1 Thessalonians 5:1

But of the times and the seasons Better, concerning the times and the seasons. The Greek word for "times" denotes stretches of time, that for seasons particular times; the question as to the former was, "How long before the Lord comes? what periods will elapse before the final establishment of His kingdom?" as to the second, "What events will transpire meanwhile? how will the course of history shape itself?" These enquiries our Lord put aside. "It is not for you," said He, "to know times or seasons, which the Father has put within His own province" (Acts 1:7); and previously Jesus had declared respecting the end of the world, "Of that day and hour knoweth no man, not even the angels in heaven, neither the Son, only the Father" (Mark 13:32). Such knowledge, it appears, is outside the province of human thought. Speculations of this nature have been repeatedly ventured on since the Apostle's day; they have proved invariably worthless, and afford so many confirmations of the Lord's warning. Chrysostom remarks on this passage somewhat severely: "Our nature is officious and greedy for the knowledge of things invisible and hidden from us. This comes of our conceit, and from having nothing to do. Often therefore is the mind in haste to learn and understand these things before the time."

ye have no need thatI write unto you Lit., that aught he written to you (R. V.). The phrase is a repetition of that of ch. 1 Thessalonians 4:9, except that there the emphasis lies on youas persons not needing this instruction, here upon the writingas a thing in itself needless. On the topic of the last paragraph, viz. the position of Christians dying before the Lord's return, it wasneedful that something should be written; as to the "times and seasons" nothing need be written, for the readers already knewso much as could be known (1 Thessalonians 5:2).