Matthew 24:36 · Bible study
Matthew 24:36 Commentary: The Father Alone Knows the Day and Hour
Greek · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Jesus says only the Father knows the day of His return.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The precise time of Christ's return is known to God the Father alone, and believers are called to watchfulness, not date-setting.
- Key Words: 'Day' (hēmera) and 'hour' (hōra) together denote the exact moment; 'knows' (oiden) implies definitive, intimate knowledge.
- Main Debate: Whether 'that day' refers to the fall of Jerusalem (Gill) or the final judgment (most commentators); and whether 'nor the Son' is original to Matthew.
- Theological Theme: The hiddenness of God's timing humbles human pride, underscores Christ's true humanity, and fosters faithful readiness.
- Best Use: As a caution against speculative prophecy and as a call to live in constant, hopeful readiness for the Lord's return.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
WEB World English Bible 2000
“But no one knows of that day and hour, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
KJV King James Version 1769
But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
But of that day and hour knoweth no one, not even the angels of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`And concerning that day and the hour no one hath known--not even the messengers of the heavens--except my Father only;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of the heavens, but [my] Father alone.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
But of that day and hour no one knoweth: no, not the angels of heaven, but the Father alone.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Empero del|strong="G4012, G3588" día y hora nadie sabe, ni aun los ángeles de los cielos, sino|strong="G1487, G3361" mi Padre solo.
Porém daquele dia e hora, ninguém sabe, nem os anjos do céu, nem o Filho, a não ser meu Pai somente.
Pour ce qui est du jour et de l’ heure, personne ne le sait, ni les anges des cieux, ni le Fils, mais le Père seul.
Von dem Tage aber und von der Stunde weiß niemand, auch die Engel nicht im Himmel, sondern allein mein Vater.
Doch van dien dag en die ure weet niemand, ook niet de engelen der hemelen, dan Mijn Vader alleen.
Ma quant’è a quel giorno ed a quell’ora nessuno li sa, neppure gli angeli dei cieli, neppure il Figliuolo, ma il Padre solo.
A o onym dniu i godzinie nikt nie wie, ani Aniołowie niebiescy, tylko sam Ojciec mój.
О дне же том и часе никто не знает, ни Ангелы небесные, а только Отец Мой один;
「但 那 日子， 那時辰，沒有人 知道，連天上 的使者 也不知道，子 也不知道，惟 獨 父知道。
But of that day and hour no one has knowledge, not even the angels in heaven, or the Son, but the Father only.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Matthew 24:36
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this verse declares the precise timing of the Son of Man's coming to be known only to the Father. Barnes notes that while 'general signs' of its approach are given, 'the precise time' is not indicated. The Cambridge Bible marks a turn at this verse from the fall of Jerusalem to the Day of Judgment. Calvin sees Christ deliberately withholding the date to curb 'vain curiosity' and to keep believers in patient expectation. Clarke suggests that 'hour' (Greek hōra) may mean 'season,' referring to a broader period rather than a literal sixty minutes. The shared point across traditions: the exact time is hidden, and the disciples, and the church after them, are called to watchfulness, not calculation.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: High
Main views:
- Date of the fall of Jerusalem: Gill argues the discourse primarily concerns Jerusalem's destruction, and the precise day/hour was unknown to believers then, just as historians later disagree on the exact date.
- Final judgment (mainstream view): Most commentators see the immediate context (especially v. 37-44) moving to the final coming of the Son of Man, making this a permanent statement about the end of the age.
- Voluntary limitation of Christ's human knowledge: The orthodox Christian tradition holds that in his incarnation, Jesus did not fully access his divine omniscience, so he could genuinely not know the time, yet remained fully God.
- Arian or adoptionist denial of Christ's divinity: Some early heretics took the verse as proof that Christ was not omniscient and therefore not fully divine; this view was rejected by the ecumenical councils.
