Apologetics: How to Respond to the Muslim or Skeptic
At face value, it does seem like Jesus is saying that he does not know something, i.e. the precise day and time of the day of judgement and/or his return. It is the only such verse in the gospels with the only such statement of Jesus. But read the whole chapter. It's Jesus's famous Olivet Discourse, his eschatalogical sermon about some pretty scary future events. In it he tells his immediate audience, and us, what will occur.
- first, universal proclamation of the gospel
- followed by false Christs/false prophets
- widespread deception and falling away
- wars, earthquakes, famines, death
- global tribulation, betrayals, hatred
- universal darkening of the skies
- the "abomination of desolation"
- the 2nd coming of Christ
- divine judgment
The main thing to observe is that Jesus knows a lot here. He knows what is going to happen and He is making it known. He is predicting the future. So the one verse in which Jesus says he does not know something is in the context of a whole lot that He clearly does know! Now, the OT prophets did that too, like Joel, and Daniel, and Isaiah. So how is Jesus's prophecy different from theirs? It's different in that Jesus was the main figure of his own prophecies! The culmination of all these global calamities is his very own return for judgment! Revisit these verses:
[27] "For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man."
[30] "...and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." (see also vv. 37, 39, 42, 44, and vv. 31-33 of the next chapter–25)
Not only this, but Jesus will even be the dispatcher of God's heavenly angels.
[31] "And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."
...Yes, Jesus commands the angels! (This can also be seen in Matt. 13:41, 26:53, John 1:51, and Rev. 1:1.)
Finally, the next chapter (25) is also part of this great sermon, the Olivet Discourse, in which Jesus says he himself will sit on his glorious (divine) throne of judgment and judge all the nations! (see vv. 31-33 ff.)
With all this in perspective, Jesus distinguishes himself from both men and angels. He is in his own category. But it is unreasonable to suppose that Jesus does not know (have knowledge of) when all this is going to happen and when he will return. Rather, in this illuminating context we must reconsider the Greek word "know" (εἴδω). Just as "know" can denote multiple things in the Old Testament (e.g. Adam "knew" his wife, Gen. 4:1), so also it does in the New. One of its meanings is to "tell", and that is the one we should take to understand. So Jesus is not really saying he does not have knowledge of the precise date/s of end-time events, he is saying it is not his prerogative to tell or declare it. He will not disclose it. He's saying, "Guys, you are on a need-to-know basis, and you do not need to know this. ...It's none of your business."