Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
At His coming two will be side by side at ordinary work in the field when sudden division comes and one is taken while the other is left. The saying belongs to His discourse on the destruction of Jerusalem and His coming, in which the fall of Jerusalem foreshadows the final destruction of the world by fire and the complete restitution of all things. As in Noah's day men will be absorbed in common life and unprepared at an unexpected hour, though warning has been given as it was through Noah before the flood swept the rejecters away and saved those in the ark. It marks two classes who look for His appearing, as with the ten virgins, where some are prepared by personal faith and the Holy Spirit and others rest on outward profession and are found unready. Therefore the hour being unknown all are called to watch and be ready, not by abandoning life's duties but by diligent faithful service and warning others while discerning the signs that His coming is at hand.
Context and Prophecy
Matthew 24:40 belongs to Christ's discourse about the destruction of Jerusalem and His coming, with the two events described together so that the prophecy reaches beyond Jerusalem's fall to the final judgment. The destruction of Jerusalem foretold in the chapter serves as a type of the world's final destruction by fire. It is part of a great prophecy giving the history of the present dispensation to the complete restitution of all things, whose most thrilling and momentous part is the closing scenes of this world's history. That prophecy follows the church in her warfare and her sufferings on to her promised redemption, to the final triumph of the people of God, the destruction of Satan and all his followers, the total and eternal extirpation of evil from the universe, and the renovation of the earth as the everlasting inheritance of the saints when the great controversy is concluded.
The verse belongs to the memorable discourse recorded in Matthew 24 and 25, including the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30, given a short time before entering Gethsemane to bear the sins of the world. It consists of words of prediction and warning, spoken when in human nature He was wearied with the work of the day. The Pharisees had pressed Him with questions on various subjects while watching His words to condemn Him, and He had exhausted His strength by prolonging His teaching.
The chapter gives an outline of what is coming upon the world, including the perils of the last days and the judgments approaching those who reject God's commandments and warnings. Its signs show that the time is near, though the exact hour is unknown. Its prophecies are being fulfilled to show that Christ's coming is at hand, and they are to be studied and brought to people's attention because they concern eternal destiny. The discourse was given to the disciples for those who would afterward believe and is for those living in the last scenes of earth's history, to help them prepare for the great conflict, so that discerning the signs in this age calls for reaching a higher standard in view of dangers.
One Taken, Other Left
At the coming of the Son of man, two in the field engaged in ordinary work side by side will be suddenly divided, the one taken and the other left. As in Noah's day, men will be occupied with ordinary life and unprepared when that coming brings sudden judgment at an unexpected time. The comparison belongs to the warning to watch and be ready because the hour of the Lord's coming is unknown. The people before the Flood carried on their daily pursuits without knowing it was coming until it swept them away. They were not without warning through the message God sent through Noah, but they rejected it and were taken by surprise when the flood came, while Noah and his household were saved in the ark.
The verse represents two classes in the last days who look for His appearing. Their experience is further illustrated by the ten virgins: some are prepared through personal faith and the work of the Holy Spirit, while others rely on outward profession or borrowed faith and are unprepared when the expected coming is delayed. It shows a final separation when the time of decision closes, with the saved disappearing at a sudden trumpet and the one outside the saved company left behind alone in darkness. It shows also a separation as truth advances, in which those who receive the truth have eternal life, while those who reject it lose the light and face eternal death, for the Holy Spirit convicts of sin but passes away from those who refuse.
The taking and leaving is applied also to two close companions, where the taking is sudden death by murder in the midst of health and duty and pleasant life. That stroke removes the strong husband on whose affection and tenderness and love his wife leaned. The leaving is the frail, suffering, brokenhearted wife remaining alone in sorrow and woe, calling for tender sympathy. Yet when He comes, some of His waiting people will be carrying on ordinary work such as sowing in a field.
