Compare 1 Thessalonians 5:1 with Matthew 24:36 on knowing the time. Setting the Context Paul had already taught the Thessalonians in person about end-time events. Because of that prior teaching he can say, “Now about the times and seasons, brothers, we do not need to write to you” (1 Thessalonians 5:1). Jesus, by contrast, spoke to the disciples on the Mount of Olives and declared, “But about that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matthew 24:36). Together, these statements form a balanced picture: believers possess enough revelation to live alert and ready, yet God withholds the exact schedule so we keep trusting Him daily. The Thessalonian Reminder: Times and Seasons • “Times and seasons” (Greek: chronōn kai kairōn) covers general periods and specific moments. • Paul affirms the church already understands the broad outline of prophetic timing—the Day of the Lord will break in “like a thief in the night” (1 Thessalonians 5:2). • Knowledge they did have: – Sudden destruction for the world (v. 3). – Believers are “sons of light” who should not be surprised (v. 4–5). – A call to stay sober, armed with “faith, love, and the hope of salvation” (v. 8). • Paul never offers a calendar date; instead he reinforces a lifestyle of readiness. Jesus’ Warning: Day and Hour Unknown • While prophecy sketches the season, the “day and hour” remain hidden. • The Father alone holds that detail, even withholding it from angels and (during His earthly ministry) the Son. • The context of Matthew 24 stresses vigilance: – Parable of the fig tree (vv. 32-33): recognize nearness, not pinpoint the clock. – Days of Noah (vv. 37-39): judgment comes when ordinary life seems secure. – Command to “keep watch” (v. 42). Bringing the Texts Together: Knowing Without Knowing • We know the season: 1 Thessalonians 5:1 assures informed believers. • We do not know the specific moment: Matthew 24:36 establishes divine secrecy. • Harmonized truth: – Signposts are given; the timetable is not. – Certainty about event, uncertainty about schedule. – Confidence promotes watchfulness, not complacency. Additional Scripture Witnesses • Acts 1:7 — “It is not for you to know the times or seasons the Father has fixed by His own authority.” • 2 Peter 3:10 — “The Day of the Lord will come like a thief.” • Revelation 3:3 — “If you do not watch, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come upon you.” • Mark 13:32-37 parallels Matthew 24:36 and ends, “What I say to you I say to everyone: Keep watch!” Practical Implications for Believers Today • Reject date-setting; embrace daily expectancy. • Cultivate holiness: “Since all these things will be dissolved, what kind of people ought you to be?” (2 Peter 3:11). • Encourage one another with the hope of rescue and resurrection (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). • Stay mission-minded: the unknown hour intensifies the urgency of evangelism (Matthew 24:14). |
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