What is clear: The Father alone knows the specific time of the Son of Man's coming, and believers are called to live in readiness rather than speculation.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Reference of 'that day and hour' | It refers to a specific, decisive time linked to the Son of Man's coming. | Some (e.g., Gill) interpret it as the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70; most see it as the final judgment and the end of the age. |
| Inclusion of 'nor the Son' in Matthew | The parallel in Mark 13:32 includes the phrase, and many manuscripts of Matthew also include it. | The earliest manuscripts of Matthew (e.g., Codex Sinaiticus, Vaticanus) omit 'nor the Son.' Some argue it was added later from Mark; others see it as original, reflecting the same tradition. |
| Meaning of Jesus' ignorance | Jesus’ not-knowing is consistent with his genuine humanity, as he voluntarily limited the exercise of his divine attributes. | Orthodox Christianity has held that Christ, as God, is omniscient, but as man, he grew in knowledge and did not have independent access to the Father's secret timetable. Some early heretics used the verse to deny Christ's divinity, a view the church rejected. |
| Purpose of withholding the date | The hiddenness promotes watchfulness and curbs unhealthy curiosity about end-times speculation. | Calvin emphasizes patient hope; Wesley suggests the knowledge may have been later revealed to John; others stress that the verse permanently forbids any attempt to calculate the date. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Matthew 24:36 sits in the Olivet Discourse, Jesus' final extended teaching before his arrest. The disciples had asked about the end of the age and the sign of his coming (Matthew 24:3). In answer, Jesus describes wars, persecution, the abomination of desolation, and cosmic signs, all leading to the Son of Man's arrival 'with power and great glory' (v.30). But then he pivots sharply: the precise date belongs to the Father alone.
Jewish apocalyptic tradition often used the phrase 'that day' to refer to the Day of the Lord, a time of judgment and salvation known only to God (cf. Zechariah 14:7). The disciples, shaped by that tradition, would have understood that some mysteries remain with God. Yet Jesus' frank admission that even he, as Son, does not know the time was startling. It reinforced what other passages teach (Acts 1:7): the Father has set the times by his own authority, and they are not for human speculation.
The surrounding context also uses Noah's flood to illustrate sudden, unexpected judgment (Matthew 24:37-39). The point is not to predict but to be ready. Jesus' warning echoes through the rest of the chapter and into chapter 25: watch, be prepared, and serve faithfully. The historical setting, a small band of followers expecting an imminent kingdom, makes Jesus' restraint remarkable. He does not feed their curiosity. He redirects their energy to faithful living.
Textual Notes
The most significant textual variant in Matthew 24:36 is the inclusion or omission of the phrase 'neither the Son' (οὐδὲ ὁ υἱός). Early and authoritative Greek manuscripts are divided: Codex Sinaiticus (א) and Codex Vaticanus (B) omit it, while Codex Bezae (D) and the majority of later manuscripts include it, harmonizing with Mark 13:32. The English translations reflect this split: the WEB and KJV follow the shorter reading; the ASV, BSB, and YLT follow the longer. External evidence slightly favors the shorter reading as original, but the longer reading is early and widespread. Either way, the teaching that the Son does not share this knowledge (in his incarnate state) is clearly affirmed by Mark's parallel and by the consistent theme of the Father's sole authority over the times (Acts 1:7).
Reception History
From the early church, Matthew 24:36 has been a touchstone in Christological debates. Arians and other adoptionists used it to argue that Christ was a lesser being, not fully God. The orthodox response, articulated by Athanasius, Cyril of Alexandria, and later Calvin, distinguished between Christ's divine nature, which knows all things, and his voluntary human limitation. In the monastic tradition, the verse reinforced the call to perpetual watchfulness and prayer. During the Reformation, it was cited to oppose date-setting and to encourage sober, faithful living. More recently, it has been a key text in discussions of ‘kenotic’ Christology, where Christ's self-emptying (Philippians 2:7) includes a real, though voluntary, ignorance of the end. Across centuries, the verse has consistently reminded the church that the Father's secret is an invitation to trust, not a puzzle to solve.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- The Father's Sole Knowledge, Only God the Father knows the day and hour. This truth humbles our curiosity and sets a boundary around speculation.
- The Son's Voluntary Limitation, Jesus, in his incarnation, embraced not-knowing as part of his full humanity. This does not diminish his deity but reveals the depth of his identification with us.
- The Call to Persistent Readiness, Since the time is unknown, the only wise response is constant watchfulness and faithful service.
Five-Point Outline
- The precise timing of Christ's return is known only to the Father (v. 36).
- This ignorance extends to the angels in heaven and, in some manuscripts, to the Son himself.
