What is the meaning of Matthew 24:36? No one knows about that day or hour • Jesus states plainly, “But about that day and hour no one knows” (Matthew 24:36). The timing of His return and the consummation of the age are hidden from human calculation. • Earlier, He had urged watchfulness (Matthew 24:42–44). Acts 1:7 echoes this, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority.” • Paul reinforces the suddenness in 1 Thessalonians 5:2, “The Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” • Because the moment is unrevealed, believers are called to constant readiness rather than date-setting. not even the angels in heaven • Angels are powerful servants, yet Matthew 24:36 limits their knowledge: “not even the angels in heaven.” • 1 Peter 1:12 notes that angels “long to look into” God’s redemptive plan; they are fascinated but not omniscient. • Their ignorance underscores that created beings, no matter how exalted, do not share the Father’s secret counsel (see Revelation 14:15 where an angel still waits for God’s command to reap). • If angels remain in the dark, human speculation is certainly futile. nor the Son • Jesus adds, “nor the Son,” highlighting His voluntary restriction during the Incarnation. Mark 13:32 repeats the same truth. • Philippians 2:6-8 shows He “emptied Himself” by taking on humanity; this self-limitation included withholding certain divine prerogatives. • Luke 2:52 records that He “grew in wisdom,” revealing genuine human experience. • In His earthly ministry He modeled perfect submission: “I can do nothing by Myself… I seek not My own will but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 5:30). • Post-resurrection, His authority is fully displayed (Matthew 28:18), yet the statement in Matthew 24:36 still stands as truth spoken from His incarnate position. but only the Father • Exclusively, “only the Father” knows the exact moment. Deuteronomy 29:29 affirms, “The secret things belong to the LORD our God.” • God alone “declares the end from the beginning” (Isaiah 46:10). • This boundary invites worshipful trust: the Father’s sovereignty guarantees the fulfillment of His redemptive plan (Acts 17:31). • By reserving the timetable, the Father directs believers’ focus to faithful living rather than prophetic curiosity. summary Matthew 24:36 teaches that the precise timing of Christ’s return remains hidden—unknown to humanity, unseen by angels, voluntarily unaccessed by the incarnate Son, and guarded solely by the Father. This reality calls believers to humble expectancy, diligent faithfulness, and unwavering confidence in the Father’s perfect sovereignty rather than speculative timetables. |
    |