Last week I talked about the history of the rapture doctrine. Several asked me if I would go into this topic a little further. So I am going to continue this exploration as a series. I invite you to walk with me as I make an attempt at serious scriptural engagement.
I remember a conversation I had with an older Pentecostal pastor several years ago about the history and origins of the rapture doctrine. After sharing some of my research and explanations, I asked for his honest thoughts. He shrugged and replied,
"I don’t overly care about ancient creeds or what history reveals. All I’m concerned about is what the Bible says. All I know is that the rapture is clearly articulated in the text, so that’s all I need to know."
I acknowledged that his desire to prioritize Scripture was an excellent posture. Christians should indeed place a higher value on the Bible than on history, theology, or personal experience. The Word of God is our ultimate source of truth and the foundation for what we believe. But I also felt compelled to gently challenge his perspective.
I asked, “How would you respond if you found that the doctrine of the rapture isn’t actually presented in Scripture? Would that change your approach to eschatology?”
From there, we explored key biblical passages often associated with the rapture. Today, I want to take you through that same journey, starting with Matthew 24:40-41, one of the most commonly cited texts in support of the rapture doctrine.
Matthew 24:40-41: A Closer Look
This passage is often quoted as clear evidence for the rapture. Jesus says:
“Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left.Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left” (Matthew 24:40-41).
On the surface, this seems to align perfectly with the idea of believers being caught up into heaven while others are left behind. Like many, I can recall hearing this passage interpreted in Sunday School with warnings like, “Be ready, or you might get left behind!” I can almost hear Larry Norman’s song “I Wish We’d All Been Ready” playing in the background.
But is that really what Jesus meant?
To understand, we need to back up a few verses and examine the context. Starting in Matthew 24:37, Jesus says:
“When the Son of Man appears, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man appears. Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left. Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left” (Matthew 24:37-41).
In this passage, Jesus compares the soon coming judgment on Jerusalem in AD 70, under the onslaught of the Romans, to the unexpected flood during the days of Noah. In Noah’s time, the wicked were caught unaware and “swept away” in the waters. Meanwhile, Noah and his family—the righteous—were the ones left behind, preserved by God.
Who Is Taken, and Who Is Left?
Here’s the crucial point: being "taken" in this context doesn’t signify being raptured to heaven. It refers to being removed from the earth in judgment (slain). The analogy from the days of Noah makes this clear—the wicked are taken, while the righteous remain.
This isn’t just my opinion. New Testament scholar Craig Keener explains: “In the context of 24:37-39, ‘taken’ presumably means ‘taken to judgment’ (cf. Jer. 6:11 NASB, NRSV).”* Theologian J. Richard Middleton adds:
“The common assumption is that the one taken is the believer, going to heaven to be with the Lord. But Jesus’ analogy with Noah’s flood shows the opposite. The ones taken are the unrighteous, removed in judgment. The righteous, like Noah’s family, are left behind to inherit the earth.”**
Luke’s version of this passage makes this interpretation even clearer. After describing one person taken and one left, the disciples ask, “Where, Lord?” Jesus responds: “Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather” (Luke 17:37). This unmistakably points to a painful judgment, not heaven.
What Does This Mean for Us?
When we understand the context, Matthew 24:40-41 is not about the righteous being snatched away but about the unrighteous being removed from the land—in judgment, it reinforces a consistent biblical theme: God’s desire is to preserve the righteous and establish His kingdom on earth.
As Jesus said in the Beatitudes: “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5).
This passage, far from supporting the rapture doctrine, emphasizes God’s ultimate plan to restore and redeem creation, leaving the righteous to enjoy his goodness.
Over the coming weeks, I’ll explore other passages often linked to the rapture doctrine, such as 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, John 14:2-3, and Revelation 4:1. But as I start with Matthew 24, the question believers must ask ourselves is not simply what we’ve been taught, but what Scripture actually says.
* Craig Keener. “Matthew 24:37-38,” IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downer’s Grove, Illinois: IVP, 2014.
** J. Richard Middleton "A New Heaven and a New Earth: The Case for a Holistic Reading of the Biblical Story of Redemption," Journal for Christian Theological Research 11 (2006): 95.
We can argue this all day long using scripture on both sides and at the end where still where we began, you believe what you believe and I believe what I believe, your taking what so & so says so & so said, like the rabbis in the teaching of the Mishnah