- The ignorance is not a flaw but a feature of the incarnation, Christ set aside the independent exercise of certain divine attributes.
- Biblical teaching consistently warns against date-setting (Acts 1:7; Matthew 24:42-44).
- The proper response is not calculation but readiness: watch, serve, and live holy lives.
Illustration Hooks
- Waiting for test results: You know the exam is over and the results will come, but the exact date feels uncertain. The waiting changes how you live each day.
- A surprise party: The host knows the guest will arrive, but the guest does not know when. The anticipation shapes preparation.
- Farmers and planting: They cannot control the frost date. They watch the signs and prepare accordingly, not knowing the exact day.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- If Jesus is God, how can he not know something? Doesn't omniscience mean he knows everything?
- Why does God hide the date? Wouldn't it be easier to be ready if we knew exactly when?
- How does this verse help us when we see others claiming to know the end times timeline?
Leading a Discussion
This verse sits at a critical turning point in Jesus' teaching. After giving signs of his coming, he firmly closes the door on date-setting. The disciples needed this boundary, and so do we. In your group, read Matthew 24:32-44 together, then work through the questions below.
Discussion Questions
- What does Jesus' statement in verse 36 tell us about his own awareness of the future? How does that shape your understanding of his humanity and divinity?
- Why do you think Jesus included the angels in his list of those who do not know? What does that add to the force of his statement?
- How does the context of Noah and the flood (verses 37-39) illustrate the nature of the coming judgment? What parallels does Jesus draw?
- What do the following verses teach about the timing of Christ's return: Matthew 24:42-44, Acts 1:7, 1 Thessalonians 5:2, 2 Peter 3:10?
- How has the church sometimes ignored this verse by setting dates or claiming special knowledge? What harm does that cause?
- If the exact day is unknown, what kind of life does Jesus call us to live? Be specific from the passage.
- How can this verse bring comfort rather than anxiety? What would it look like to trust the Father's secret knowledge while living faithfully in the present?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Zechariah 14:7 | It will be a unique day which is known to Yahweh—not day, and not night; but it will come to pass that at evening time there will be light. |
| Matthew 24:42 | Watch therefore, for you don’t know in what hour your Lord comes. |
| Matthew 24:44 | Therefore also be ready, for in an hour that you don’t expect, the Son of Man will come. |
| Matthew 25:13 | Watch therefore, for you don’t know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. |
| Mark 13:32 | “But of that day or that hour no one knows—not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. |
| Acts 1:7 | He said to them, “It isn’t for you to know times or seasons which the Father has set within his own authority. |
| I Thessalonians 5:2 | For you yourselves know well that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night. |
| II Peter 3:10 | But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fervent heat; and the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke argues that the Greek word often translated "hour" in this context actually means "season," as supported by many eminent critics. This reading explains why Jesus told his disciples to pray that their flight would not occur in winter, since the season of Jerusalem's coming distress was unknown to them.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes draws a sharp line between the general signs that signal Christ's coming is near and the precise time itself. The signs, like the fig tree's buds, show the season is close, but the exact day and hour remain deliberately unrevealed, unknown even to the angels.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin argues that Christ deliberately kept the day of his return hidden to discipline believers' restless curiosity and impatience for triumph. We should accept our ignorance as a virtue, since even angels do not know, and Christ himself willingly endured that same limitation for our sake.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes stress that knowledge of the final day belongs exclusively to God the Father. Even the angels in heaven are denied this information, making the Father's sole knowledge absolute and beyond any created being.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill insists this verse does not refer to Christ's second coming but to the coming destruction of Jerusalem. He supports this by noting that even Jewish sources show disagreement on the exact date, and he draws on rabbinic tradition that God concealed the precise time even from the ministering angels.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange reads this chapter as three prophetic cycles, each depicting the whole future but drawing nearer to the final catastrophe. He insists the destruction of Jerusalem is only the beginning of judgment, not the end of the world itself, and that the cycles prevent confusing these distinct events.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry stresses that Christ's own words are more certain than heaven and earth themselves. While the exact time of his coming is hidden from all but the Father, the signs he gave should move believers to constant readiness, not idle speculation.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that when Jesus said no one knows the day of judgment, this was true during his earthly ministry. But Wesley adds that the knowledge could have been revealed later to John in the book of Revelation, without contradicting Jesus' original statement.