Call to Watch
Matthew 24:40 belongs to the chapter about Christ's second coming, which calls people to be ready for that event. It shows that at that coming people living and working side by side will be separated, one taken and the other left, while engaged in ordinary life. The verse is part of Christ's warning to watch and be ready because His coming will arrive at an unexpected time and the hour of the Lord's coming is unknown. As in Noah's day, people will be occupied with ordinary life and unprepared when judgment comes, continuing their daily lives without knowing the flood was coming until it swept them away. The sudden division in the field, with one taken and the other left at the coming of the Son of man, warns that readiness for His unexpected coming matters, while the command to watch teaches that its timing is unknown and the following warning of judgment on the unfaithful servant underscores the consequences of being unprepared.
This separation when the Son of man comes, with people engaged in ordinary work divided, is part of the judgment and makes readiness urgent, since the hour of the Lord's coming is unknown. It is part of the prophecies that are being fulfilled and show that Christ's coming is at hand, prophecies that are to be studied and brought to people's attention because they concern eternal destiny. The signs Christ foretold to His disciples were for those who would afterward believe, to help them prepare for the great conflict, and in this age of the world discerning those signs calls for reaching a higher standard in view of dangers.
The verse warns people not to ignore God's message while absorbed in ordinary pursuits, for it belongs to the warning about sudden judgment at the end, like the flood in Noah's time. The people of Noah's day were taken by the flood after rejecting God's warning, while Noah and his household were saved in the ark. They were not without warning through the message sent through Noah, but they did not heed it and were taken by surprise when the flood came. Those who disregard God's warning about Christ's coming will likewise be unprepared, as in the days before the flood when people carried on ordinary work while one is taken and another left.
Readiness is shown by faithful service rather than delay or self-indulgence, for the chapter's signs show that the time is near though the exact hour is unknown, and the coming brings a separation. His coming is no reason to abandon life's duties or become idle, since some of His waiting people will be carrying on ordinary work such as sowing in a field when He comes, and His people are to work diligently in God's service. Matthew 24 gives an outline of what is coming upon the world, including the perils of the last days and the judgments approaching those who reject God's commandments and warnings. That warning makes it urgent to warn people who are perishing in sin and to support the work of proclaiming the last message of mercy.
At His coming two will be side by side at ordinary work in the field when sudden division comes and one is taken while the other is left. The saying belongs to His discourse on the destruction of Jerusalem and His coming, in which the fall of Jerusalem foreshadows the final destruction of the world by fire and the complete restitution of all things. As in Noah's day men will be absorbed in common life and unprepared at an unexpected hour, though warning has been given as it was through Noah before the flood swept the rejecters away and saved those in the ark. It marks two classes who look for His appearing, as with the ten virgins, where some are prepared by personal faith and the Holy Spirit and others rest on outward profession and are found unready. Therefore the hour being unknown all are called to watch and be ready, not by abandoning life's duties but by diligent faithful service and warning others while discerning the signs that His coming is at hand.
Context and Prophecy
Matthew 24:40 belongs to Christ's discourse about the destruction of Jerusalem and His coming, with the two events described together so that the prophecy reaches beyond Jerusalem's fall to the final judgment. The destruction of Jerusalem foretold in the chapter serves as a type of the world's final destruction by fire. It is part of a great prophecy giving the history of the present dispensation to the complete restitution of all things, whose most thrilling and momentous part is the closing scenes of this world's history. That prophecy follows the church in her warfare and her sufferings on to her promised redemption, to the final triumph of the people of God, the destruction of Satan and all his followers, the total and eternal extirpation of evil from the universe, and the renovation of the earth as the everlasting inheritance of the saints when the great controversy is concluded.
The verse belongs to the memorable discourse recorded in Matthew 24 and 25, including the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30, given a short time before entering Gethsemane to bear the sins of the world. It consists of words of prediction and warning, spoken when in human nature He was wearied with the work of the day. The Pharisees had pressed Him with questions on various subjects while watching His words to condemn Him, and He had exhausted His strength by prolonging His teaching.
