Albert Barnes Commentary Acts 1:7

"And he said unto them, It is not for you to know times or seasons, which the Father hath set within His own authority." — Acts 1:7 (ASV)

It is not for you to know. The question of the apostles concerned the time of the restoration; it was not whether he would do it. Accordingly, his answer precisely meets their inquiry; and he tells them in general that the time of the great events of God's kingdom was not to be understood by them. A similar question they had asked in Matthew 24:3, Tell us when shall these things be?

Jesus answered them then by showing them certain signs which should precede his coming, and by saying (Matthew 24:36), But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. God has uniformly reproved a vain curiosity on such points (1 Thessalonians 5:1–2; 2 Peter 3:10; Luke 12:39–40).

The times or the seasons. The difference between these words is that the former denotes any time or period, indefinite or uncertain; the latter denotes a fixed, definite, or appropriate time. They seem to be used here to denote the periods of all classes of future events.

The Father hath put, etc. The Father had so reserved the knowledge of these things, that it is said that even the Son did not know them .

In his own power. That is, he has fixed them by his own authority; he will bring them about in his own time and way, and therefore it is not proper for people to inquire anxiously into them. All prophecy is remarkably obscure in regard to the time of its fulfillment. The reasons are:

1. To motivate people to watch for the events that are to come, as the time is uncertain, and they will come like a thief in the night.
2. As they are to be brought about by human agency, they are so arranged as to call forth that agency. If people knew just when an event was to come to pass, they might be remiss and feel that their effort was not needed.
3. The knowledge of future scenes—of the exact time—might alarm people, absorb their thoughts entirely, and prevent attention to the present duties of life. Duty is ours now; God will provide for future scenes.
4. Promises sufficiently clear and full are therefore given us to encourage us, but not full enough to arouse a vain and idle curiosity.

All this is eminently true of our own death—one of the most important future scenes through which we are to pass. It is certainly before us; it is near; it cannot be long avoided; it may come at any moment.

God has fixed the time but will not inform us when it will be. He does not gratify a vain curiosity or terrify us by announcing to us the day or the hour when we are to die, as one might inform a person who is to be executed.

This would make our lives like that of a criminal sentenced to die, and we would, throughout all our lives, be subject to bondage through fear of death (Hebrews 2:15).

He has made enough known to motivate us to prepare and to be always ready, having our loins girded about and our lamps trimmed and burning (Luke 12:35).

* "Power," or "disposal."