Matthew 24:38 Meaning: Why the Flood Caught People Eating and Drinking
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 ship,
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,
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,
for as they were, in the days before the flood, eating, and drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, till the day Noah entered into the ark,
For as they were in the days which were before the flood, eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day on which Noe entered into the ark,
Meaning in one sentence
Jesus points to Noah's day to warn us. Normal life isn't the problem. Being absorbed in it to the point of forgetting God is.
Context
Jesus is sitting on the Mount of Olives with his disciples. They have just asked him about the end of the age, and he is answering with warnings and signs. He tells them plainly that no one knows the day or hour of his return, only the Father. Then he reaches back to a story they all knew: the days of Noah. Before the flood, people were doing what people have always done. They ate meals, drank with friends, couples married, parents arranged weddings. Nothing unusual. Yet the flood came and swept them away. Jesus holds up that ordinary scene as a mirror. The question he leaves hanging is not whether those activities were wrong, but whether the people in them had any thought for the God who was about to interrupt everything.
Key Words
The Greek word for eating Jesus uses here is trōgō. It is a rough word, the kind you reach for when describing animals gnawing and crunching their food. Commentator John Gill notes that it means eating in a brutish way, without restraint. This is not a polite dinner. It is consumption, indulgence, living for the next meal. The other key pair is gameō (marrying) and gamizō (giving in marriage). Together they cover the whole cycle of human life: people starting homes and parents launching children into theirs. None of it is wrong in itself. But the vocabulary Jesus chooses suggests something was off. The eating was coarse, self-absorbed. The marriages were being arranged with no thought for the God who had commanded them. The word achri (until) marks the boundary. They kept going right up to the moment Noah stepped into the ark. And then it was too late.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christian readers have understood this verse with slightly different emphases. John Gill, a Baptist commentator, stresses that the eating and drinking were gluttonous and the marriages unlawful. For him, the problem was sinfulness in those very acts. Others, like Albert Barnes, note that the activities themselves were lawful; the people were simply absorbed in them, unconcerned about the coming judgment. In this reading, the warning is not about what you do but about what you forget while doing it. Both traditions agree on the central truth: the people were spiritually asleep, and that sleep cost them everything. Across the Church, this verse calls believers to hold ordinary life with open hands, aware that Christ could return at any moment.
A common misunderstanding
Living This Out
You probably woke up this morning thinking about what needs to be done today, groceries, emails, homework, a nap. That is real life. This verse does not call you to drop all of it and stare at the sky. It asks something harder: do that grocery run, send that email, help with that homework, lie down for that nap, and still keep your heart tuned to Jesus. You can eat and drink and marry with gratitude, fully present in the moment, while holding everything loosely. This week, try this: before you start any ordinary task, pause and say, 'Lord, I am doing this with You in mind.' See if that changes how you do the ordinary.
Main takeaway: The people before the flood were not destroyed for living normal lives, but for living as if the God who made them would never interrupt them.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Do you like eating breakfast and playing with your friends? That is good! Before the flood, people did those things too. But they forgot to listen to God. Jesus wants us to remember Him while we do our normal things.
For ages 9, 12
The people in Noah’s day were not doing terrible things. They were just living their lives, eating meals, hanging out with friends, getting married. But they were so busy with their own plans that they stopped thinking about God at all. When the flood came, they were completely surprised. Jesus uses this to warn us: do not get so caught up in everyday life that you forget He is coming back. Stay close to Him, even in the middle of homework and chores.
Questions People Ask
Was it wrong for people to eat, drink, and marry before the flood?
Not in themselves. The problem was that they did these things without any thought for God or for the warning Noah preached. They were so absorbed in daily routines that they ignored the coming judgment. Jesus uses this to show how many people will be living when He returns.
What does the Greek word for 'eating' reveal about their behavior?
The word Jesus uses (trōgō) means to gnaw or crunch like an animal. It suggests eating greedily and without restraint. This points to people indulging in excess, living for pleasure rather than for God. Some commentators see it as evidence of their brutish, self-absorbed lifestyle.
Does Matthew 24:38 mean I should not marry or enjoy daily life?
No. Jesus does not condemn marriage or daily activities. He warns against being so absorbed in them that you lose sight of God and the reality of His coming. You can marry, eat, and drink with gratitude while staying spiritually alert.
What is the connection between Noah's day and the return of Jesus?
Jesus compares the suddenness of the flood with His own return. In both cases, judgment came while people were carrying on with ordinary life, completely unaware. The parallel teaches that we must be watchful and ready at all times, because His coming will be as unexpected as the flood.
How can I watch for Jesus' return while still living a normal life?
Watchfulness is not about quitting your job or avoiding relationships. It means living each day with an eternal perspective, praying, reading Scripture, loving others, and staying responsive to the Holy Spirit even in the middle of your usual routines.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study