Matthew 24:36-42

III. CHRIST'S SECOND COMING (24:36-25:46)

A. The Date Known but to God (24:36) (Parallel: Mark 13:32)

36 But of that day and hour knoweth no one, not even the angels of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only.

B. Stories Illustrating Important Characteristics of the Final End-Times
1. Illustration From Life Before the Flood (24:37-42)

(Parallel: Mark 13:33; Luke 21:34-36)

37 And as were the days of Noah, so shall be the coming of the Son of man. 38 For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, 39 and they knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall be the coming of the Son of man. 40 Then shall two men be in the field; one is taken and one is left: 41 two women shall be grinding at the mill; one is taken and one is left. 42 Watch therefore; for ye know not on what day your Lord cometh.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS

a.

Jesus seems to believe in angels. Do you? What does their existence mean to you?

b.

Do you think it is safe for the Son of God, the revealer of truth and the way back to God, to admit that He does not know the time of His return? Does not this admission compromise our total confidence in His other revelations? In what sense can He affirm His ignorance on this point without compromising His authority?

c.

Do you see anything significant about the order of Jesus-' words: no one (man). the angels. the Son. the Father? If so, what is the significance?

d.

Some think that Jesus has now changed the subject from events connected with His own generation to the Second Coming. Others believe He changed the subject back in Matthew 24:29. Which of these two views is more nearly correct? On what basis do you decide as you do?

e.

Some notice that Jesus denied that any human being knows the day and hour of His coming, but said nothing about their knowing the year, month or week. Accordingly, say they, we may discover these latter with reasonable certainty. Do Jesus-' words refer to the exact day and hour in the sense of the hour or minute? Or is His meaning more general? What other texts or information would clarify His intended meaning?

f.

Why is the time of Jesus-' return known only to God? Of what advantage to us is this?

g.

How does the fact that Matthew and Mark cited Jesus-' ignorance of the final date actually comfort us by assuring us that all else they relate about Jesus is true?

h.

How does Jesus-' admission of ignorance about the date of His return actually build and confirm our faith in Him rather than weaken or destroy it?

i.

Some consider the story of Noah and the flood to be a fable grossly exaggerated and not to be taken seriously as sober history. On the basis of His reference to Noah and company, do you think Jesus agrees that Noah's flood is purely legendary? How certain do you think Jesus was that the information in Genesis 6-9 really occurred as written? What does this say about Genesis as a book? about Noah? about the flood? about Jesus? about you?

j.

Do you see anything wrong with what people were doing in Noah's day? After all, they were eating and drinking, marrying and given in marriage. Do not these activities characterize our normal everyday life? What could be so wrong about this? Further, Jesus-' application pictures people at work in the field or at the mill. Surely this is not wrong too? How could these ordinary activities have anything to do with man's unpreparedness for (1) Noah's flood or (2) Christ's Second Coming? ,

k.

What is the psychological problem of people who try desperately to learn the date of Christ's return? How, according to the Scriptures, can such people be helped?

1.

What should we think of people who, by explanations of prophecy or other methods, try to discover what even God's Son did not know? What should we think about their explanations?

m.

Jesus said, Watch therefore, for you know not.. In what way(s) should our daily activities be permeated with a sense of watchfulness? How should we organize our daily affairs, so as to be able to do this? By neither eating nor drinking, marrying nor being given in marriage? Should we not work in the field or grind at the mill?

n.

What major Bible doctrine is reaffirmed by the expression: one is taken and one is left?

PARAPHRASE AND HARMONY

However, as to the precise date or when that hour will strike, NOBODY knows, not even the heavenly messengers nor the Son. Only the Father knows. In fact, the second coming of the Messiah will be just like it was in Noah's time. In those days just before the flood they went right on eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, right up to the very day when Noah entered the ark. Those people were unaware of the impending danger until the flood actually came and swept them all away. This is the way the Messiah's coming will take place. At that time two men will be working together in the field. One will be swept away and one will remain. Two women will be grinding at a handmill. One will be swept away and the other will remain.
But be on your guard, lest your minds be coarsened by self-indulgent carousing and drunkenness and by the worries of this life, so that that Day suddenly overtake you. It will go off like a trap, catching all the inhabitants of the entire earth. Be constantly on the alert and pray, since you have no idea when your Lord is coming. Pray that you may have the ability to survive all these things that are about to take place, and to stand with confidence in the presence of Christ Himself!

