Still others
who fear his coming and who do not desire to see him say: 'No one can
possibly know the time. Why, therefore, should one spend his time in
discussing the question?'
[388]The last-named class, in support of their contention, cite the
words of Jesus when he said: "But of that day and hour knoweth no man,
no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only". (Matthew 24:36) It is
assumed because he used these words that no one would ever know except
Jehovah. We should remember that Jesus spoke those words while he was
yet a man on the earth. He had not been glorified then. He did not say
that no one would ever know of the hour or the day of his coming. If we
conclude from these words that no man would ever know, we might as well
conclude that Jesus would never know, because he said at that time that
only the Father knew. Paraphrasing his words we note he said this: 'The
day of my coming no one now knows except my Father. Neither man nor
angel knows anything about it; nor do I even know,' At the same time,
his words implied that conditions would change, so that others would
know, because he said: "Watch therefore: for ye know not the hour your
Lord doth come". (Matthew 24:42) Why watch unless they would know when
the time would arrive? When Jesus arose from the dead he said: "All
power is given unto me in heaven and in earth".
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