“Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason you be ready too; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”

– Matthew 24:42- 44

Three major themes are emphasized in the parables that conclude the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew. Watchfulness was the emphasis concerning the parable of the fig tree (24:32- 34). The comparison of Christ’ s return to the days of Noah focuses on preparedness (24:36- 41). The section I am now entering (24:42- 51) provides two parables that teach lessons of faithfulness in service to our Lord. The first parable in this section is found in verses 42- 44. Mark’ s account of the Olivet Discourse does not have this identical parable, but Luke does in a different context (12:39- 40).

This parable tells us about an owner of a house that has received a warning that a thief was coming to break into his house. Since he knows the time in which the thief was to arrive, the responsible owner prepares for this impending event by setting a watch to guard the house and protect it from a possible break-in. The point of the lesson is that if one knows the time and place of when something will occur, then the responsible thing to do would be to take conscientious action in light of the impending event.

Be on the Alert

Following on the heels of the ” one taken and the other left” passages, Jesus concludes that one needs to be alert concerning His coming. This verse (42) provides a hinge between the preceding context advocating preparedness and the following context that emphasizes alertness concerning that day. ” This exhortation is the chief exhortation of a parenthetical section of parables,” notes James Gray. ” It is the result of the preceding parable (indicated by the word ‘ therefore’ ), and an incentive or bridge for the parables that illustrate the need for such watchfulness.” [1]

The Greek verb gregoreo is translated ” alert” in this passage and is used 22 times in the Greek New Testament. It has the idea of ” to stay awake, be watchful” [2] in some passages. This word is used of Christ’ s appeal to his sleepy disciples as He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane shortly before His crucifixion (Matt. 26:38, 40, 41; Mark 14:34, 37, 38). It is also used in this way in the next verse of this passage (Matt. 24:43). However, the majority of its uses have the nuance of ” to be in constant readiness” and to ” be on the alert,” [3] which is how it is used here in Matthew 24:42. ” The phrase be on the alert translates a present imperative, indicating a call for continual expectancy,” [4] observes John MacArthur.

Rapture or Second Coming?

Some argue that since one is told to be on the alert, this passage and surrounding context do not speak concerning the second coming, but the rapture instead. Dave Hunt says the following:

When Christ says, ” As it was in the days of Noah and Lot,” it is absolutely certain that He is not describing conditions that will prevail at the time of the Second Coming. Therefore, these must be the conditions which will prevail just prior to the Rapture at a different time- and, obviously, before the devastation of the tribulation period.[5]

Of course, I certainly believe in the pre-trib rapture, but do not believe that is what Christ had in mind in this passage.

I contend that even though one passes through the momentous events of the tribulation, Scripture teaches that unbelievers will not be alert to the coming of Christ because of their deadness to the things of God. Consider two other important passages that use the Greek word for alert: First, look at Paul’ s teaching in 1 Thessalonians 5 about how believers and unbelievers relate to the coming tribulation period. Paul tells us that unbelievers will be seeking peace and safety at this time, but ” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape” (5:3). In contrast to this believers ” are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief” (5:4). The explanation given by Paul as to why believers will not be surprised is because ” you are all sons of light and sons of day” (5:5). Following the rational that Paul has provided thus far, he says, ” so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober” (5:6). Here is the word ” alert” that is used by our Lord in Matthew 24, which is employed in a similar way by Paul to denote constant readiness or alert in relation to ” the day of the Lord,” since we are children of the day. The point is that unbelievers (children of darkness) are not alert and are asleep to the things of God. They are caught off guard by virtue of the fact that they are unbelievers. Because of their unbelief they are not prepared.

