Matthew 24:41 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left.

NIV: Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.

NASB: Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.

CSB: Two women will be grinding grain with a hand mill; one will be taken and one left.

NLT: Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left.

KJV: Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

NKJV: Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.

Various perspectives lead to varying interpretations of this passage. Based on the context of the end times (Matthew 24:14, 29–31), most commentators understand Him to be describing those who have rejected Christ being taken in judgment, in some sense (Matthew 24:40). Jesus has been comparing His return to earth as judge (Hebrews 9:28) with the timing of the flood in Noah's day (Genesis 6:5–8). Those people had no idea what was coming. They went about their daily lives as if nothing would ever change until the flood waters came and swept them all away (Matthew 24:37–39).

Jesus has said His return will be the same. Two men will be working in the field when one is taken in the judgment and the other left. Now He says that two women will be working at a mill grinder with the same result. At this time, turning a mill grinder was thought to be women's work. It was performed in pairs, sitting on either side of the grinder and moving it halfway around a circle.

Jesus' choice of situations might be meant to emphasize that class or status will not matter in this judgment. The people depicted here are working alongside one another: social or economic status will not be a factor in determining who receives judgment and who is rewarded. The difference will be based entirely on who belongs to Christ and who has rejected Him as Savior and Lord (John 3:36).

Matthew 24:36–51 contains an explicit warning which has frequently been ignored by false teachers. Nobody will know the precise time of His return to earth. Only God the Father knows when it will happen. Everyone will be caught by surprise at the sudden appearance of those signs, just as the people swept away in Noah's flood. Jesus' followers must live in constant readiness for His return. He uses a parable to illustrate this, describing the choices of two servants while their master was away. One was faithful and wise, the other wicked. When the master returned, the faithful one was rewarded, and the wicked one was cut into pieces.

Jesus makes a dire prediction about the destruction of the temple. Immediately after this, while seated on the Mount of Olives, Jesus responds to a question from the disciples. They ask when judgment will come and what signs will signal His return. Christ describes a season of unimaginable world turmoil and persecution. He points to a specific moment of defilement of the temple, at which point people should run for their lives. Jesus speaks of world-threatening tribulation which will be cut short right before He returns as King and Judge. Since nobody can possibly know when He will return, His followers must live in readiness.

Jesus has just left the temple area, after delivering a blistering criticism of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23). After predicting that the temple would be destroyed, He answers their questions about the end times. He speaks of a period when He will be gone from earth and they will be persecuted and killed. The world will be in turmoil, but the gospel will be preached everywhere. Nobody knows exactly when Jesus' return will be completed, so his followers should constantly be prepared. Jesus continues to teach on these themes in the next chapter.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.