Matthew 24:38

KJV

For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

KJV (with Strong's)

For {G1063} as {G5618} in {G1722} the days {G2250} that were {G2258} before {G4253} the flood {G2627} they were eating {G5176} and {G2532} drinking {G4095}, marrying {G1060} and {G2532} giving in marriage {G1547}, until {G891} the day {G2250} that {G3739} Noe {G3575} entered {G1525} into {G1519} the ark {G2787},

Complete Jewish Bible

Back then, before the Flood, people went on eating and drinking, taking wives and becoming wives, right up till the day Noach entered the ark;

Berean Standard Bible

For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark.

American Standard Version

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 ark,

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Matthew 24:38, part of Jesus' profound Olivet Discourse, serves as a stark warning about the state of the world immediately preceding His second coming. Drawing a direct parallel to the days before the great flood in Noah's time, Jesus highlights how humanity was entirely engrossed in the ordinary routines of life—eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage—remaining utterly oblivious and unprepared for the sudden, cataclysmic divine judgment that ultimately arrived when Noah entered the ark. This verse underscores the pervasive spiritual complacency that will characterize the world just before Christ's return, emphasizing the unexpected and decisive nature of that future event.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is deeply embedded within Jesus' Olivet Discourse, a pivotal prophetic teaching delivered to His disciples on the Mount of Olives. Following their questions about the signs of His coming and the end of the age ([Matthew 24:3](/matthew/24-3 "Matthew 24:3 - Disciples' Questions")), Jesus describes a period of tribulation and then shifts focus to the sudden and unexpected nature of His return. Matthew 24:38 directly elaborates on the comparison introduced in [Matthew 24:37](/matthew/24-37 "Matthew 24:37 - The Days of Noah Analogy"), which states, "But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." The immediate verses that follow continue to emphasize the need for watchfulness and readiness, using parables like the two men in the field and two women grinding at the mill ([Matthew 24:40-41](/matthew/24-40-41 "Matthew 24:40-41 - The Taken and the Left")), and the master of the house who does not know the hour ([Matthew 24:42-44](/matthew/24-42-44 "Matthew 24:42-44 - Be Ready")). Thus, verse 38 provides the foundational imagery for Jesus' urgent call to spiritual vigilance.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The historical backdrop for Jesus' analogy is the pre-Flood world described in [Genesis 6-9](/genesis/6-9 "Genesis 6-9 - The Account of Noah and the Flood"). This period was characterized by widespread wickedness and corruption, where "every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" ([Genesis 6:5](/genesis/6-5 "Genesis 6:5 - Human Wickedness")). The activities of "eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage" were not inherently sinful, but in the context of Genesis, they represent an all-consuming focus on mundane, earthly affairs to the exclusion of any spiritual awareness or responsiveness to God's warnings. Culturally, these were the fundamental aspects of daily life—sustenance and procreation—highlighting that people were living as if life would continue indefinitely, utterly oblivious to the impending divine judgment. Noah, in contrast, spent decades building an ark, a visible and undeniable sign of God's impending judgment and a call to repentance, yet the world continued in its customary ways, ignoring this profound warning.
* **Key Themes:** Matthew 24:38 contributes significantly to several key themes within the Olivet Discourse and the broader New Testament. A primary theme is **spiritual complacency and unpreparedness**. The description of people engrossed in daily routines underscores a profound spiritual apathy, where the pursuit of normal life overshadows any consideration of eternity or accountability. This leads directly to the theme of the **suddenness and unexpectedness of divine judgment**. Just as the flood came without warning to those consumed by their lives, so too will the "coming of the Son of man" be sudden and decisive for those who are not ready ([Matthew 24:44](/matthew/24-44 "Matthew 24:44 - The Unexpected Hour")). Furthermore, the verse implicitly highlights the theme of **divine warning ignored**. While not explicitly stated here, the broader narrative of Noah's time (as found in [Genesis 6:13-22](/genesis/6-13-22 "Genesis 6:13-22 - God's Command to Noah") and [Hebrews 11:7](/hebrews/11-7 "Hebrews 11:7 - Noah's Faith")) includes Noah's faithful preaching and the physical construction of the ark, which served as a tangible, ongoing warning to a world that chose to remain oblivious.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **eating (Greek, _trṓgō'_):** This verb, often translated as "gnaw" or "chew," implies a continuous, habitual act of consumption. In this context, it emphasizes the mundane, physical sustenance that occupied the people's primary attention, suggesting an almost animalistic focus on immediate gratification without spiritual thought.
* **marrying (Greek, _gaméō'_):** Derived from the word for "marriage," this term refers to the act of taking a spouse, whether male or female. It signifies the continuation of normal societal structures and the pursuit of domestic life, highlighting that people were living as if the future was secure and predictable, planning for generations without acknowledging any impending disruption.
* **giving in marriage (Greek, _ekgamízō'_):** This verb specifically means to "marry off a daughter." It points to the parents' role in arranging marriages, further emphasizing the preoccupation with familial and societal continuity. The inclusion of both "marrying" and "giving in marriage" paints a complete picture of a society fully invested in its established customs and future plans, utterly unaware of the imminent divine intervention.
* **flood (Greek, _kataklysmós'_):** This word denotes an "inundation" or "deluge." It refers specifically to the catastrophic global flood in Noah's time, serving as a powerful biblical archetype for sudden, overwhelming divine judgment that sweeps away the unrighteous. Its presence here immediately calls to mind the scale and finality of God's righteous wrath.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"For as in the days that were before the flood":** Jesus establishes a direct comparison, grounding His prophecy in a well-known historical event of divine judgment. The phrase "before the flood" sets the stage for a period characterized by human activity that was ultimately deemed unacceptable by God, leading to a cataclysmic intervention. This highlights the pre-judgment state of humanity.
* **"they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage,":** This clause describes the pervasive activities of the people in the pre-Flood era. These are not inherently sinful acts but represent the normal, everyday pursuits of life. The continuous tense ("were eating," "were drinking," etc.) implies an ongoing, unceasing preoccupation with these mundane affairs, suggesting a complete absorption in temporal concerns and a profound spiritual blindness to God's warnings and impending judgment. It signifies a life lived without any thought of eternity or accountability.
* **"until the day that Noe entered into the ark,":** This crucial temporal marker defines the abrupt and definitive end to the world's complacent routine. The moment Noah, having completed his long task of obedience, entered the ark, marked the point of no return for the rest of humanity. It signifies the sudden cessation of God's patience and the commencement of His judgment, catching the unprepared world entirely off guard and sealing their fate.