A second significant use of the word ” alert” is found in Revelation 16:15, which says, ” (‘ Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his garments, lest he walk about naked and men see his shame.’ )” This is translated as a parenthetical statement at the end of the sixth bowl judgment. Using the logic of those who say that ” coming like a thief” would not catch unbelievers off guard does not account for this passage. Here we have seen 18 of the 19 major judgments of the tribulation and the earth is just about destroyed along with over half of the world’ s population and there is issued a warning about being alert. Yes, because unbelievers are never alert to what God is doing. That is the point! Not whether the world is experiencing a time of disruption, but whether one is listening to God’ s Word and is prepared. Believers, at this time will be alert, while unbelievers, as always, will not be.

The Jewish Remnant

The meaning of this parable is clear and understandable. Believers will be watching because they know that a thief is coming during this time. Thus, they are prepared and alert. Christ presents the punch line of the parable in verse 44 when He says, ” For this reason (as stated in the two previous verses), you be ready too.” To whom does the ” you” reference? I believe it refers to the Jewish remnant. Jesus has been using the ” you” throughout the Olivet Discourse as a reference to the Jewish people. Since He clearly has in mind believers in verse 44, since only believers will be alert, then this passage refers specifically to the Jewish remnant during the tribulation. ” This warning will be understood and heeded by the Jewish remnant, to which it is addressed,” declares Arno Gaebelein. ” They are to watch for the Son of Man; the church is to wait for her Lord.” [6]

Israel was not prepared and ready when Christ came the first time, but the remnant will be prepared and ready when He arrives the second time. That the Jewish remnant is in view here is further supported by the observation that all of the parables that Christ speaks relate to Israel and their response to Messiah. MacArthur notes: ” In this context, being ready seems to refer primarily to being saved, of being spiritually prepared to meet Christ as Lord and King rather than Judge.” [7] Thus, our Lord is letting Israel know that they need to be prepared for His return, whenever that it. Preparation is made when one trusts Jesus as their Messiah. Stanley Toussaint concludes: ” The lesson is evident. When the householder knows the general time in which the thief should come, he prepares himself accordingly. ‘ For this reason” the believers of the age of the tribulation should be prepared. The signs of the end will equip them to know generally or ‘ in which watch’ the Son of Man should come.” [8]

The parables in this section, prepares the way for the parables lessons in Matthew 25. Randolph Yeager has summarized this section as follows:

The entire passage in context from verse 36 teaches that (1) in Jesus’ day, no one knew the date of the advent except the Father, (2) that Noah’ s days were analogous to the last days; (3) that the unsaved in Noah’ s day did not know when the flood would come; (4) but that the saved (Noah and his family) did know at least seven days in advance; (5) further, that since, when the Lord comes, He will divide between the saints and sinners, (6) we ought to be watching the signs of the times for hints that will tell us when He will come, inasmuch as (7) we do not now have such information.[9]

Maranatha!

(To Be Continued . . .)

 

Endnotes
[1] James R. Gray, Prophecy on The Mount: A Dispensational Study of the Olivet Discourse (Chandler, AZ: Berean Advocate Ministries, 1991), p. 101.

[2] Walter Baur, William F. Arndt, and F. Wilbur Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3d ed., rev. Frederick W. Danker (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), p. 209.

[3] BDAG, p. 209.

[4] John MacArthur, Matthew 24- 28, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody, 1989), p. 75.

[5] Dave Hunt, How Close Are We? Compelling Evidence for the Soon Return of Christ (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 1993), pp. 210- 11.

[6] Arno C. Gaebelein, The Gospel of Matthew: An Exposition (Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers, [1910] 1961), p. 516. (emphasis original)

[7] MacArthur, Matthew 24- 28, p. 77.

[8] Stanley D. Toussaint, Behold The King: A Study of Matthew (Portland: Multnomah Press, 1980), p. 282.

[9] Randolph O. Yeager, The Renaissance New Testament, 18 vols. (Bowling Green, KY: Renaissance Press, 1978), vol. 3. p. 335.

“Then there shall be two men in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left. Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.”

