Mark 13:24-37

12. THE COMMAND TO WATCH 13:24-37

TEXT 13:24-37

But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall be falling from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then shall he send forth the angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.
Now from the fig tree learn her parable: when her branch is now become tender, and putteth forth its leaves, ye know that the summer is nigh; even so ye also, when ye see these things coming to pass, know ye that he is nigh, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, until all these things be accomplished. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. But of that day or that hour knoweth no one, not even the angels in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is, It is as when a man, sojourning in another country, having left his house, and given authority to his servants, to each one his work, commanded also the porter to watch. Watch therefore: for ye know not when the lord of the house cometh, whether at even, or at midnight, or at cockcrowing, or in the morning; lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 13:24-37

726.

Just what days are contemplated in Mark 13:24?

727.

Is this prediction of literal events or is this symbolic language? i.e. sunthe moon etc.

728.

Who will see the Son of man when He comes? Why refer to the sunthe moon etc.

729.

Who are the elect?

730.

Who would be in the uttermost part of the heaven?

731.

What is the meaning of the four winds?

732.

Have we learned from the fig tree her parable?

733.

Please specify some of the signs of His coming.

734.

What generation is meant in Mark 13:30?

735.

Why the emphatic statement of Mark 13:31?

736.

Why was it important to say that no one knew the day or the hour?

737.

For what are we to watch and pray? (Please be specific)

738.

Who is the man sojourning in another country?

739.

Has the Lord given to each of us a work to do? List ten separate areas of work for our Lord.

740.

What was the one sin against which our Lord warned us?

COMMENT

TIME.Late Tuesday afternoon, April 4, A.D. 30.
PLACE.The Mount of Olives. After the final departure of Jesus from the temple.

PARALLEL ACCOUNTS.Matthew 24:23-42; Luke 21:25-36.

OUTLINE.1. The Coming of the Son of Man. 2. The Lesson from the Fig Tree. 3. Be Ye Always Ready.

ANALYSIS

I.

THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN, Mark 13:24-27.

1.

The Sun and Moon Darkened. Mark 13:24; Matthew 24:29; Luke 21:25.

2.

The Heavenly Powers Shaken. Mark 13:25; Matthew 24:29.

3.

The Sign of the Son of Man. Mark 13:26; Matthew 24:30; Luke 21:27.

4.

The Saints Gathered. Mark 13:27; Matthew 24:31.

II.

THE LESSON FROM THE FIG TREE, Mark 13:28-31.

1.

The Sign that it is near. Mark 13:28-29; Matthew 24:32-33; Luke 21:29.

2.

This Generation shall not pass. Mark 13:30; Matthew 24:34; Luke 21:32.

3.

Christ's word sure. Mark 13:31; Matthew 24:35; Luke 21:33.

III.

BE YE ALWAYS READY, Mark 13:32-37.

1.

The Time Known only to the Father. Mark 13:32; Matthew 24:36.

2.

Therefore be Watchful. Mark 13:33; Matthew 24:42; Luke 21:36.

3.

Watchfulness Enforced by Parable. Mark 13:34-37; Matthew 24:43-51.

INTRODUCTION

This is a part of the same prophecy as just considered, foretelling so much of the future as was necessary for the comfort and courage and watchfulness of the disciples then and for all time. The developments of Divine Providence filled up the outline of the divine word, and no man with the word of God in one hand, and the history of the Jews in the other, can fail to see a most minute and perfect correspondence between the two. And so long as the world reads the words of Jesus, and beholds those words fulfilled in Jerusalem, still trodden down of the Gentiles, and in the Jews still scattered and homeless among the nations, it has an argument for the infallibility of the Founder of Christianity, and for the truth of the religion proceeding forth from him and his teaching, which nothing can gainsay or resist. Out of the dust and ashes of the holy city for nineteen hundred years has risen a voice in attestation of the Messiahship of him who was crucified without her walls; and the people who denied the Holy One and the Just in all their dispersion have, for an equal period, been proclaiming him their true though rejected Lord.H. S. Kelsey.

