Matthew 24:18
Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
Original Language Analysis
καὶ
G2532
καὶ
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
1 of 12
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
ὁ
G3588
ὁ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
2 of 12
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
τῷ
G3588
τῷ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
4 of 12
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
ἀγρῷ
the field
G68
ἀγρῷ
the field
Strong's:
G68
Word #:
5 of 12
a field (as a drive for cattle); genitive case, the country; specially, a farm, i.e., hamlet
μὴ
Neither
G3361
μὴ
Neither
Strong's:
G3361
Word #:
6 of 12
(adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas g3756 expects an affirmative one)) whether
ὀπίσω
back
G3694
ὀπίσω
back
Strong's:
G3694
Word #:
8 of 12
to the back, i.e., aback (as adverb or preposition of time or place; or as noun)
ἆραι
to take
G142
ἆραι
to take
Strong's:
G142
Word #:
9 of 12
to lift up; by implication, to take up or away; figuratively, to raise (the voice), keep in suspense (the mind), specially, to sail away (i.e., weigh
Historical Context
In agrarian Judea, farmers worked fields outside city walls daily. At siege warning, the natural instinct would be retrieving essential garments. But Jerusalem's fall came with shocking speed once Titus's final assault began—the city fell in just days after months of siege. Josephus records 500+ Jews crucified daily outside walls as warnings. Those who delayed for any reason—even necessities—risked capture, enslavement, or death.
Questions for Reflection
- How does Jesus's urgency in these verses challenge contemporary Christian complacency about end times?
- What is more dangerous: underreacting to God's warnings or overreacting with date-setting and panic?
- How can believers hold possessions and plans loosely while living responsibly?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes (καὶ ὁ ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ μὴ ἐπιστρεψάτω ὀπίσω ἆραι τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ)—Agricultural workers wore minimal clothing in the field, leaving outer garments (ἱμάτια, himatia)—valuable items—at field's edge or home. The verb ἐπιστρέφω (epistrephō, "turn back") with prohibitive μή forbids retrieval. Even clothing, a basic necessity (more valuable than modern equivalents), must be abandoned.
The word ὀπίσω ("back, behind") recalls Lot's wife (again), Elisha leaving his oxen to follow Elijah (1 Kings 19:19-21—though Jesus says "no one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom," Luke 9:62), and the Exodus generation wanting to return to Egypt. Looking back betrays divided loyalty. Jesus demands single-minded flight because milliseconds matter when God's judgment falls.