#### Literary Devices
Jesus employs several potent literary devices in Matthew 24:38. The primary device is **Analogy** (specifically, a **Simile**), as He explicitly compares the conditions before His second coming to "as in the days that were before the flood." This comparison serves to illustrate the spiritual state of the world—one of normalcy and obliviousness—just before a sudden, cataclysmic divine intervention. The list of activities ("eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage") functions as a form of **Synecdoche**, where these common, everyday activities represent the entirety of human existence and preoccupation. While not inherently sinful, their exclusive focus implies a spiritual apathy and lack of preparedness. The phrase "until the day that Noe entered into the ark" creates a dramatic sense of **Foreshadowing**, hinting at the sudden and decisive nature of Christ's return, which will similarly mark a point of no return for those who are unprepared, just as the closing of the ark's door sealed the fate of the pre-Flood world.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Matthew 24:38 stands as a profound theological statement on the nature of divine judgment and the necessity of human vigilance. It underscores that God's patience, though vast, is not infinite, and His judgment, when it comes, is decisive and often unexpected by those engrossed in worldly affairs. The normalcy of the activities described ("eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage") highlights that spiritual unpreparedness is not necessarily about overt sin, but about a pervasive indifference to God and His warnings. The core theological message is that humanity is accountable to God, and a life lived solely for temporal pleasures, without regard for eternal realities, will lead to being caught off guard by the Lord's return. This passage serves as a timeless call to live with an eternal perspective, prioritizing spiritual readiness over worldly absorption, and to discern the signs of the times, even amidst the routines of daily life.

* [Genesis 6:11-13](/genesis/6-11-13 "The Earth Corrupt Before God")
* [Luke 17:26-30](/luke/17-26-30 "The Days of Noah and Lot")
* [1 Thessalonians 5:2-6](/1_thessalonians/5-2-6 "The Day of the Lord")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jesus' warning in Matthew 24:38 resonates powerfully with believers in every generation, urging us to cultivate a posture of spiritual vigilance and intentional living. The danger is not in the ordinary activities of life—eating, drinking, and marrying are God-given and good—but in allowing these pursuits to consume us to the exclusion of eternal realities and the urgent call to be ready for Christ's return. This verse challenges us to examine our priorities: Are we so engrossed in our daily routines, careers, and personal comforts that we have become spiritually complacent, oblivious to the signs of the times and the imminent return of our Lord? True readiness involves more than just intellectual assent to Christ's coming; it requires an active, ongoing relationship with Him, living in obedience to His commands, growing in faith, and engaging in His mission. We are called to live with a sense of urgency, not fear, but a joyful anticipation that motivates us to be good stewards of our time, talents, and resources, faithfully proclaiming the gospel and serving others, so that we are not found unprepared when He appears.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what ways might I be allowing the "normal" activities of life to distract me from spiritual vigilance?**
* **What specific steps can I take to cultivate a greater sense of readiness and anticipation for Christ's return?**
* **How does my daily life reflect an eternal perspective rather than a purely temporal one?**
* **Am I actively sharing the hope of the gospel with those who may be spiritually complacent, just as Noah warned his generation?**