– Matthew 24:40- 42

In the early 1970s, probably the most popular song within the ” Jesus movement,” was one entitled: ” I Wish We’ d All Been Ready,” by Larry Norman. I was involved in this movement and we rarely met when we did not sing Norman’ s song. This song about the rapture includes the following lines:

A man and wife asleep in bed.

She hears a noise and turns her head, he’s gone.

I wish we’d all been ready.

Two men walking up a hill.

One disappears and one’s left standing still.

I wish we’d all been ready.

While I tend to like songs about the rapture, (I generally like this song), I do not think Matthew 24:40- 42 (compare Luke 17:34- 37) is a reference to the rapture, instead, Christ has in mind His second coming.

One Will Be Taken

The illustration used in this parable is straight foreword in both examples. There will be a separation where one individual will be taken and the other left behind. Also, in context, it is clear that one is a believer and the other is not. This describes a clear separation process. The question related to this passage is who is taken and who is left behind. Those who hold to pretribulationism have argued both ways on this issue. Does this refer to the believer being taken and the unbeliever left behind, or just the reverse, where the unbeliever is taken away in the believer is left to enter the kingdom? I believe the latter view is the correct. It is the unbeliever who is taken away in judgment.

As I have been arguing throughout Matthew 24, the focus is upon the second coming while the rapture is nowhere to be found in this passage. In Matthew 24, our Lord is teaching about the events leading up to His return (tribulation events in verses 4- 26), followed by a revelation of His second coming, which is then followed by parables that drive home lessons related to His previous teachings (32- 51). I think it would be inconsistent to introduce parables about the rapture when He has not taught about that event in this passage.[1]

It is true that when the rapture occurs there will be a separation of believers from unbelievers when we are snatched away from planet earth. It is true that somewhere there will two people together and one is taken while the other is left, however, that is not what is spoken of in Matthew 24 because of the context. These parables are making points about what Christ taught in 24:4- 31.

Taken In Judgment or Salvation?

The Greek word used in verses 40 and 41 is paralambano, made up of the root word lambano, which means ” to take” or ” receive” and the preposition para, which means ” along side of.” Thus, the meaning of this verb is ” to take into close association, take (to oneself), take with/along.” [2] The only place that I could find where this word is clearly used of the rapture is of Christ’ s initial disclosure of this mystery in John 14:3: ” I will come again, and receive you to Myself.” Since paralambano is not a technical term that has the same meaning in every instance it is used in the New Testament, like any word in any language, usage must be determined by how it is used in a given context.

Some have tried to argue that ” taken” here refers to the pre-trib rapture. There is a small minority of pretribulationist that see these two verses as a reference to the rapture.[3] For example, David L. Cooper said, ” The dominant idea is that the one who is a child of God will be taken, whereas the one who has never made his peace with the Lord will be left to pass into the Great Tribulation.” [4] As Louis Barbieri has noted: ” The Lord was not describing the Rapture, for the removal of the church will not be a judgment on the church. If this were the Rapture, as some commentators affirm, the Rapture would have to be posttribulational, for this event occurs immediately before the Lord’ s return in glory.” [5]

Some have said that paralambano is only used of positive relations. However, such is not the case. It is used of the Roman soldiers taking Jesus away from the Garden of Gethsemane to the Praetorium and eventual crucifixion (Matt. 27:27; John 19:16). It is used of the devil taking Jesus with him to show Him all the kingdoms of this world (Matt. 4:5, 8). This verb is also used of the exercised demon returning to the newly swept house and taking with it seven other spirits (Matt. 12:45; Luke 11:26). Stan Toussaint discusses this matter as follows:

Is this a description of the rapture of the church or of the taking of the wicked to judgment? Those who take the former position argue that ” to take” (paralambano), the verb used her, is to be differentiated from ” to take” (airw), the verb used in verse thirty-nine. It is asserted that paralambano signifies the act whereby Christ receives His own to Himself. However, paralambano is also used in a bad sense (cf. Matthew 4:5, 8; John 19:16). Since it is parallel in thought with those who were taken in the judgment of the flood, it is best to refer the verb to those who were taken for judgment preceding the establishment of the kingdom. The difference in verbs can be accounted for on the basis of accuracy of description. ” The flood came and swept them all away” is a good translation.[6]

