Mark 13:32Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

To prevent the disciples from becoming overly inquisitive about the final day and hour, the Lord declares that neither the angels nor the Son possess this knowledge. Had He stated, “I know, but will not share it with you,” it would have caused them sorrow. Instead, by asserting that neither the angels nor Himself are aware, He demonstrates profound wisdom, effectively staving off their desire for information and their incessant questioning. This can be illustrated through an analogy. Young children, upon spotting something in their fathers' hands, often request it, and when their fathers decline, they may resort to tears. In such situations, fathers typically conceal the object and reveal empty hands, thus preventing the children from crying.

In accordance with the likeness of God (cf. Phil. 2:6), all that belongs to the Father is also possessed by Him: "And all things are mine, and thine are mine" (Jn. 17:10). Reflecting the likeness of a servant (cf. Phil. 2:7), His teachings are not His own but belong to the One who sent Him. It is stated, "Of that day and hour knoweth no man, neither the angels of heaven, but my Father alone" (cf. Matt. 24:36). His lack of knowledge does not mean that others are incapable of knowing; rather, He did not reveal this information to His disciples at that moment. A similar situation is described in God's words to Abraham: "For now I know that thou fearest God" (Gen. 22:1-14). This indicates that God made it possible for Abraham to understand himself through that experience.

No one is aware of the final day or hour, not even the Son Himself, but solely the Father (cf. Mt 24:36). How can it be that Wisdom, the Creator of all ages, the Alpha and Omega, the Source of all things, who understands the thoughts of God as intimately as He understands the essence of humanity? (Cf. 1 Cor. 2:11) What greater knowledge exists than this? How can He possess certainty about all that will occur before that hour, including events mere moments away from the end, yet remain unaware of the hour itself? It resembles a conundrum: akin to claiming one knows precisely what lies before the wall while being oblivious to the wall itself, or that one is aware of the day’s conclusion while lacking knowledge of the night’s commencement.

When the disciples inquired about the end times, Jesus' statement regarding the Son’s lack of knowledge concerning the day and hour (cf. Matt. 24:36) should be interpreted as reflecting His human experience. This illustrates that, as a man, He is unaware, for such ignorance is a characteristic of humanity. However, since He is also the Word, the Coming One, the Judge, and the Bridegroom, He possesses knowledge of when and at what hour He will return. Just as He, having taken on human form, experiences hunger, thirst, and suffering alongside humanity (cf. Matt. 4:2; Mk. 8:31; Lk. 24:46; Jn. 19:28), He is rendered unknowable in His humanity. Yet, in His divine nature, as the Word and Wisdom of the Father, He is fully aware and lacks knowledge of nothing.

If someone is searching for an explanation as to why the Lord indicated that only the Father, who shares a profound unity with the Son in every aspect, knows the day and hour of judgment, they will discover that the most fitting, appropriate, and secure rationale is that we ought to learn from Him, for the Lord stands as the sole authentic Teacher, with the Father being supreme over all creation. As it is stated, "the Father is greater than I" (John 14:28). The Lord attributed the highest knowledge to the Father so that we, shaped by the concerns of this world, might yield to God’s complete understanding and questions of such nature, and in our pursuit of comprehending the majestic essence of the Father, we might avoid the peril of questioning if there exists another God above Him.

The Lord Jesus, while capable of performing all miracles, chose to carry out only those that aligned with His purpose. Similarly, He refrained from imparting every piece of knowledge He possessed. Instead, He tailored His teachings to match the limitations of our human condition, sharing only what we were able to comprehend. Consequently, He tells His disciples, who had not yet reached full understanding, that “ye know not the days” (Mark 13:32).

In the same way that we can describe a day as joyful, even if it does not possess joy inherently but brings us happiness, the all-powerful Son indicates that He is unaware of that particular day, thereby rendering us ignorant. This does not imply that He Himself lacks knowledge, but rather that He withholds it from us. As it is stated, "only the Father knows of it." However, the Son, who shares the same divine essence as the Father—a nature that exceeds that of the angels—does possess knowledge of what remains concealed from the angels. Therefore, we can deduce that the Incarnate Only-begotten God, who became fully human by assuming our nature, was indeed aware of the day and hour of judgment, though this knowledge did not pertain to the very human nature He embraced.

In stating, ‘But of that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father,’ he expressed this due to his human nature, which involved a form of voluntary self-lowering, as well as the design of divine purposes, recognizing that it is futile to disclose to humanity the timing of the final judgment.

The assertion aligns closely with Matthew’s account in 24:26-36, particularly regarding the phrase “Neither the Son.” If He had indicated knowledge but chose not to share it, it would have caused distress among them. However, by stating that neither the angels nor He possesses knowledge, He wisely prevents them from being overly curious or pressuring Him for answers. This concept can be illustrated with a simple analogy. Young children, upon noticing something in their father's hands, often plead for it. If the fathers choose not to give it, the children may become upset. Therefore, fathers commonly conceal the object, displaying empty hands to deter their children's tears.