EXPLANATORY NOTES

I.

THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN.

Mark 13:24. In those days, after that tribulation. In the period of history that lies after the final overthrow of Jerusalem, which is meant by that tribulation. It will help the reader to compare the 24th chapter of Matthew, which is fuller. The following from my Lesson Commentary for 1887 will suggest some hints towards the understanding of these prophecies: As the Lord and his disciples passed out of the temple, after his farewell and prediction of its desolation, in the close of chapter 23, his disciples pointed out the solidity and splendor of the structure, as though in doubt whether such massive walls could be destroyed. The answer was that not one stone should be left on another. When they had reached the Mount of Olives and from its summit looked down on the city and temple, as upon a map, the disciples, still thinking of what he had uttered, asked three questions: 1. When shall these things be? That is, when shall the temple and city be destroyed? 2. What shall be the sign of thy coming? 3. What shall be the sign of the end of the world? The interpreter, in order to understand the Savior's answer, must keep in mind that not one, but three questions are answered. The answer to the first extends to Mark 13:28. Immediately after follows the answer to the second with various warnings and exhortations, while in the 25th chapter we have given an account of the end of the world and a picture of the judgment day. The present study comes in the answer to the second question and is an exhortation to be ready for Christ's coming. The sun shall be darkened. Some interpret all that is said of sun, moon and stars literally, as great natural phenomena that shall precede the coming of the Lord. Others suppose that these are symbols of great disturbances in the history of mankind. I believe that a correct interpretation only requires that these words be given their usual symbolic meaning. This is prophecy and prophecy always chooses symbols. While we can never be certain of the exact meaning of unfulfilled prophecy, I believe that this prediction has been a great part fulfilled. The sun is the usual symbol of Christ, the Light of the world, the Sun of Righteousness; the moon, which only shines with the reflected splendor of the sun, is the church, which only shines in the light of Christ. The stars are apostles and other great lights of the church. Without consuming space, I will say that this is the usual meaning of these symbols in New Testament prophecy. As to the application, the Lord is outlining history to the end of the world. When the apostasy began to develop, about three centuries after these words were spoken, the rays of light that came from Christ's teaching were obscured by the traditions of men, the church therefore ceased to shed her light on mankind, and the apostles were no longer recognized as the great authorities of religious life. They fell from their high place, or from heaven. The Bible was taken from men and what history has pleased to call significantly The Dark Ages came upon the world. Certainly this interpretation is in precise harmony with history. Still, at this time, two-thirds of Christendom are destitute of the Bible and wrapped in the darkness of human tradition. The Sun is still darkened, the moon does not yet give her light, and the stars are not restored to their places in the heavens.

Mark 13:25. The powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. For the interpretation, see comment on Mark 13:24. These powers refer to the spiritual forces that should control mankind.

Mark 13:26. And then shall they see the Son of man. After this spiritual darkening. Therefore, still in the future. As the spiritual darkness seems to be slowly lifting we have in this a cheering omen that the coming draws nearer. I understand this to be a literal coming. They shall see him. See, also, Acts 1:9-11. As the apostles saw the Lord ascend, in like manner shall he return. Certain facts may be noted: (1) The Lord shall come as the Son of man. They that pierced him shall look upon him. (2) His coming shall be seen by all mortals. Every eye shall see him. (3) It will be glorious. He shall ride upon the clouds of heaven and shall have all his holy angels with him.

Mark 13:27. Then shall he send his angels. With a great sound of a trumpet (Matthew 24:31). And shall gather together his elect, etc. As the tribes of Israel were anciently gathered together by sound of trumpet (Exodus 19:13; Exodus 19:16; Exodus 19:19; Leviticus 23:24; Psalms 81:3-5), so any mighty gathering of God's people, by divine command, is represented as collected by sound of trumpet (Isaiah 27:13; Revelation 11:15); and the ministry of angels, employed in all the great operations of Providence, is here held forth as the agency by which the present assembling of the elect is to be accomplished. The jour winds. Used to denote the quarters of the earth's surface; i.e., from all parts of the earth. The uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. Probably an allusion to the apparent junction of earth and sky at the visible horizon, but in any case it refers to the whole world.