The chapter gives an outline of what is coming upon the world, including the perils of the last days and the judgments approaching those who reject God's commandments and warnings. Its signs show that the time is near, though the exact hour is unknown. Its prophecies are being fulfilled to show that Christ's coming is at hand, and they are to be studied and brought to people's attention because they concern eternal destiny. The discourse was given to the disciples for those who would afterward believe and is for those living in the last scenes of earth's history, to help them prepare for the great conflict, so that discerning the signs in this age calls for reaching a higher standard in view of dangers.
One Taken, Other Left
At the coming of the Son of man, two in the field engaged in ordinary work side by side will be suddenly divided, the one taken and the other left. As in Noah's day, men will be occupied with ordinary life and unprepared when that coming brings sudden judgment at an unexpected time. The comparison belongs to the warning to watch and be ready because the hour of the Lord's coming is unknown. The people before the Flood carried on their daily pursuits without knowing it was coming until it swept them away. They were not without warning through the message God sent through Noah, but they rejected it and were taken by surprise when the flood came, while Noah and his household were saved in the ark.
The verse represents two classes in the last days who look for His appearing. Their experience is further illustrated by the ten virgins: some are prepared through personal faith and the work of the Holy Spirit, while others rely on outward profession or borrowed faith and are unprepared when the expected coming is delayed. It shows a final separation when the time of decision closes, with the saved disappearing at a sudden trumpet and the one outside the saved company left behind alone in darkness. It shows also a separation as truth advances, in which those who receive the truth have eternal life, while those who reject it lose the light and face eternal death, for the Holy Spirit convicts of sin but passes away from those who refuse.
The taking and leaving is applied also to two close companions, where the taking is sudden death by murder in the midst of health and duty and pleasant life. That stroke removes the strong husband on whose affection and tenderness and love his wife leaned. The leaving is the frail, suffering, brokenhearted wife remaining alone in sorrow and woe, calling for tender sympathy. Yet when He comes, some of His waiting people will be carrying on ordinary work such as sowing in a field.
Call to Watch
Matthew 24:40 belongs to the chapter about Christ's second coming, which calls people to be ready for that event. It shows that at that coming people living and working side by side will be separated, one taken and the other left, while engaged in ordinary life. The verse is part of Christ's warning to watch and be ready because His coming will arrive at an unexpected time and the hour of the Lord's coming is unknown. As in Noah's day, people will be occupied with ordinary life and unprepared when judgment comes, continuing their daily lives without knowing the flood was coming until it swept them away. The sudden division in the field, with one taken and the other left at the coming of the Son of man, warns that readiness for His unexpected coming matters, while the command to watch teaches that its timing is unknown and the following warning of judgment on the unfaithful servant underscores the consequences of being unprepared.
This separation when the Son of man comes, with people engaged in ordinary work divided, is part of the judgment and makes readiness urgent, since the hour of the Lord's coming is unknown. It is part of the prophecies that are being fulfilled and show that Christ's coming is at hand, prophecies that are to be studied and brought to people's attention because they concern eternal destiny. The signs Christ foretold to His disciples were for those who would afterward believe, to help them prepare for the great conflict, and in this age of the world discerning those signs calls for reaching a higher standard in view of dangers.
The verse warns people not to ignore God's message while absorbed in ordinary pursuits, for it belongs to the warning about sudden judgment at the end, like the flood in Noah's time. The people of Noah's day were taken by the flood after rejecting God's warning, while Noah and his household were saved in the ark. They were not without warning through the message sent through Noah, but they did not heed it and were taken by surprise when the flood came. Those who disregard God's warning about Christ's coming will likewise be unprepared, as in the days before the flood when people carried on ordinary work while one is taken and another left.
Readiness is shown by faithful service rather than delay or self-indulgence, for the chapter's signs show that the time is near though the exact hour is unknown, and the coming brings a separation. His coming is no reason to abandon life's duties or become idle, since some of His waiting people will be carrying on ordinary work such as sowing in a field when He comes, and His people are to work diligently in God's service. Matthew 24 gives an outline of what is coming upon the world, including the perils of the last days and the judgments approaching those who reject God's commandments and warnings. That warning makes it urgent to warn people who are perishing in sin and to support the work of proclaiming the last message of mercy.