Page 96 - The Rapture Question by John F. Walvoord

The Partial Rapture Theory
the Rapture, or translation of the faithful. It is doubtful
whether there is any specific reference at all to the Rapture or
translation in the entire context of Matthew 24-25.
Partial rapturists usually seize on Matthew 24:41 as sub­
stantiation of their position: “Two women will be grinding
with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.” It is
argued that the one taken is the one translated. Robert Govett
stated that the Greek word for “take” (paralambano) means “to
take as a companion”—“ordinarily the result of friendship.”5
In this he found a contrast to the Greek word for “took away”
(cren), describing the judgment on unbelievers in Noah’s day
(Matt. 24:39). He offered confirmation in that paralambano is
used in John 14:3 of the Rapture, “Take you to be with me.”
The one left, according to Govett, is left to go through the
Tribulation.
A careful study of the usage here, however, does not sus­
tain this exegesis. The context is Jewish and does not refer to
the church at all. The discussion is dealing with the end of the
age, i.e., the entire interadvent age, not the church period as
such. The terminus ad quern is the Second Coming, not the
translation of the church. The Greek word paralambano is not
specifically one describing a friendly relation. It is also used in
John 19:16-17: “So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying
his own cross, he went out to The Place of the Skull.” This act
of taking Jesus was certainly not a friendly association and
compares to a taking in wrath. The act of taking away in
Matthew 24:41 is best interpreted as the same as in verse 39.
In both, the one taken away is taken in judgment. This is
precisely what is done at the second coming of Christ, when
those who remain enter the blessing of the Millennium and
those taken away suffer judgment. The evidence, then, for a
partial rapture in this passage is completely dissolved on
examination of the evidence. The parallel passage in Mark
13:33-37 has, if anything, less evidence than the Matthew
account, and it is answered in the same way.
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