II.

THE LESSON FROM THE FIG TREE.

Mark 13:28. Learn a parable of the fig tree. More literally, Learn the parable from the fig tree. The fig is a native product of the East, and grows in spontaneous plenty in Palestine. In a warm climate fruit forms a very large proportion of customary food, and hence the fruit tree is a favorite source for illustration. Our Lord spoke this upon the Mount of Olives where fig trees were growing all around him. He was near to Bethphage (or Figville), so-called, probably, from the abundance of this product, It was now about the last of March, and though the time of figs was not yet, the trees were doubtless beginning to verify the words by opening signs of the season. As the sprouting leaf was a sign of the approach of summer, so the events just named foreshadowed the coming of the Son of man.

Mark 13:29. So ye, in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass. Rather, coming to pass. Is nigh, even at the doors. That is, the full manifestation of it; for till then it admitted of no full development. In Luke (Luke 21:28) the following words precede these: And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads: for your redemption draweth nigh. Their redemption, in the instance certainly, from Jewish oppression (1 Thessalonians 2:14-16; Luke 11:52), but in the highest sense of these words, redemption from all the oppressions and miseries of the present state at the second appearing of the Lord Jesus.

Mark 13:30. This generation shall not pass (away) till all these things be done, Accomplished. There are two explanations: (1) Generation is taken in its ordinary sense of the persons then living. And the prophecy had one exact fulfillment within that generation. (2) The word translated generation has sometimes the meaning of race or nation; having, it is true, a more pregnant meaning, implying that the character of one generation stamps itself upon the race, as here in this verse also.Alford. The last meaning is, no doubt, correct. The word in the Greek (genea) also means nation. Dean Alford in his Critical Greek Testament says: It may be well to show that the original (genea) has in Hellenistic Greek the meaning of a race or family of people, for this purpose see Jeremiah 8:3 (where genea occurs in the Septuagint Greek); compare Matthew 23:36 with Mark 13:35, and observe that the living generation did not slay Zacharias, so that the whole people were addressed. See also Matthew 12:45 where the sense absolutely requires that the meaning of nation should be attached to the word. See also Matthew 17:17. In all these passages generation is equivalent to nation. Mark 13:30 should therefore read This race shall not pass away until all these things be done; a prediction of the marvelous and miraculous preservation of the Jewish race, despite the awful overthrow of the nation, its dispersion to the ends of the earth, the constant persecution and oft-repeated massacres, such calamities as no other race ever endured, to the end of time as a living witness to the truth of Christ's testimony. Without a country or a temple, scattered among all nations, persecuted as no other people, the Jews have been preserved through 1900 years separate, distinct, and virtually unchanged; a case without parallel in history.

III.

BE YE ALWAYS READY.

Mark 13:32. Of that day and that hour. Of Christ's coming. Knoweth no man. The signs of the times are left to us; the times themselves are in the hands of God. Not the angels. neither the Son. The practical lesson of the verse is well put by Dr. Schaff: His voluntarily not knowing the day of judgment, during the days of his flesh, is a warning against chronological curiosity and mathematical calculations in the exposition of Scripture prophecy. It is not likely that any theologian, however learned, should know more or ought to know more on this point than Christ himself, who will judge the quick and the dead, chose to know in the state of his humiliation.

Mark 13:33. Watch and pray. To watch, denotes (1) to be sleepless; (2) to be vigilant.Maclear. In view of the suddenness and unexpectedness of this coming, watch and pray; not be always expecting what will come unexpectedly, nor be seeking to know what cannot be known, but be always in a state of readiness, because, of the uncertainty.