Contextual Consideration

For me, the strongest reason to take the separation depicted in this passage as a reference to ones taken away in judgment is the context. It appears that verses 40- 41 are illustrating that which preceded it in verses 36- 39, namely that those who were not prepared in the days of Noah were taken away, in judgment, by the flood. Verse 39 ends by saying, ” so shall the coming of the Son of Man be.” Clearly the emphasis in this verse is on unbelievers being taken away in the judgment of the flood. Therefore, verses 40- 41 drive that point home by giving a couple examples of the coming separation that will occur at this time of judgment. Arno Gaebelein notes the following:

Two classes were living in Noah’ s day. The one who were unbelieving and these were swept away by the divine judgment. The other class was Noah and his house, and he and his own were left and not destroyed by the judgment. It will be so again in the coming of the Son of Man. The unbelievers will be taken away in the day of judgment and wrath; the others will be left on the earth to receive and enjoy the blessings of the coming age and enter into the kingdom, which will then be established.[7]

Parallel Passage

Another reason to see verses 40- 41 as illustrating ones who are taken in judgment is the parallel passage found in Luke 17:24- 37. In a previous section (17:26- 30), Christ speaks of the coming of the Son of Man being just like the days of Noah and Lot. In both illustrations it was the wicked one who was taken in judgment. Luke 17:27 says, ” the flood came and destroyed them all.” Verses 28 and 29 say: ” It was the same as happened in the days of Lot . . . and destroyed them all.” (emphasis added) Verses 34- 36 gives three illustrations of the separation of believers and unbelievers. Then the following question is asked by the disciples: ” Where Lord?” This question means where are the unbelievers taken? Jesus answers: ” Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.” Eagles in this context imply vultures who hover over and scavenger a dead corpse. Thus, anyone would be able to see where a dead body is because of the vultures hovering above (Rev. 19:17-21). Such language clearly supports the notion that the ones taken are removed to judgment. Maranatha!

(To Be Continued . . .)

 

Endnotes
[1] Christ introduces the rapture in the ” Upper Room Discourse” found in John 13- 17. Jesus not only discloses the new truth of the rapture (John 14:1-3), but many other things relating to the impending Church age. There is an emphasis in the Upper Room Discourse upon Christ’ s introduction of a number of topics that He said would be expanded upon later when the Spirit of Truth would come to the Apostles (John 14:26; 15:26; 16:7). The result of the later activity of the Holy Spirit is the New Testament Epistles where they were given greater revelation about New Testament truths like the rapture of the Church.

[2] Walter Baur, William F. Arndt, and F. Wilbur Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3d ed., rev. Frederick W. Danker (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), p. 767.

[3] I did find a published pretribulationist who says that this passage refers to both the rapture and the second coming. He called it a dual reference. See Allen Beechick, The Pre-Tribulation Rapture (Denver: Accent Books, 1980), pp. 231- 68.

[4] David L. Cooper, Future Events Revealed (According to Matthew 24 and 25)(Los Angeles: Published by David L. Cooper, 1935), p. 101. See also Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, The Footsteps of the Messiah: A Study of the Sequence of Prophetic Events, Revised Edition (Tustin, CA: Ariel Ministries, [1982], 2002), p. 650, a disciple of Cooper.

[5] Louis A. Barbieri, Jr., ” Matthew,” in John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck,The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1983), p. 79.

[6] Stanley D. Toussaint, Behold The King: A Study of Matthew (Portland: Multnomah Press, 1980), p. 281.

[7] Arno C. Gaebelein, The Gospel of Matthew: An Exposition (Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers, [1910] 1961), pp. 515- 16.