QUESTION: Please permit me to bring something to your attention in hopes you can
clarify it for me. I've contemplated often Matthew 24:37-42, here's what
I see even though in verse 39 the words, "took them all away" is used,
in the KJV notice the Greek word, airo (G142):
A primary verb; to lift; by implication to take up or away; figuratively
to raise (the voice), keep in suspense (the mind); specifically to sail
away (that is, weigh anchor); by Hebraism (compare [H5375]) to expiate
sin: - away with, bear (up), carry, lift up, loose, make to doubt, put
away, remove, take (away, up).
I believe this is referring to Noah and his family that were lifted up
or taken away in the ark. And notice in Luke 17:27, it is referring to
those left being "destroyed" (G622).
Then in Matthew 24:40, the word for taken also seems to apply to those
who are taken out, received near. I've seen this argued both ways but
looking at the Greek words, to me its clear that those taken are the
saved and those left both in the flood and in the field are the lost and
forsaken. The word for "taken" is:
G3880, paralambano, from G3844 and G2983; to receive near, that is,
associate with oneself (in any familiar or intimate act or relation); by
analogy to assume an office; figuratively to learn: - receive, take
(unto, with).
And the word for "left" is:
G863 aphiemi...hiemi (to send; an intensive form of eimi (to go)); to
send forth, in various applications: - cry, forgive, forsake, lay aside,
leave, let (alone, be, go, have), omit, put (send) away, remit, suffer,
yield up.
I would love to hear your thoughts if you have time.
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ANSWER: Although it is my ambition to be a
careful teacher of God's Word, it is not always easy to retain a
measured response to some of the errors and sensationalism which so
often attend the interpretation of the last book of the Bible.
CONTEXT IS KING
I also commend you for going the extra distance and delving into word
studies of the original Greek behind the passages in question.
However,
I would also offer this caveat: appealing to subtleties within the
original language must not be allowed to overturn the meaning of words
as established in the immediate context of the passage. This is a
principle which I like to refer to as “Context is King!” In other words,
the Scriptures are written in such a way that their meaning is primarily
established by the context rather than subtleties associated with
possible ranges of meaning of the individual terms. Each word in Greek
(and indeed, any language) can have a wide range of meanings. But we are
not at liberty to take each possible range of meaning of a word and pour
that emphasis into the word wherever it happens to appear. Instead, the
author's use of the term within the context of the passage must be our
primary guide as to the intended meaning.
THE ONES "TAKEN" ARE NOT THE ONES PRESERVED
In the case in question, I believe greater understanding will come from
carefully looking at the consistency with which pronouns are used within
the passage. Notice Jesus' use of the pronoun they to refer to the ones
who are judged:
For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage...and did not know until the flood came
and took them all away.
And in the related passage in Luke:
They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage,
until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and
destroyed them all. Likewise, as it was also in the days of Lot: they
ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but
on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from
heaven and destroyed [them] all. Even so it will be in the day when the
Son of Man is revealed.
Clearly, the pronoun "they" refers to the ones taken (Mat. 24:39) and in
both passages these same ones are the ones who are clueless of the
approaching judgments and therefore perish. To take they as referring to
Noah and his family necessitates that "they [Noah and his family]...did
not know until the flood came,” but Noah did know of the flood well in
advance. This is another clear grammatical clue that the ones "taken"
are not the ones preserved.
THE "TAKEN" ARE JUDGED
To these two passages, we may add the question related in Luke of the
disciples concerning those taken: “Where, Lord?” (Luke 17:37). We know
this question concerns the ones taken for it is obvious where those are
who are left. Jesus' answer alludes to a passage from Job, “Wherever the
body is, there the eagles will be gathered together” (cf Job 39:30).
This refers to the consistent teaching of Scripture that those slain in
judgment will be given to the birds of the air to eat.
It seems clear from the consistent usage of pronouns in both of these
passages that those who are judged are also the ones taken. This also
fits with other teachings of Jesus that at His return, the wicked will
be removed leaving only believers who will enter the Millennial Kingdom
(e.g., Mat. 13:30,40,50). By way of analogy, the ones taken in judgment
by water in the flood and by fire at Sodom and Gomorrah are compared to
those taken from the bed, grinding wheel, and field.
NOT THE RAPTURE
Along with the above grammatical clues, we should also note the wider
context of Matthew 24-25 which does not concern the Rapture. Rather,
Jesus is answering the question, "What will be the sign of Your coming,
and of the end of the age?" (Mat. 24:3). This "coming" of Jesus is not
the Rapture, but His coming in judgment at the end of the age, as is
made abundantly clear by the signs which he gives which indicate the end
of the age. (There are no signs by which to watch for the Rapture—it is
imminent—but that is a topic for another time.) The signs which Jesus
refers to include a unique global time of persecution of believers, the
abomination of desolation, and signs in the sun and moon, not to mention
"great tribulation, such as has not been since the world until this
time, no nor ever shall be." These signs are all associated with the Day
of the Lord, not the Rapture which has no signs or preconditions.
Thus,
the context of the "one taken, one left" passage also supports the
interpretation that it does not concern the Rapture since the church is
taken prior to this unique period characterized by God pouring out His
wrath upon a largely rejecting world.