibility for them. They are as good as strangers.