SUMMARY

The time of Christ's Second Coming is known only to the Father. Life on earth at that time will continue right up to the last minute as if nothing were going to happen. This very ordinariness and normalcy could lull the believer into complacency. Therefore, to avoid this trap, prayer is required for strength to survive and to stand victoriously before the tribunal of Christ Himself!

NOTES
A. The Date Known but to God (24:36)

Matthew 24:36 But of that day and hour. Kik (Matthew XXIV) correctly entitled this verse the transition text, because Jesus has abruptly but clearly changed the subject, a fact made evident in various ways:

1.

Note the triumphant finality with which Matthew 24:35 closes the predictions concerning the fall of the Jewish state in the lifetime of Jesus-' generation.

2.

Jesus then introduces the following material with but (de). Granted, this is not a strong adversative conjunction in Greek, but it implies some kind of contrast between the foregoing material and what comes next.

3.

The subject introduced next is that day (singular), whereas in the foregoing section (Matthew 24:4-35) He treated those days (plural). (Matthew 24:19; Matthew 24:22 = Mark 13:17; Mark 13:19 = Luke 21:23) In Matthew 24:36 Jesus speaks of a specific day and hour. This distinction between singular, day, and plural, days, is neither accidental nor insignificant. Kik (Matthew XXIV, 102) observed

Nowhere in the New Testament is the pluralthe days, days of vengeance, those daysused in reference to the second coming of Christ or to the final judgment.. A general impression prevails that the term, last days, has reference to a short period just before the second coming of Christ, but that term is not so defined in Scriptures. The last days began with the first advent of Christ and will continue until his second advent. This is indicated in a number of scriptural passages (Hebrews 1:1 f.; Acts 2:16 f.; 1 John 2:18; 1 Peter 1:20).. The plural does not refer either to the second coming or the final judgment.

That day is decidedly unique, since there could not be many, truly final last Days, but only one definitive Last Day. In this light, then, that day and hour became a practically fixed, well-defined technical term reinforced by Jesus-' further instruction. (Cf. Matthew 24:42; Matthew 24:44; Matthew 24:50; Matthew 25:13; Mark 13:32 f.; Luke 21:34.) Earlier, our Lord spoke of the Judgment as that day (Matthew 7:22) and revealed much about the day of Judgment (Matthew 11:22; Matthew 11:24; Matthew 12:36). This usage is reflected in the Apostles-' language. (Cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:4; 2 Thessalonians 1:10; 2 Timothy 1:12; 2 Timothy 1:18; 2 Timothy 4:8; 1 Corinthians 3:13; Jude 1:6, etc.)

4.

This verse unequivocally changes the subject from Jerusalem's last days to the Final Day of the world. When Jesus affirmed that no one knows that day and hour, He clearly distinguished this particular Day from ALL the days for which He had earlier furnished some clear, definite signs of their near approach. Contrarily, concerning this one Day He denies that anyone can discern the time of its arrival, because there shall be no forewarning evidence given. For this latter Day only constant readiness would suffice due to its absolutely unknowable arrival date (Matthew 24:42 to Matthew 25:46). The approximate time of Jerusalem's fall could be estimated with reasonable accuracy, but the moment of the world's Last Day remains a state secret of the Almighty.