### FAQ

**Does "eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage" imply these activities are sinful?**

Answer: No, these activities are not inherently sinful. In fact, they are normal, God-ordained aspects of human life and society. The sinfulness in the days of Noah, as depicted in [Genesis 6:5](/genesis/6-5 "Genesis 6:5 - Human Wickedness"), was the pervasive wickedness and corruption of human hearts, not the daily routines themselves. Jesus uses these activities to highlight the *preoccupation* and *absorption* of the people in their mundane lives, to the exclusion of any spiritual awareness, responsiveness to God's warnings, or readiness for His impending judgment. The point is their spiritual obliviousness and complacency, not the activities themselves.

**What is the main point of the comparison to Noah's day?**

Answer: The main point of the comparison is to emphasize the **suddenness and unexpectedness** of Christ's second coming for those who are unprepared, and the **pervasive spiritual complacency** that will characterize the world at that time. Just as the flood came suddenly and caught the world off guard while they were engrossed in their daily routines, so too will the return of the Son of Man be a decisive event that separates the prepared from the unprepared. It serves as a powerful warning against spiritual apathy and a call to constant vigilance and readiness for the Lord's return, as highlighted in [Matthew 24:42](/matthew/24-42 "Matthew 24:42 - Be Watchful").

**How can we be prepared for Christ's return?**

Answer: Being prepared for Christ's return involves a continuous, active relationship with Him. It means living a life of faith and obedience, prioritizing God's kingdom over worldly pursuits, and being spiritually vigilant. This includes:
* **Repentance and Faith:** Trusting in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior ([John 3:16](/john/3-16 "John 3:16 - God's Love for the World")).
* **Obedience and Righteous Living:** Striving to live according to God's Word and His will ([1 John 2:3-6](/1_john/2-3-6 "1 John 2:3-6 - Knowing God Through Obedience")).
* **Watchfulness and Prayer:** Remaining spiritually alert and engaged in prayer, discerning the times ([Matthew 26:41](/matthew/26-41 "Matthew 26:41 - Watch and Pray")).
* **Faithful Stewardship:** Using our gifts, time, and resources for God's glory and the advancement of His kingdom ([Matthew 25:14-30](/matthew/25-14-30 "Matthew 25:14-30 - The Parable of the Talents")).
* **Proclaiming the Gospel:** Sharing the good news of salvation with others, so they too can be prepared ([Matthew 28:19-20](/matthew/28-19-20 "Matthew 28:19-20 - The Great Commission")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Matthew 24:38, while a warning about judgment, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in Jesus Himself as the promised Son of Man, the one who both warns and will execute judgment. Just as Noah, a righteous man, was God's chosen instrument to preserve life through the ark, so Jesus is the ultimate means of salvation for all who believe. The "day that Noe entered into the ark" marked the definitive separation between those who were saved and those who perished; similarly, the return of Christ, the true Ark of salvation, will mark the final separation of humanity. Jesus, as the Lamb of God ([John 1:29](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God")), has already provided the way of escape from the coming wrath through His atoning sacrifice on the cross. He is the one who will return not only as Judge, but as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords ([Revelation 19:11-16](/revelation/19-11-16 "Revelation 19:11-16 - Christ's Triumphant Return")), to gather His elect and establish His eternal kingdom. Therefore, the call to be ready is fundamentally a call to abide in Christ, for it is only "in Him" that we find true refuge and eternal life, just as Noah and his family found safety "in the ark" ([1 Peter 3:20-21](/1_peter/3-20-21 "1 Peter 3:20-21 - Baptism and the Ark")). The unexpected coming of the Son of Man underscores the urgency of placing our faith in Him now, ensuring our spiritual readiness for that glorious, yet decisive, day.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Luke 17:26

And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

Luke 17:28

Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

Romans 13:13

Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

Romans 13:14

But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to [fulfil] the lusts [thereof].

Luke 14:18

And they all with one [consent] began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.

Luke 14:20

And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.

Genesis 6:2

That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they [were] fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.