Matthew 24:36; 25:13; Mark 13:32 -- No One Knows the Day or Hour

By Ronald R. Day, Sr.

It is being claimed that Jesus could not have returned in 1874, since Jesus said NO MAN or even the Angels in Heaven will know the time of his 2nd coming. While we believe Christ returned in 1874, like Charles Taze Russell, we would not be dogmatic about it.

The scriptures related to the objection are:

But no one knows of that day and hour, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only.  - (Matthew 24:36, World English)

Watch therefore, for you don't know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.  - (Matthew 25:13, World English)

"Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.  - (Matthew 25:13, New American Standard Version)

But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, neither the Son, but only the Father.  - (Mark 13:32, World English)

In context, Matthew 24:36 and Mark 13:32 are not speaking of the moment of the beginning of Christ's parousia, but of the time when he comes to end the present heavens and earth. Please note that Jesus not only speaks of no one else knowing, but he includes himself as not knowing. Even if he had been speaking of the time of his arrival, this does not mean that Jesus does not know when his parousia was begin before it began, and it certainly does not mean that he will never know that day and hour that he is speaking of.

In Matthew 25:13, the phrase "in which the Son of Man is coming" does not appear in earlier manuscripts, and thus does not appear in many translations, such as the New American Standard Version. Nevertheless, the word coming that is used in the Greek is not the Greek word transliterated as "parousia", and thus, if Jesus did say those words, it does not necessarily mean that he was referring the beginning of his parousia. Jesus comes to do various things at various times after his parousia has begun.

It is claimed that Jesus said that when he returns, the entire earth -- every eye -- will see him. The scripture evidently being referred to is:

Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, including those who pierced him. All the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. Even so, Amen.  - (Revelation 1:7, World English)

The time when those who pierced Jesus will figuratively "see" Jesus in the figurative "clouds" is certainly not at the beginning of Jesus' parousia. For those who killed Jesus to "see" Jesus' coming the "clouds", they have to be first be raised from the dead. The resurrection takes place, not before the beginning of Jesus' parousia, but sometime after the parousia has begun. Indeed, the resurrection of those who pierced Jesus does not take place until after Satan is abyssed, which would mean some time *after* the passing away of the present heavens and earth.

See also links to some our other studies related to:
Christ's Return: