What is the meaning of "day and hour unknown"?

Question

Matthew 25:13 (NKJV) “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

This verse mentions only the day and the hour as unknown. Does this mean that bigger time frames like season, year, century are not included? Does day and hour also include seasons and years?

If only the day and the hour is not known, then, is there an implicit indication in this text indicating there might be some way of knowing the season, year, century, etc?

What is the exact meaning of this verse?

Answer 1

The OP asked: "What is the exact meaning of this verse?" In the TR and BMT/GMT texts, Matt. 25:13 reads:

γρηγορειτε ουν οτι ουκ οιδατε την ημεραν ουδε την ωραν εν η ο υιος του ανθρωπου ερχεται

A better rendering from the Greek into English might be: "Be accordingly vigilant because no man knows the day or time when the son of man comes." Nevertheless, the phrase translated into English as "when the son of man comes" isn't seen in either extant manuscript P35 or the possibly earlier (depending on whose date you use) codices א A B, repeats the last line of Matt. 24:44, and is apocryphal.

Extant P35 shows ΓΡΗΓΟ...IΟΥΝΟΤΙΟΥΚΟ...ΔΑ...Η...ΗΜΕΡΑΝ...ΑΝ and was reconstructed to read ΓΡΗΓΟΡΕΙΤΕΟΥΝΟΤΙΟΥΚΟΙΔΑΤΕΤΗΝΗΜΕΡΑΝΟΥΔΕΤΗΝΩΡΑΝ in א A B, and which appears as γρηγορειτε ουν οτι ουκ οιδατε την ημεραν ουδε την ωραν in N-A27. And it's the Greek words την ημεραν ουδε την ωραν which appear in the KJV as "the day nor the hour" (emp. added).

"Day" (ημεραν) is a form of ημερα and can correctly refer to:

- daylight hours between sunrise and sunset;
- a space of twenty-four (24) hours;
- the day of the Second Coming, whenever that might occur, and
- a nonspecific period of time; i.e., the days of our lives.

"Hour" (ωραν) is implied in the use of ημεραν and is alternately and correctly rendered into English as, inter alia, instant and season (cp. your preferred lexica).

"What is the exact meaning of this verse?" It depends on how one wants to read it.

Answer 2

Well sorda.

Act 1:6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? Act 1:7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

2Ti 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

Act 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

Jesus clearly told the disciples two things. They do not get to know the times greek chronos a general measurement of time or seasons greek kairos the set or appointed time. We do know that the church is in the last days of Earth according to Acts 2:17 and we know what this means for us because of 2 Timothy 3:1. So no we do not know the general time or specific time of the Lord's return and the establishment of the millennial Kingdom.

Luk 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Luk 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. Luk 17:22 And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.

The Kingdom of God was first established in the hearts of men spiritually with resurrection of Christ and the arrival of the Holy Spirit. Then later will be established on the earth as the millennial Kingdom.

Rev 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

2Pe 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

We know the Lord returns quickly but we know he measures his speed at a different rate than we do. He would say that it has only been two days since His ascension. Should he wait 12,000 more years it would only be 2 weeks for Him. If he waited 353,000 more years that would only be one year in God's time.

Also see this question on Christianity SE for references of groups which hold the idea that the Lord has already returned.

Answer 3

Luke 21:32 Jesus speaks giving a parallel of the end of the system of things. Mathew 24:3-14 In 70 CE the Jewish system came to a abrupt end when Cesrah Gallus led troops into Jerusalem and slaughtered the remaining Jews that failed to flee in 66CE when they saw the troop that came and retreated until 4 years later. This is what Jesus said that when you see the disgusting thing that causes desolation to flee.l to the mountains. It wasn't until 1914 when we saw a greater fulfillment of Jesus prophecy of the last days of this system of things or mankind rule before God's Kingdom is fully established. As Jesus said we must pray for God's Kingdom to come. God's kingdom is a government, a rulership with Subjects and rulership over them. During this time God's original purpose for mankind will be made known. Psalm 37:9,10 Revelation 21:3,4 Isaiah 9:6,7.

Answer 4

Jesus is quite clear that His return will be in the lifetimes of (some of) his audience:

Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.—Matthew 24:34 (ESV)

Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.—Mark 13:30 (ESV)

Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place.—Luke 21:32 (ESV)

This would seem to specify the first century AD.