Acts 1:7

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, apart, privately. See Matthew 17:1; Matthew 24:3.

Our Saviour blames their curiosity about such things as are not necessary to be known; and yet though our Saviour does not in his answer tell them what they desired to know, he tells them what is more expedient for them to know. The petition of wicked men, nay, of devils, (as when they crave to go into the swine), is sometimes granted according to their will. But the prayer of the disciples of Christ is answered to their best advantage, though it does not seem to agree to the matter of their desire. It is not for you to know the times or the seasons; how long any mercy shall be deferred; when it shall be given. The Father; who is fons et origo Deitatis; to whom Christ, especially as Mediator, and in our stead, refers all things.

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 ἡμῖν καὶ ὑμῖν , “ Not to us and to you belongeth the office of building,” etc., Ezra 4:3 . It is a kindly repulse, and an impressive description of the Divine Reserve ; and yet its aim is not to censure but to teach. He does not say, It is not part of your right and office to ask ; but He says, Not yours is it to know . The Father has not ordered that this should he in your power, but has reserved it to His own power, that He should Himself know and do. Comp. Matthew 24:36 , “Of that day and hour knoweth no man; no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” Not yours is it, saith He; from which it is not a legitimate inference, that it will not be the privilege even of others hereafter.

The Revelation of the Divine economy has its successive steps: 1 Peter 1:12 , “Unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves, but unto us , they did minister the things which are now reported,” etc.; Matthew 11:11 ; Revelation 1:1 .— χρόνους ἢ καιροὺς , the intervals (periods) or times [“the times or the seasons”]) The question of the disciples is corrected, and the general term, χρόνῳ , “at this interval ” (period), is determined by another term being added, χρόνους ἢ καιροὺς , the intervals (periods) or times , as we have elsewhere shown. Let it be generally observed in this place, that something longer is meant by χρόνον than by καιρόν : ch. Acts 7:17 ; Acts 7:20 , “As the time ( ὁ χρόνος ) of the promise drew nigh,” “In which season ( καιρῷ ) Moses was born.” Justus Jonas writes, “It is enough that you know from the Scriptures that it is about to come to pass that all things shall be restored; but when this is about to be, belongs to GOD.”— οὓς , which ) To pry into the times reserved to GOD, is the part of mere curiosity: not to concern one’s self about what has been revealed, is the part of a petty or a drowsy mind: Daniel 9:2 ; 1 Peter 1:11 , “ Searching what, or what manner of time , the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify;” Revelation 13:18 . The things which did not as yet belong to the apostles to know, were afterwards signified by the Apocalypse.

Verse 7. - Times or seasons for the times or the seasons , A.V.; set within his own authority for put in his own power , A.V. It is not for you to know , etc. The time of the end is always spoken of as hidden (so Matthew 24:36 ; Mark 13:32 ; 1 Thessalonians 5:1, 2 ; 2 Peter 3:10 , etc.). Times or season . Times with reference to duration, seasons with reference to fitness or opportunity. Which the Father . The distinctive use of the word "Father" here agrees with our Lord's saying in Mark 13:32 , "Neither the Son, but the Father." Hath set within his own authority ( ἐξουσίᾳ ) . Hath reserved under his own authority ('Speaker's Commentary'); "Has established by means of his own plenitude of power" (Meyer); "Hath put or kept in his own power (A.V., and so Afford). This last seems the best. Acts 1:7

7 . It is not for you , &c.] During the tutelage, as it may be called, of His disciples, our Lord constantly avoided giving a direct answer to enquiries which they addressed to Him. He checked in this way their tendency to speculate on the future, and drew their minds to their duty in the present. Cp. John 21:21-22 . in his own power ] The word here rendered power is not the same as that so rendered in the following verse. The sense of this first word is “absolute disposal,” and we might well render it authority .

f Acts 1:7 f. Jesus refuses to answer the question of the disciples; not indeed in respect of the matter itself involved, but in respect of the time inquired after, as not beseeming them (observe the emphatic οὐχ ὑμῶν ); and on the contrary ( ἀλλά ) He turns their thoughts, and guides their interest to their future official equipment and destination, which alone they were now to lay to heart. Chrysostom aptly says: διδασκάλου τοῦτό ἐστι μὴ ἃ βούλεται ὁ μαθητὴς , ἀλλʼ ἃ συμΦέρει μαθεῖν , διδάσκειν . χρόνους ἣ καιρούς ] times or , in order to denote the idea still more definitely, seasons . καιρός is not equivalent to χρόνος , but denotes a definite marked off portion of time with the idea of fitness . See Thom. Mag. p. 489 f.; Tittm. Synon. N. T. p. 41. On ἤ , which is not equivalent to καί , comp. here Dem. Ol. 3 : τίνα γὰρ χρόνον ἢ τίνα καιρὸν τοῦ παρόντος βελτίω ζητεῖτε ; ἔθετο ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ ] has established by means of His own plenitude of power . On ἐν , comp. Matthew 21:23 . The whole declaration ( Acts 1:7 ) is a general proposition , the application of which to the question put by the disciples is left to them; therefore only in respect of this application is an ad hanc rem perficiendam to be mentally supplied with ἔθετο .

Bengel, however, well observes: “gravis descriptio reservati divini;” and “ergo res ipsa firma est, alias nullum ejus rei tempus esset.” But this res ipsa was, in the view of Jesus (which, however, we have no right to put into the question of the disciples , in opposition to Hofmann, Schriftbew . II. 2, p. 647), the restoration of the kingdom, not for the natural, but for the spiritual Israel, comprehending also the believing Gentiles ( Romans 4:9 ), for the Ἰσραὴλ τοῦ Θεοῦ ( Galatians 6:16 ); see Matthew 8:11 ; John 10:16 ; John 10:26 ; John 8:42 ff. al. ; and already Matthew 3:9 . δύναμιν ἐπελθ . τοῦ ἁγ . πν . ἐφ ̓ ὑμᾶς ] power, when the Holy Spirit has (shall have) come upon you , Winer, p. 119 [E. T. 156]. μάρτυρες ] namely, of my teaching, actions, and life, what ye all have yourselves heard and seen, Acts 5:21 f., Acts 10:39 ff.; Luke 24:48 ; John 15:27 . ἔν τε Ἱερουσαλ .… τῆς γῆς ] denotes the sphere of the apostles’ work in its commencement and progress, up to its most general diffusion; therefore τῆς γῆς is not to be explained of the land , but of the earth ; and, indeed, it is to be observed that Jesus delineates for the apostles their sphere ideally . Comp. Acts 13:47 ; Isaiah 8:9 ; Romans 10:18 ; Colossians 1:23 ; Mark 16:15 .

(7) It is not for you to know the times or the seasons. —The combination of the two words is characteristic of St. Luke and St. Paul ( 1Thessalonians 5:1 ). The answer to the eager question touches the season rather than the nature of the fulfilment of their hopes. They are left to the teaching of the Spirit and of Time to remould and purify their expectations of the restoration of Israel. What was needed now was the patience that waits for and accepts that teaching. Which the Father hath put in his own power.—Better, as free from the ambiguity which attaches to the present version, which the Father appointed by His own authority.