Did Jesus Know?

It’s erroneous to say the incarnate Jesus Christ didn’t know the time of His return. That’s not what Matthew 24:36 and Mark 13:32 were teaching [Click on the highlights to read the passage] because that is borderline, if not already is, Kenosis theory. Such understanding runs opposite to the purpose (John 20:30-31) and opening statements (John 1:1-3, 14-18) of John’s Gospel.

“Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.” (John 20:30-31)

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him [the Word], and without Him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:1-3)

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about Him, and cried out, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because He was before me.’”) For from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, He has made Him [Jesus Christ] known.” (John 1:14-18)

As to what Matthew and Mark were referring to “the day or that hour that was known only to the Father”? Did Jesus not say, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30)? So the incarnate Christ Jesus must know.

Here is a clue for Christ Jesus’ declaration in both Matthew 24:36 & Mark 13:32. Always take note of His Word. Jesus Christ said:

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” (Matthew 5:17-18)

Incidentally, both Matthew 24:36 and Mark 13:32 were preceded by the phrase “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.” Isn’t that precisely what Jesus Christ declared in Matthew 5:18? [Again, click on the highlights to read and see] Jesus Christ came not only to fulfill the OT law but all prophecies as well.

“Then He [Jesus Christ] said to them, “These are My words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”” (Luke 24:44)

Let Scripture explain Scripture. But to learn that discipline, we must first unlearn traditions that are not supported by Scripture. Once again, keep in mind Christ’s teachings: “It is only by hearing His Word and after we have understood it that we may become good soil.”

“As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”(Matthew 13:23)

So here is my final clue. Christ Jesus in both Matthew 24:36 and Mark 13:32 was quoting an OT prophecy, and declaring the certainty of its fulfillment in the generation of Jews He was speaking to. Click on the highlighted link to see. Always respect the context. In both passages, from the context, Jesus Christ was teaching and asserting the certainty of things He declared to occur within the generation of His disciples.

The grave error of today’s readers of the Scripture is that instead of applying the Scripture to its contextual audience—of course unless specified otherwise by the Scripture—they read the Scripture always like it applies to current events. For millennia, that’s been the erroneous habit of Christian readers of the Scripture. So in every century, perhaps as short as decades, there is a sensational declaration that Jesus Christ is coming soon.

Didn’t Jesus Christ promise the apostle John He was coming soon? Twice at the beginning of Revelation (Rev 1:1; 3:11), and thrice at the end (Rev 22:7; 22:12 ; 22:20).

“Soon” to us can never be “soon” to John. Similarly, if it’s soon to John, then it’s definitely not soon to us. Unless you have a different vocabulary for “soon”.

Peter, in the words of Acts 3:6, declared, “I possess neither silver nor gold, but in the name of Jesus Christ, I offer you what I have.” Share freely, for you freely receive. Stay updated by heading to our about page and subscribe directly to receive notifications in your inbox. Blessing!