But of that day and hour knoweth no one. Some argue that Jesus did not deny we can calculate the month, year or century, since He only indicated as secret the day and hour. Nevertheless, that He intends to declare absolutely unknown and unknowable the general period of His return is explicitly declared by Mark (Mark 13:33): Watch and pray, for you do not know when THE TIME will come. Further, hour need not mean the specific schedule, but time generally. (Cf. John 2:4; John 4:21; John 4:23; John 5:25; John 5:28; John 7:30; John 8:20; John 12:23; John 13:1; John 16:2; John 17:1.) In this sense, day and hour are but two ways of referring to the same time period in question, technically a hendiadys. Either way, as Bruce (Training, 328) noted,

This statement, that the time of the end is known alone to God, excludes the idea that it can be calculated, or that data are given in Scripture for that purpose. If such data be given, then the secret is virtually disclosed. We therefore regard the calculations of students of prophecy respecting the times and seasons as random guesses unworthy of serious attention.

If the Son of God Himself does not know, how could any dumb disciple expect to guess it right?! This inescapably real human ignorance will be underlined no less than six times in His message (Matthew 24:42; Matthew 24:44; Matthew 24:50; Matthew 25:13; Mark 13:33; Mark 13:35; Luke 21:34).

Not even the angels of heaven. Study Jesus-' doctrine of angels in Matthew (Matthew 13:39-42; Matthew 13:49 f.; Matthew 16:27; Matthew 18:10; Matthew 22:30; Matthew 25:31; Matthew 25:41; Matthew 26:53). Angels are possibly inserted here because, despite their specially privileged relationship and access to God (Matthew 18:10) and despite their own participation in particular phases of the world's Last Day (Matthew 13:41; cf. Revelation 14:19), they have not been informed of God's eschatological timetable. This automatically disarms in advance any false prophet who tries to claim inside information on this critical date on the basis of claimed angelic revelations.

Neither the Son. Before puzzling over Jesus-' admission to ignorance, we must note in what order He named each protagonist:

1.

Created beings: man (no one, oudeis, masculine) and the angels of heaven.

2.

Uncreated Beings: the Son and the Father.

Further, starting with man, He traced an ascending scale from the purely human to the purely Divine, inserting between them, first, created spirits, the angels, then the uncreated Son, the eternal Word made flesh. Jesus expresses His true identity openly. He is simply not an ignorant human like anyone else, because He writes His own name with the heavenly beings, between God and the angels. Mackenzie (P.H.C., XXIII, 478) stated the appropriateness of this order beautifully:

Let the name of any of the prophets or apostles be substituted for the designation of Christ, and a sentence is produced at which even a Socinian (anti-trinitarian denier of Christ's divinity, HEF) might stagger. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither Moses, but the Father. It matters little what particular name is selected for the experiment. Isaiah, Daniel, Paul or John, in such a collocation, would be alike incongrous with the whole phraseology and spirit of the Bible. Why, then, would such an announcement have revolted us, when the name of the Son, in this identical connexion, awakens no surprise? Manifestly because the human soul of Christ, from its conjunction with the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of His person, was admitted to a knowledge of the counsel of God which is never ascribed to any other creature; manifestly because in Him dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

Neither Matthew nor Mark hesitate to report this confessed ignorance of His return date. Were they attempting to foist off on the world a false Messiah, they could not have afforded to risk inclusion of such an embarrassing admission. But the marvel is that our Evangelists think they run no risk to report this astonishing admission. Why? Because they are absolutely certain that nothing is so convincing as truth and they tell this about Jesus, perfectly confident that this confession of ignorance really detracts nothing from His glory.

Our faith in Jesus Himself is not undermined by His frank confession of limitations. Rather, does not Jesus-' rigorous honesty actually undergird our confidence in Him? We would have had far less faith in Him, had He faked an answer to this crucial question. Nevertheless, He had the moral courage to risk the loss of every disciple by stating, I do not know. Further, He said it in the face of all the withering criticism of future generations of scoffers whether erudite or not. But, all risks notwithstanding, we may stand with Him who could unflinchingly tell us the truth, however apparently embarrassing it be to His position, however gratifying to His critics and however astonishing to His followers. This unswerving honesty marks Him a true ambassador and credible spokesman for God. (Cf. John 7:18.)

Why did not Jesus know this date? Following Biederwolf (348), we may summarize three attempts to resolve this quandary thus:

1.

