Mark 13:32

Be Ready!

13:32 “But as for that day or hour no one knows it – neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son ¹  – except the Father.

Acts 1:7

1:7 He told them, “You are not permitted to know ²  the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.

Acts 17:31

17:31 because he has set ³  a day on which he is going to judge the world ⁴  in righteousness, by a man whom he designated, ⁵  having provided proof to everyone by raising ⁶  him from the dead.”

[13:32]  ¹ sn The phrase nor the Son has caused a great deal of theological debate because on the surface it appears to conflict with the concept of Jesus’ deity. The straightforward meaning of the text is that the Son does not know the time of his return. If Jesus were divine, though, wouldn’t he know this information? There are other passages which similarly indicate that Jesus did not know certain things. For example, Luke 2:52 indicates that Jesus grew in wisdom; this has to mean that Jesus did not know everything all the time but learned as he grew. So Mark 13:32 is not alone in implying that Jesus did not know certain things. The best option for understanding Mark 13:32 and similar passages is to hold the two concepts in tension: The Son in his earthly life and ministry had limited knowledge of certain things, yet he was still deity.

[1:7]  ² tn Grk “It is not for you to know.”

[17:31]  ³ tn Or “fixed.”

[17:31]  ⁴ sn The world refers to the whole inhabited earth.

[17:31]  ⁵ tn Or “appointed.” BDAG 723 s.v. ὁρίζω 2.b has “of persons appoint, designate, declare: God judges the world ἐν ἀνδρὶ ᾧ ὥρισεν through a man whom he has appointed Ac 17:31.”

[17:31]  ⁶ tn The participle ἀναστήσας (anasthsa") indicates means here.