My response(Aug 21) to Rick’s response(Aug 20) to Michael’s remarks(Aug 19)about irony.
Did you follow that? If so, then try this…
If the “But” in Matt 24:36 indicates something other than what Michael states about “the day and the hour”, then why doesn’t the “But” in Matt 24:37 indicate something other than what Rick states about “the day and the hour”, and support Michael ironically after all.
Okay, enough fooling around. The question at hand is what does Matt 24:36 refer to:
1) The day and the hour of the coming Son of Man
2) The day and the hour the Heaven and earth shall pass away
3) Or something else?
Look at Matt 24:35-37 for a moment:
v.35”Heaven and earth shall pass away…”
v.36”But of that day and hour knoweth no man…“
v.37”But as in the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be”
Rick states that v.36 refers to v.35 events because of the “But” in the beginning of v.36.
But don’t stop reading! Verse 37 also begins with a “But”. Using the same logic, it would only be fair to say then that the events in v.37 are connected to the statement in v.36.
Putting the buts aside though, If you read the entire chapter the theme becomes evident:
In the whole 24th chapter of Matthew there are 51 verses.
27 verses (v. 4, 5, 23-28, 30-33, 37-51) unarguably refer to the coming Son of Man.
17 verses (v. 6-22) describe persecution and tribulation.
3 verses (v. 1-3) are introduction, with v.3 concluding with“…what shall be the sign of your coming and the end of the world?”
1 verse is Rick’s favorite(v.35). 2 other verses he may also connect with(v. 29 & 34).
1 verse (v.36) is the only place “that day and hour knoweth no man” is not coupled with the coming Son of Man in the same sentence. Verses 42, 44, & 58 specifically use the phrase about an unknown hour connected with the Lord’s coming.
Watch ye therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. Matt 24:42
Shalom to all of you,
Matthew