Matthew 24:40 - Exposition

The Lord gives two examples of the suddenness of his advent, and its effect in private life. Shall two be in the field. They shall be working together at their ordinary agricultural occupations, with nothing outwardly to distinguish one from the other, good and bad being mingled together. The one shall be taken ( παραλαμβανεται is taken, the present implying certainty), and the other left ( ἀφι ì εται , is deft ) . Christ speaks as though he saw the scene before him. The "taking" implies separation from companions, as Matthew 17:1 ; Matthew 18:16 , etc. This is the work of the angels ( Matthew 18:31 ). There is some doubt as to the destiny of the two classes named. Are the good "taken" and the evil "left"? or are the evil "taken" and the good "left"? Some suppose that the terms allude to the sudden approach of a hostile army by which some are taken prisioners and others allowed to escape; or, since in the parable the tares are first gathered for the burning, those taken must be the wicked, those left are for storing in the everlasting garner. On the other hand, many commentators understand the verbs in a sense opposite to that mentioned above. As ( Matthew 18:31 ) the angels are sent forth to gather the elect, the "taken" are of this class, who are caught away to meet the Lord and his saints ( 1 Thessalonians 4:17 ; John 14:3 ), while the others are left for judgment and reprobation ( 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 ). Bengel, continuing the reference to the Flood, writes, " Assumitur in tutelam ( Matthew 18:31 ), ut Noachus cum domo sua; sinitur in periculis, quicquid obveniat, ut homines in diluvio." The latter interpretation of the two seems to be the correct one. At any rate, it is plain that the nicest discrimination is exercised, and that among men and women, in all conditions of life, a final severance shall then be made, which shall apportion their lot in the other world.