This ignorance is referred to Christ's human nature and is consistent with the statement that He emptied Himself (Philippians 2:5 ff.) and increased in wisdom (Luke 2:52) and learned obedience (Hebrews 5:8 f.). The unique combination of complete humanness and true deity in one Person remains beyond our human comprehension, but not beyond our belief, given the sufficiency of the evidence. If He, as man, did not know this date, so what? This is a characteristic of man.

2.

He knew personally, but not officially, i.e. Christ was using hyperbolical language to show that the great event was to be kept a profound secret, the knowledge not having been given Him as regards us, i.e. for the purpose of being communicated to us.. But this seems something of an attempt to evade the plain meaning of the expression, the ignorance referred to being the same as that of man and angels with which it is connected. Further, had Jesus known the date, but refused to reveal it, we would be irresistibly tempted to dissect His words for some hint hidden there. Contrarily, what He does imply about His return date is that its delay would be so indefinite and the interval preceding it so impossible to calculate that numerous disciples would surrender their alertness, cease their preparations and return to sinfulness and debunk the doctrine as mere hero legend.

3.

Schaff, who does not like this dualistic separation between Christ's two natures, suggests a voluntary self-limitation of knowledge on the part of Christ, i.e. a sacred unwillingness to know. He who could have requested twelve legions of angels, but opted to undergo the shame and submitted to separation from the Father, could He not also surrender to the indignity of now knowing this date? Even if this perfect Judge alone knows the Father and what was in man, might He not for our sakes decide not to be above mankind by knowing that day and hour?

Whichever view is taken, a clear distinction must be made between His ignorance of this one item and the possibility of error when, as a true prophet, He revealed the mind of God. For, had He been only a man, He would have rendered Himself ridiculous in the extreme to entitle Himself the Son, placing Himself alongside the Father and superior to angels. Further, were He but a common, ignorant mortal, to describe Himself as the Son of man, a title true in that sense of anyone else, becomes no title at all. But because He was the GOD-MAN, His appropriation of the title, Son of man, becomes a highly relevant revelation of His true nature. To the question whether His knowledge were limited in other ways, we may respond that this is the only recorded subject on which He had to answer, I do not know.

So, why is the time not known to the Son, but to the Father only? Earlier, Jesus had taught that the Father has sovereign right to establish certain priorities (Matthew 20:23; cf. Deuteronomy 29:29; Acts 1:7). The motive for God's secreting this information may not lie in some weakness of Jesus-' nature, but in the nature of OUR weakness. Every human being must live with the uncertainty of the date of judgment. Consequently, when we realize that any day could be our last, to please God, we orient all our priorities in view of His judgment (2 Corinthians 5:9 f.; 2 Peter 3:8-13). This aims to motivate each generation to live in a state of expectancy that God's Judgment Day could arrive in its own lifetime, and so make the required preparation. So, it may be that Jesus, the Son of man, chose to live as any other human being, motivated by this same uncertainty. Hence, His thorough-going identification with us, His brethren, cost Him this knowledge.

Two implications are evident in the fact that only the Father knows the date:

1.

If Jesus does not know the date of His return, then nothing revealed in this entire discourse may be interpreted as offering certain signs of that event, because this would imply that He DID know.

2.

Everything else Jesus will say next grows out of this complete human ignorance of the world's Last Day and urges practical preparation for it in light of this limitation. To suppose that clever calculations of the signs on our part could discover that date is to eviscerate the following lessons on all meaning. (See notes on Matthew 24:42; Matthew 24:44; Matthew 24:50; Matthew 25:13; cf. Luke 21:34 f.; Mark 13:35.)

Plummer (Matthew, 340) sees the following illustrations as Jesus-' treatment of mankind's having to live with the tension between the certainty of judgment and the uncertainty of the date on which all must face that judgment. He asks, What effect will this combination of certainty and uncertainty have upon mankind? Jesus answers by indicating what effect this tension SHOULD have on each disciple. Analyze how each story illustrates this.