But of the times and the seasons, brethren
Of the coming of Christ, his "appointed time" and "his day", as
the Ethiopic version renders it; of the resurrection of the dead
in Christ first, and of the rapture of all the saints in the
clouds to meet the Lord in the air, things treated of in the
preceding chapter: and which might excite a curiosity to know the
times and seasons of them; as in what year they would come to
pass; in what season of the year, whether winter or summer; in
what month, and on what day of the month; and whether in the
night season, or in the daytime; and in what hour, whether at
midnight, cockcrowing, morning, or noonday: to repress which the
apostle observes,
ye have no need that I write unto you;
to write to them concerning the things themselves was necessary
and useful, to stir up and encourage their faith, hope, and
expectation of them; to allay their grief for departed friends,
and to comfort one another under the various trials and exercises
of life; but to write to them about the time of these things
would be trifling and unnecessary, would be an idle speculation,
and an indulging a vain curiosity; and, besides, was
impracticable: for of that day and hour knows no man; the times
and seasons the Father hath put in his own power; for these
things are equally true of Christ's second coming, as of the
kingdom of Christ coming with power and glory, and of the
destruction of Jerusalem, ( Matthew
24:36 ) ( Acts 1:6 Acts 1:7 ) . The Vulgate
Latin and Arabic versions read, "ye have no need that we write
unto you"; the reason follows;