Acts 1:7
He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus isn't just telling them it's not their job; he's highlighting that "times or seasons" (both periods of time and fitting opportunities) are the Father's personal authority, a sacred reserve kept solely for Himself. This implies that God's timing isn't just about dates on a calendar, but about His own perfect wisdom and plan unfolding in His unique way.
The disciples have just asked Jesus if now is the time He will restore the kingdom to Israel, and He redirects their focus from specific timelines to the Holy Spirit's power. Jesus gently tells them that the exact timing and seasons for God's future plans are exclusively known by the Father, not something for them to figure out. He emphasizes that this knowledge is God's alone to determine and reveal as He sees fit, not for human speculation.
Ever wondered when Jesus is really coming back, or when that big breakthrough will happen in your life? The disciples were asking similar questions.
Jesus' response here isn't a harsh dismissal, but a gentle redirection. He's teaching them that some knowledge isn't meant for us.
The Father's Authority
God, the Father, holds the ultimate control over the timing of events. The words 'times' (chronous) and 'seasons' (kairous) suggest not just general periods but specific, opportune moments. God alone knows the perfect timing for His plans.
A Kindly Repulse
Jesus calls this knowledge 'not for you to know.' This isn't to punish their curiosity, but to guide them. Their focus needed to shift from when God's kingdom would be fully restored to how they were to live and work in the present, empowered by the Spirit.
The disciples were looking ahead, eager for the restoration of Israel. But Jesus wanted to redirect their energy to the task at hand.
Jesus' correction isn't just about what we don't know, but about what we should be doing.
Shifting from Speculation to Service
By telling them it's not their business to know the exact times and seasons, Jesus steers them away from endless speculation. Their primary commission wasn't to be calendar keepers of God's future plans, but to be witnesses and messengers of His present work.
The Spirit's Role
He had just promised them the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). This divine power was given not to reveal future dates, but to equip them for their immediate mission: spreading the Gospel from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. Our calling is to be faithful in the present, trusting God with the future.
Understand the original words
chronous ē kairous · Greek Noun
Specific points or intervals in divine history, emphasizing God's sovereign control over the unfolding of His redemptive plan.
exousia · Greek Noun
The absolute, supreme power and right to command and control, belonging inherently to God the Father in the orchestration of history.
This teaching highlights Jesus' consistent approach of redirecting His followers from speculative curiosity about the future to the present reality of their divine calling and the Father's sovereign plan.
c. 30-33 AD— this verse
Jesus' Ascension
After His resurrection, Jesus spent 40 days with His disciples, teaching them about the Kingdom of God before ascending into heaven.
c. 30-33 AD
Pentecost Approaches
The disciples were anticipating the promised coming of the Holy Spirit, which Jesus had linked to His departure and the establishment of His Kingdom.
c. 30-33 AD
The Great Commission
Jesus had instructed His disciples to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth, emphasizing their mission over precise timelines.
c. 30-33 AD
Divine Authority Respected
Jesus gently redirects His disciples' focus from the Father's exclusive authority over future events to their immediate task of spreading the Gospel.
This passage directly echoes Jesus' words here, stating that only the Father knows the day and hour of His return, emphasizing the divine reserve over human speculation.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-2Paul writes about the 'times and seasons' in relation to the Day of the Lord, reinforcing that it will come unexpectedly like a thief, just as Jesus implies here that such knowledge is not for believers to possess.
John 21:21-22Similar to Peter's curiosity about John's fate, Jesus redirects His disciples' focus from knowing future details to their immediate calling and obedience, mirroring the sentiment in Acts 1:7.
Daniel 9:2Daniel's understanding of God's prophetic timeline, based on Jeremiah's prophecy, shows a careful study of revealed times, contrasting with the disciples' premature desire to know God's hidden 'times and seasons'.
vincentActs 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."
The times - the seasons (χρόνους - καιροὺς)Rev. properly omits the article. The former of these words, time absolutely, without regard to circumstances; the latter, definite periods, with the idea of fitness.His own (τῇ ἰδίᾳ)Stronger than the simple possessive pronoun. The adjective means private, personal. Often used adverbially in the phrase κατ' ἰδίαν, a…
bengelActs 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."
Acts 1:7 . Οὐκ ὑμῶν ἐστιν , not for you is it ) He does not say, “It is not for you;” but “not for you (not your part) is it;” in order that the emphasis may be on the ὑμῶν [Engl. Vers. loses this point]. Comp. by all means John 4:38 , οὐχ ὑμεῖς ,— ἄλλοι , not ye—others have ; and “ not unto thee (it appertained), but to the priests,” 2 Chronicles 26:18 ; and οὐχ ἡμ…
Jesus isn't just telling them it's not their job; he's highlighting that "times or seasons" (both periods of time and fitting opportunities) are the Father's personal authority, a sacred reserve kept solely for Himself. This implies that God's timing isn't just about dates on a calendar, but about His own perfect wisdom and plan unfolding in His unique way.
The disciples have just asked Jesus if now is the time He will restore the kingdom to Israel, and He redirects their focus from specific timelines to the Holy Spirit's power. Jesus gently tells them that the exact timing and seasons for God's future plans are exclusively known by the Father, not something for them to figure out. He emphasizes that this knowledge is God's alone to determine and reveal as He sees fit, not for human speculation.
The disciples have just asked Jesus if now is the time He will restore the kingdom to Israel, and He redirects their focus from specific timelines to the Holy Spirit's power. Jesus gently tells them that the exact timing and seasons for God's future plans are exclusively known by the Father, not something for them to figure out. He emphasizes that this knowledge is God's alone to determine and reveal as He sees fit, not for human speculation.
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"He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority." — Jesus isn't just telling them it's not their job; he's highlighting that "times or seasons" (both periods of time and fitting opportunities) are the Father's personal authority, a sacred reserve ke…
