Christ Teaches About the End-Times, Part 4.

​Matthew 24:36-44.
“That day and hour” =
Which day and hour? Everything in 24:15-31? Or specifically 24:29-31?
“Nor the Son” = Does this little phrase undermine Christ’s deity?

1. The phrase is in two of the oldest NT manuscripts, supported by many others, and quoted by many ancient Christian writers. Its authenticity is solid.
2. It can’t undermine His deity since He calls Himself God’s Son.  Jn. 10:29-33.
3. This gets us into the mystery of the hypostatic union.[1]
   1. E.g., Jesus’ divine nature was omnipresent but His human nature was not. His human nature could get tired, but His divine nature could not.
   2. He also subordinated the exercise of His divine attributes to the Father, when He became a man (John 5:19).
   3. Jesus, being fully man, didn’t know.

24:37-44 -- His “coming.” Parousia.

• Christ says there is an analogy between Noah and this coming.
  • Normal human social activities will be on-going. 24:38.  
  • Noah enters the ark = Christ will gather believers to safety.
  • The flood = the outpouring of God’s wrath upon the world.
  • It’s interesting that God inserted a seven-day period. Genesis 7:6-10. This is an interesting parallel to a pre-tribulation rapture.

• Christ introduces a new idea – an unknowable return for disciples only.
  •  There is a visible coming that can be known, to the day (Rev. 11:2-3, 12:6), and will be seen by the whole world.
  • But Christ begins prophesying a coming that cannot be foreseen, not even by believers (24:42, 44, 25:13; Mark 13:33-35).

Paul said the rapture of believers was a mystery, a previously hidden doctrine newly revealed by the Holy Spirit through Christ or the apostles (1 Cor. 15:51). So, there is nothing said about it anywhere in the OT


[1] Hypostatic Union is the union of the two natures (Divine and human) in the person of Jesus.