Contradiction with 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3
This verse suggests that people will be caught unaware, as a thief in the night, contradicting the idea of two people being in the field and one being taken without understanding.
1 Thessalonians 5:2-3: For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
Contradiction with Luke 17:34-36
These verses describe similar scenarios to Matthew 24:40, including one being taken and the other left, but do not provide the same context of a surprise event.
Luke 17:34-36: I tell you, in that night there shall be two [men] in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
Contradiction with Matthew 13:30
This verse discusses gathering the wheat and tares, suggesting a gathering together rather than a separation of two individuals, contrasting the scenario in Matthew 24:40.
Matthew 13:30: Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Contradiction with 2 Peter 3:10
This portrays the day of the Lord as one of destruction and intense events rather than the peaceful separation implied in Matthew 24:40.
2 Peter 3:10: But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Paradox #1
Some people see a contradiction in the differing interpretations of the end times. "Matthew 24:40" is often linked with the idea of the "Rapture," but not all Christians agree on how or when the Rapture will happen. This has led to conflicting beliefs about whether people will be taken to safety before, during, or after a period of tribulation described in other parts of the Bible. These differing views can make discussions about this verse complex and sometimes inconsistent.