“As
the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ship, and they didn’t know until the flood came, and took them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and one will be left; two women grinding at the mill, one will be taken and one will be left.
Matthew 24:37-41
Matthew 24 [32.] “Now from the fig tree learn this parable. When its branch has now become tender, and produces its leaves, you know that the summer is near. Even so you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Most certainly I tell you, this generation will not pass away, until all these things are accomplished. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. But no one knows of that day and hour, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
Matthew 24 [37.] “As the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ship, and they didn’t know until the flood came, and took them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and one will be left; two women grinding at the mill, one will be taken and one will be left. Watch therefore, for you don’t know in what hour your Lord comes. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore also be ready, for in an hour that you don’t expect, the Son of Man will come.
Matthew 24 [45.] “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord has set over his household, to give them their food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his lord finds doing so when he comes. Most certainly I tell you that he will set him over all that he has. But if that evil servant should say in his heart, ‘My lord is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with the drunkards, the lord of that servant will come in a day when he doesn’t expect it, and in an hour when he doesn’t know it, and will cut him in pieces, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. There is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.
Meaning:
Jesus had just said that no one knows the day or hour of his return except the Father (Matthew 24:36). To show what that means in practice, he points back to one of the best-known stories of the Old Testament, the flood in the days of Noah. Luke records a similar saying, adding the example of Lot and Sodom (Luke 17:26-30).
- “As the days of Noah were”
Genesis describes Noah’s world as deeply corrupt: “every imagination of the thoughts of man’s heart was continually only evil” (Genesis 6:5). Yet God waited. Peter writes that “God waited patiently in the days of Noah, while the ship was being built” (1 Peter 3:20), and calls Noah “a preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5). For many years the great ship stood as a visible warning. People had every opportunity to turn back to God.
- “they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage”
Jesus does not list obvious sins here. Eating, drinking and marrying are normal, good parts of life. The problem was that people were completely absorbed in everyday life and gave no thought to God or to the coming judgement. They carried on as if nothing would change. Peter warned that in the last days mockers would say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For, from the day that the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation” (2 Peter 3:4).
- “until the day that Noah entered into the ship”
Noah had prepared because he believed God. “By faith, Noah, being warned about things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared a ship for the saving of his house” (Hebrews 11:7). When he entered the ship, Genesis says, “Yahweh shut him in” (Genesis 7:16). Once the door was shut, the time for decision was over.
- “and they didn’t know until the flood came, and took them all away”
The people of Noah’s day were not ignorant because no one had told them. They did not know because they would not listen. The flood came suddenly and swept them all away. So, Jesus says, “will be the coming of the Son of Man.”
- “one will be taken and one will be left”
Jesus gives two everyday scenes. Two men work side by side in a field. Two women grind grain at a hand mill, a daily task usually done together at dawn. Outwardly they look the same, but at Christ’s coming they will be separated. Some understand “taken” as being taken away in judgement, as the flood “took them all away”. Others connect it with the angels gathering God’s chosen ones (Matthew 24:31). Either way, the point is clear: the coming of the Lord will divide people who seemed alike, according to whether they were ready.
The Significance of Matthew 24:37-41
- The danger of ordinary distraction
Most people will not be caught out by open rebellion but by simply being too busy. Work, meals, weddings and plans are good gifts, but they must not crowd out God.
- Ready like Noah
Noah’s faith made him different from the world around him. He listened to God’s warning and acted on it. We are called to the same faith.
Cross-References:
Luke 17:27: "They ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ship, and the flood came, and destroyed them all." Luke’s parallel.
Hebrews 11:7: "By faith, Noah, being warned about things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared a ship for the saving of his house," Noah’s faith.
1 Peter 3:20: "when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, while the ship was being built." God’s patience.
2 Peter 3:4: "Where is the promise of his coming?" The mockers of the last days.
Conclusion: In Matthew 24:37-41 Jesus compares his coming to the days of Noah. People went on eating, drinking and marrying, unaware of the coming flood until it swept them away. In the same way his return will come suddenly, separating those who work side by side. The passage warns us not to be absorbed in ordinary life but to live by faith, ready like Noah.
PIB Scriptures are derived from the World English Bible