Mark 13:34. For the Son of man. Better, It is as when a man. The whole matter of watching is as in the following parable. Taking a far journey. Sojourning in another country. Gave authority; power to conduct his household, and to manage his affairs while absent. To every man his work. The authority being joined with duty. Even so our Lord left his Church, gave authority to his servants the apostles, and to those who should come after them, and to every man his work, and is now waiting for the consummation of all things. Commanded the porter to watch. After he had given all the orders concerning the internal affairs, he gives finally, at the door, to the porter, the additional command to watch: this is the point of the parable. I do not suppose that the Lord designs any particular official in the church by the porter, rather to enforce the duty of watchfulness.

Mark 13:35. Watch, It is the fundamental law of watchfulness, to be always watching. Ye know not when the master of the house cometh. But with all the obscurity thus intentionally thrown around the day and the hour of Christ's coming, let us not forget that no obscurity, no uncertainty, hangs around the great event itself, In all that future, which lies before us, these are the only two events of which we are absolutely certain: out own approaching death, our Lord's approaching advent.Hanna. At even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning. The four regular watches, from eventide to daybreak, representing, either periods in the world's history, or epochs in human life.

Mark 13:36. Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. During the night the captain of the temple made his rounds. On his approach the guards had to rise, and salute him in a particular manner. Any guard found asleep when on duty was beaten, or his garments were set on firea punishment, as we know, actually awarded.Edersheim.

Mark 13:37. What I say unto you I say unto all. Though the apostles and the ministry are watchmen and porters, yet all believers are to be incessantly watchful, and for the same reasons.Schaff. Watch. Observe in this chapter the emphasis given to Christ's exhortation, Watch! Matthew tells us how the Lord sought to impress these lessons of watchfulness and faithfulness still more deeply by the parables of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13), and the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), and closed all with a picture of the awful day when the Son of man should separate all nations one from another as the shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:31-46).

FACT QUESTIONS 13:24-37

870.

No man with the word of God in one hand and the history of the Jews in the other, can fail to see ______________ what?

871.

How does Jerusalem and the scattering of the Jews become a grand witness for the infallibility of the Founder of Christianity?

872.

State the three questions of the discipleswhich question is being answered in Mark 13:24?

873.

Why does Johnson choose to use a symbolic meaning for the sun, moon, and stars of Mark 13:24?

874.

Who is represented by the sun, the moonthe stars?

875.

What do the Dark Ages have to do with this prophecy?

876.

What are the powers that are in heaven? How shaken?

877.

Could we believe Christ could come at any time and still believe Johnson's interpretation of the signs of His coming? Discuss.

878.

Are we nearer to His coming today according to this symbolic interpretation of the signs than when Johnson wrote it seventy-six years ago? Discuss.

879.

What three facts are to be noted in His coming in like manner?

880.

Why was a trumpet used in gathering together His elect? Cf. Matthew 24:31.

881.

What is represented in the expression uttermost part of heaven?

882.

Show how appropriate in time and place was the use of the fig tree for an illustration.

883.

If we were to wait for the literal sun, moon, and stars to be affected, couldn-'t we become negligent in our waiting? Discuss.

884.

Read Luke 21:28 and state what redemption is involved.

885.

How could it be possible that the prophecy of Jesus was fulfilled during the generation of the apostles?

886.

Read Jeremiah 8:3 and Matthew 23:36; Matthew 23:35 and Matthew 12:45; Matthew 17:17what is taught in these verses about the meaning of the word generation?

887.

What case is without parallel in history?

888.

What warning does Christ give to certain theological prophets?

889.

What is involved in the expression watch and pray?

890.

What one subject is developed in the parable?

891.

What are we to do while we watch and wait?

892.

Who is represented by the porter in the parable?

893.

Of what two events are we absolutely certain?

894.

What is represented by the four watches mentioned?

895.

What did Edersheim say about sleeping on duty?

896.

What does Matthew add to this exhortation to watchfulness? Cf. Matthew 25:1-13, Matthew 25:14-30.