Matthew 24:37-44
Chapter 24
37
When the Son of Man comes, it will be just like it was in Noah’s time.
38
In those days before the Flood, people were eating, drinking, and marrying, until that day when Noah went into the ark.
39
Yet, they did not know what would happen until the flood came and swept them away. So will it be at the coming of the Son of Man:
40
of two men in the field, one will be taken and the other left;
41
of two women grinding wheat together at the mill, one will be taken and one will be left.
42
Stay alert, because you don’t know what day your Lord will return.
43
Obviously, if the homeowner knew when the thief was coming, he would definitely stay awake and prevent his house from being broken into.
44
Stay alert, for the Son of Man will come at the hour you least expect.
Commentaries
The Example of the Fig Tree – About the Day and the Hour.
The moment of the final judgment is unknown; it is an intentional ignorance meant to encourage vigilance and should not be mistaken for carelessness in the present. The commentary following the comparison with the fig tree offers a new call to discernment—the attitude that disciples should prioritize as the end approaches. The imminent coming should be seen not just as chronological proximity but as theological closeness. What is shown here and in the following parables is the certainty that the Lord can return at any moment, and this awareness should motivate the community not to become complacent or settle into circumstances but to remain alert for the Lord’s arrival.