But Concerning That Day And Hour
“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.”
This verse represents a significant shift in the reply of Jesus to his disciples’ questions about the end (see Matt. 24:34 articles). From verses 4 through 35, Jesus has occupied himself with answering the question relating to the destruction of the temple, which is how the disciples interpreted Jesus statement in Matthew 24:2: “But he answered them, ‘You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.’”
What stands out sharply between the first section (vv. 4–35) and the second section (vv. 36–25:46) is that in the first section Jesus states that the disciples will see various signs, which point out the impending destruction of the temple in A.D. 70, and in the second section, Jesus points out that his Second Coming will happen when least expected. The disciples can anticipate and recognize signs pointing to Jerusalem’s destruction, but not so with respect to the Second Coming. Verse 36 makes this plain: “But concerning that day and hour no one knows…” Jesus will come when not expected. Jesus even states that the angels have no idea about God’s timetable, neither does he as the Son of Man. Jesus states that when he comes people will be unaware (vs. 39). They will be like people were in the days of Noah when the flood came suddenly and they were destroyed. They were unaware when the flood would come. What were they doing before the flood came? They were eating and drinking and getting married. They were engaging in the normal and necessary affairs of life. The point is they were unprepared and, thus, destroyed. They were not ready. So sudden will Jesus’ coming be that two men will be in the field and one will be taken and the other left; or like two women grinding at the mill when one is taken and the other left (vv. 40, 41). This is why Jesus urges his disciples in verse 42 to stay awake because they do not know on what day he would come. They should be ready and prepared. They also should be vigilant—staying awake.
Verse 44 asserts the same: “Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” If you know what time a thief is going to break into your home, you would stay awake and not let it be broken into (vs. 43). Jesus has, therefore, a two–fold exhortation: stay awake and be ready. What should we be doing until Jesus comes? Jesus tells us in verses 45 through 51 that we should be working as his servants, but if we abuse this responsibility and privilege we shall be judged. The abuse of privilege corresponds to not being a servant. A true servant is awake and ready and working.
But let us return to our verse specifically. Verse 36 begins with a contrast. This is the little word “but.” What is Jesus contrasting? He is contrasting his judgment–coming in verses 4 through 35 with his Second Coming in verses 36 through 51. There are many indicators about this judgment–coming which prepare the disciples for when it occurs, but there is nothing to prepare the disciples for Jesus’ coming, except to be ready for when he does come. They cannot know the timing of it for not even the angels know. They must simple be awake and ready. Being awake and ready is best achieved by working as a servant in the absent master’s house until he comes back (vv. 45–51). Verse 36 then refers to “that day and hour.” This is a reference to theparousia (Second Coming) of Jesus, that Jesus already hinted at back in verse 27: “For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”
“That day” also makes us think about the “day of the Lord” in the Old Testament. Matthew sees this day as a day of judgment (Matt. 7:22; 10:15; 11:22, 24; 12:36). This day reaches it glorious climax in Matthew 25:31–34, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne as the king judging the nations. The word “that” is what we call a demonstrative pronoun, and in particular, a far demonstrative. If the events of verses 4–35 are near then by comparison that day is far off. This is very significant and yet it is remarkable that many Christians either don’t know it or ignore it. When Jesus says “that day and hour” he is not referring to the previous verses about the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple. He is referring to another day and hour.
The parable of the fig tree in Matthew 24:32 points out the nearness of Jesus’ coming in judgment upon Jerusalem. When you see tender leaves on the fig tree you know that summer is approaching. So when the disciples see all that Jesus said in verses 4–31 taking place, they should know that his judgment was soon to happen. Verse 33 affirms the parable: “So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates.” And the nearness of judgment by Jesus is strengthened by the fact that Jesus says his generation would not pass away until all those things had taken place. The phrase “this generation” uses the demonstrative for nearness; i.e. “this,” is always in the New Testament a reference to the generation alive at the time of speaking (see Matt. 23:36). So, “this generation” refers to the disciples and others who would be alive when Jerusalem would be destroyed, and “that day and hour” refers to Jesus coming at the end of history.
It is not global catastrophes or calamities that point to the nearness of Jesus’ return. No one knows the day or the hour. It is the reality of daily life—the daily grind—that points to the fact that Jesus is coming back. Today, everyone is looking for signs. The signs are already here: eating and drinking and giving in marriage. If you see these happening today, then know that Jesus could come today or tomorrow or in 20 years time. But you cannot know the day or the hour. If verses 4 through 35 provide ample warning of impending doom upon Jerusalem in such a way that you can get out of town or flee to the mountains (vs. 16), then these verses (vv. 36–51) imply the opposite. Humanity will be immersed in daily activities. You will take your children to school. You will get dressed for work. You might be getting married. Watching for Jesus’ return does not mean passivity. Jesus means that work and daily life continue, but what he urges upon us is that in the midst of those activities we should be ready and prepared for Jesus’ coming.
Under no circumstances does Jesus teach us in Matthew 24 that there will be a future destruction of Jerusalem or temple. He makes it abundantly clear through his particular use of language that there is a break in timing. The events of verses 4 through 35 belong together, but those events are contrasted to the event of his Second Coming. For Jesus and the disciples both of these events were future, but for us, one has already passed (A.D. 70) and the other is still to come. In the first section (vv. 4–35) Jesus prepares his disciples for the destruction to come in A.D. 70, but in the second section (vv. 36 ff.) his preparation consists of staying awake and being ready as we go about daily life. All those prognosticators who set dates to the coming of Jesus are foolish, wrong and they sin. Jesus says not even he knows the day or hour as the Son of Man. Due to the incarnation certain things are voluntarily hidden or laid aside. This is why he says things like: “the Father is greater than I” (John 14:28). As you go about your daily business, you should look for that blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior. It could be today or tomorrow. Jesus tells us to be awake, ready and working. Are you?