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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadCambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - Matthew 24:37 - 24:37
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37. ὥσπερ δὲ αἱ ἡμέραι τοῦ Νῶε κ.τ.λ. As at other critical times in history—the days before the flood—the eve of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah—so before the parousia of Christ the world will be given up to enjoyment (τρώγοντες καὶ πίνοντες), it will rest its hopes in the present, and plan for the continuance of the existing order (γαμοῦντες καὶ ἐκγαμίζοντες), it will be immersed in business (ἠγόραζον ἐπώλουν ἐφύτευον ᾠκοδόμουν, Luk 17:28), all which things are the perils of the religious life—the cares (μέριμναι), riches (πλοῦτος), pleasures (ἡδοναί), that choke the good seed (Luk 8:14).
For τρώγοντες καὶ πίνοντες, implying luxurious living, cp. ch. Mat 11:19, ἐσθίων καὶ πίνων and see Mat 24:49 of this chap. and Luk 12:45. Cp. Eur. Cycl. 335, πιεῖν καὶ φαγεῖν τοὔφʼ ἡμέραν. But the use of τρώγοντες rather than ἐσθίοντες adds force to the picture of a world plunged in animal delights. τρώγειν is said to be formed from the sound; Eustath. Od. VI. 60, cp. ‘Feeding like horses when you hear them feed,’ (Tennyson, Œnid). It is used in Homer of mules and of mice, then in Hdt. and vernacular speech of men ‘to eat vegetables or fruit,’ (cp. τρωγάλια, τρωκτά,) and not till quite late in a general sense. With the exception of this passage τρώγειν occurs in the fourth Gospel only. This use of τρώγειν to the exclusion of ἐσθίειν is one of the interesting specialisms in St John’s Gospel; in ch. Joh 13:18, ὁ τρώγων is substituted for ὁ ἐσθίων of the LXX., Psa 41:9, and the completely settled use of the word is shown by its occurrence in the solemn connection ch. Joh 6:54, ὁ τρώγων μου τὴν σάρκα. Compare generally the use of χορτάζειν.