There are many comings of the Son of man before the final one to judgment. We may derive the full benefit of our Lord's words, even though we have arrived at no settled opinion as to the precise order of future events. The hour of our death is as uncertain as that of His coming in the clouds. For each, we should be ready!
Watchfulness is keeping awake! We are beset by temptations to sleep. Bunyan said that we are traveling over the Enchanted Ground, the air of which is very heavy and sleep-producing. How dull we are to perceive the unseen, or to meet the great opportunities of life! Broken up alludes to the mud or clay house which could not keep off the thief. Death breaks in and carries us away from all of our treasures. See 1 Thessalonians 5:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:4.
We had best wait for our Lord while engaged in carefully discharging our appointed tasks. The Church is a big household in which each has his niche. "To labor is to pray;" to serve is to be ready. [source]
Chapter Summary: Matthew 24
1Jesus foretells the destruction of the temple; 3what and how great calamities shall be before it; 29the signs of his coming to judgment 36And because that day and hour are unknown, 42we ought to watch like good servants, expecting our Master's coming
Greek Commentary for Matthew 24:41
At the mill [εν τωι μυλωι] So Westcott and Hort and not μυλωνι mulōni (millhouse) Textus Receptus. The millstone and then hand-mill which was turned by two women (αλητουσαι alēthousai) as in Exodus 11:5. This verb is a late form for αλεω aleō There was a handle near the edge of the upper stone. [source]
The mill [τῷ μύλῳ] The ordinary hand-mill with a handle fixed near the edge of the upper stone, which is turned by two women. [source]
Luke 17:35Shall be grinding [εσονται αλητουσαι] Periphrastic future active indicative of αλητω alēthō an old verb only in the N.T. here and Matthew 24:41. [source]
John 14:3And receive [παραλήψομαι] Here the future tense, will receive. Rev., therefore, much better: I come again and will receive you. The change of tense is intentional, the future pointing to the future personal reception of the believer through death. Christ is with the disciple alway, continually “coming” to him, unto the end of the world. Then He will receive him into that immediate fellowship, where he “shall see Him as He is.” The verb παραλαμβάνω is used in the New Testament of taking along with (Matthew 4:5, note; Matthew 17:1, note; Acts 16:33, note): of taking to (Matthew 1:20; John 14:3): of taking from, receiving by transmission; so mostly in Paul (Galatians 1:12; Colossians 2:6; Colossians 4:17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13, etc. See also Matthew 24:40,Matthew 24:41). It is scarcely fanciful to see the first two meanings blended in the use of the verb in this passage. Jesus, by the Spirit, takes His own along with Him through life, and then takes them to His side at death. He himself conducts them to Himself. [source]
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: παραλαμβάνω
Sense: to take to, to take with one’s self, to join to one’s self.
Greek Commentary for Matthew 24:41
So Westcott and Hort and not μυλωνι mulōni (millhouse) Textus Receptus. The millstone and then hand-mill which was turned by two women (αλητουσαι alēthousai) as in Exodus 11:5. This verb is a late form for αλεω aleō There was a handle near the edge of the upper stone. [source]
The ordinary hand-mill with a handle fixed near the edge of the upper stone, which is turned by two women. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Matthew 24:41
Rev., was coming. But the present is graphically thrown in as in vv, Matthew 24:40, Matthew 24:41: is coming or cometh. [source]
Periphrastic future active indicative of αλητω alēthō an old verb only in the N.T. here and Matthew 24:41. [source]
Here the future tense, will receive. Rev., therefore, much better: I come again and will receive you. The change of tense is intentional, the future pointing to the future personal reception of the believer through death. Christ is with the disciple alway, continually “coming” to him, unto the end of the world. Then He will receive him into that immediate fellowship, where he “shall see Him as He is.” The verb παραλαμβάνω is used in the New Testament of taking along with (Matthew 4:5, note; Matthew 17:1, note; Acts 16:33, note): of taking to (Matthew 1:20; John 14:3): of taking from, receiving by transmission; so mostly in Paul (Galatians 1:12; Colossians 2:6; Colossians 4:17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13, etc. See also Matthew 24:40, Matthew 24:41). It is scarcely fanciful to see the first two meanings blended in the use of the verb in this passage. Jesus, by the Spirit, takes His own along with Him through life, and then takes them to His side at death. He himself conducts them to Himself. [source]
Compare Jeremiah 25:10; Matthew 24:41. [source]