THE DISCIPLES EXPRESS THEIR ADMIRATION OF THE TEMPLE AND RECEIVE SOME ASTONISHING NEWS (13:1-2). The disciples had just been called on to consider the widow who gave her two mites and now they were confronted by this magnificent sight, this splendid Temple, still incomplete and yet majestic in its... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And as he went forth out of the Temple, one of his disciples says to him, “Teacher, look, what manner of stones, and what manner of buildings!' As they left the Temple His disciples said to Jesus ‘What manner of stones, and what manner of buildings.' They were drawing attention here to what this c... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE KINGLY RULE OF GOD IN THE MIDST OF THE BATTERING OF HISTORY: PRELIMINARY TROUBLES - THE GOOD NEWS PROCLAIMED AMONG ALL NATIONS - THE COMING DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM - THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN IN GLORY. THE TEMPLE IS TO BE REPLACED BY GOD'S ELECT - ALL ARE THEREFORE TO WATC... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There shall not be left here one stone on another that will not be thrown down.” Jesus dismissed the magnificence of the Temple with a few words. Like Jeremiah before Him (Jeremiah 7:1; Jeremiah 26:1; compare Micah 3:10) He had recognised th... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And as he sat on the mount of Olives opposite the Temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately.' The group had now left the Temple and returned to their camp on the slopes of the Mount of Olives. The view from the mount of Olives enabled the Temple to be seen clearly and reminded... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS BEGINS HIS RESPONSE TO THE DISCIPLES' QUESTIONS BY DESCRIBING THE DREADFUL EVENTS WHICH ARE INITIALLY TO COME (13:3-8). Undoubtedly shaken by what Jesus had told them, but confident that what He had said must be true, the two sets of brothers, Peter and Andrew, and James and John, came to Him... [ Continue Reading ]
“Tell us, when shall these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are all about to be accomplished?” The disciples then asked when all these things were to be, and what signs would warn of their approach. Certain points should be noted here. 'b7 Firstly that they were asking concer... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Jesus began to say to them, “Take care that no man leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say ‘I am the one' and will lead many astray. And when you will hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be troubled. These things must necessarily happen, but the end is not yet.” Jesus considere... [ Continue Reading ]
THE COMING DREADFUL CATACLYSMS BUT THE END IS NOT YET (13:5-8). Tacitus, a first century Roman historian, after referring to the horrors, calamities, disasters and portents, of the period, went on to say ‘never has it been better proved, by such terrible disasters to Rome, or by such clear evidence... [ Continue Reading ]
“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many places. There will be famines. These are the beginnings of birth pains.” Jesus then explained further. Wars between nations will necessarily come, for that is what man is like. Earthquakes and famine... [ Continue Reading ]
“But beware for yourselves. For they will deliver you up to councils and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them.” We should note by these words that Jesus was indicating how successful their work was going to be, (kings a... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS PEOPLE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL BUT PERSECUTED (13:9-13). Jesus now made clear to His disciples something of the future that awaited them amidst the tumults in the world. They had witnessed the opposition to Jesus and the powerful emotions that had been aroused against Him. They had seen what had hap... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And the Gospel must first be preached to all nations.” In spite of these tribulations the Gospel would reach out to all nations. (By this time the disciples must have been astounded at what they were hearing, and nothing more astounding than this. Their cosy lives were over). For the Good News was... [ Continue Reading ]
“And when they lead you and deliver you up, do not be anxious beforehand what you will say, but whatever is given to you in that hour, that speak, for it is not you who speak but the Holy Spirit.” Although they would be brought before powerful men they need not be anxious as to what they would say.... [ Continue Reading ]
“And brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. And children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all men, for my name's sake. But he who endures to the end, the same will be saved.” These words surely bring a chill to the... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM AND THE SACRILEGE IN THE TEMPLE (13:14-19). What the following words mean are made clear firstly by reference to what Jesus said at the beginning of the chapter (Mark 13:2) with the resulting question (Mark 13:3), and secondly by comparison with the book of Daniel. It is... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But when you see the Desolating Abomination standing where he ought not (let him who reads understand), then let those who are in Judaea flee to the mountains, and let him who is on the housetop not go down, or enter in to take anything out of his house, and let him that is in the field not return... [ Continue Reading ]
