Mark 13:28-37

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, apart from what is directly connected with His coming (the time of which He does not know), will occur within that generation.

Analysis.

a “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” (Mark 13:28).

b “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things are accomplished. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away” (Mark 13:30).

c “But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father” (Mark 13:32).

b “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” (Mark 13:33).

a “Watch therefore for you do not know when the lord of the house comes, whether at twilight, or at midnight, or at cockcrowing, or in the morning, lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say to you I say to all, watch” (Mark 13:35).

Note that in ‘a' the occurrence of what is described in Mark 13:4 (‘these things') is to be observed so that they will know when He is ‘at the doors', and in the parallel they are to watch for His coming at whatever time it occurs whether it be sooner or later. In ‘b' ‘these things', including especially the destruction of the Temple (Mark 13:2; Mark 13:4), will occur within that generation, for they are based on His words which are more sure than the continuance of heaven and earth, and in the parallel they are therefore to watch and pray in His absence while He is gone from them, observing all that happens. Centrally in ‘c' no one, apart from the Father, knows when that time will be, not even at this time Himself.