“But when you see the Desolating Abomination standing where he ought not.” The original Desolating Abomination (Abomination is the Jewish view of idolatry and the phrase in Hebrew can mean ‘the desecration that appals') was when Antiochus Epiphanes (168 BC) raised an altar to Zeus in the Temple and... [ Continue Reading ]
“But woe to those who are well gone in pregnancy and to those who are breastfeeding in those days.” The reasons were because it would be so much harder for them to flee quickly, and because living conditions would become so terrible, and because of what it would involve for their babes (see Luke 23... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And pray that your flight be not in the winter.' The winter was a time when there might be flooding preventing their escape, when the mountain paths would be a sea of mud, and when the night cold could be piercing. At such times living rough would be more difficult.... [ Continue Reading ]
“For those days will be tribulation such as there has not been the like from the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never shall be.” Here is the reason for fleeing. For to be caught up in what was to happen would be to suffer the unimaginable. This both limits the tribulation... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And unless the Lord had shortened the days no flesh would have been saved. But for the elect's sake, whom he chose, he shortened the days.” The destruction and killing would be so bad that if the Lord did not intervene none would remain alive. But we are told that He would shorten the days ‘for His... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD'S CONCERN FOR THE ELECT DURING AND FOLLOWING THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM (13:21-23). Jesus now reveals God's concern for His ‘elect' over this period, for some of them will be involved in the siege, and many will have to resist the machinations of false Messiahs, prophets and teachers. But the... [ Continue Reading ]
“But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give her light, and the stars will be falling from heaven and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken.” As we have seen above this briefly summarises what Luke gives in more detail and includes or... [ Continue Reading ]
FOLLOWING THE SIEGE AND THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE WILL COME CONTINUING TRIBULATION AND POLITICAL TUMULT UNTIL FINALLY THE SON OF MAN WILL BE REVEALED IN GLORY IN ORDER TO GATHER IN HIS ELECT (13:24-27). The tribulation of the Jews would continue on during the times of the Gentiles, eventually le... [ Continue Reading ]
“And then will they see the Son of Man coming in clouds with power and great glory, and then will he send forth the angels and will gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.” ‘And then they will see --.' While on earth the S... [ Continue Reading ]
“Now from the fig tree learn her parable. When her branch is now become tender and puts forth its leaves you know that the summer is near. Even so you also, when you see these things happening, know that He is near, even at the doors.” The fig tree had taught them one thing earlier (Mark 11:20), no... [ Continue Reading ]
CERTAINTY AND UNCERTAINTY (13:28-32). Jesus now points to what is certain and what is uncertain. Certain is the fulfilling of all that He has described in Mark 13:2 during that generation, uncertain is the time of all that is directly connected with His coming. They must therefore ever be on the al... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DISCIPLES ARE TO WATCH FOR HIS COMING (13:28-37). Jesus now stressed the inevitability of ‘these things' that He has described as needing to happen before His return, and that they must thus observe these things as they occur, live in the light of His coming and be ready for His return, for all... [ Continue Reading ]
“Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things are accomplished.” Again ‘these things' refer to the signs preparatory to His coming, the world troubles, the preaching, the persecution, the destruction of the Temple, distress of nations. And they did all happen to suf... [ Continue Reading ]
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” Once again we are pulled up with a jolt by what seems a simple statement. Who is this Who can claim that His words are so important that they are longer lasting than creation? That indeed they are more important than creation? By t... [ Continue Reading ]
“But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father.” These words put the timing of the second coming into its proper light. It is unknown to all but the Father. It is only known in the secret councils of God Himself in eternity. Thus even the fulf... [ Continue Reading ]
“Take heed, watch and pray. For you do not know when the time is. It is as when a man, temporarily living in another country, having left his house and given authority to his servants, to each one his work, also commanded the porter to watch. Watch therefore for you do not know when the lord of the... [ Continue Reading ]