Mark 13
BBCMark 13:1
VI. THE SERVANT’S OLIVET DISCOURSE (Chap. 13) A. Jesus Predicts the Destruction of the Temple (13:1, 2) 13:1 As the Lord Jesus was leaving the temple area for the last time before His death, one of His disciples tried to arouse His enthusiasm concerning the magnificence of the temple and the surrounding architecture. The disciples were occupied with the architectural triumphs involved in erecting the enormous stones. 13:2 The Savior pointed out that these things were soon to be destroyed. Not one stone would be left upon another when the Roman armies would invade Jerusalem in a.d. 70. Why be occupied with things that are only passing shadows?
Mark 13:3
B. The Beginning of Sorrows (13:3-8) In His discourse on the Mount of Olives, the Lord diverted the disciples’ attention to events of greater importance. Some of the prophecies seem to depict the destruction of Jerusalem, a.d. 70; most of them obviously go beyond that date to the Tribulation Period and to the personal Return of Christ in power and glory. The watchwords of the discourse, which apply to believers in every dispensation, are: (1) take heed (vv. 5, 23, 33); (2) do not be troubled (v. 7); (3) endure (v. 13); (4) pray (vv. 18, 33); (5) watch (vv. 9, 33, 35, 37). 13:3, 4 The discourse was introduced by a question from Peter, James, John, and Andrew. When would the temple be destroyed, and what would be the sign preceding the prophesied event? The Lord’s answer included the destruction of a later temple, which would take place during the Great Tribulation, prior to His Second Advent. 13:5, 6 First, they were to take heed that no one deceived them by claiming to be the Messiah. Many false Christs would appear, as seen in the rise of so many cults, each with its own anti-Christ. 13:7, 8 Secondly, they should not interpret wars and rumors of wars as a sign of the end times. All through the intervening period there would be international strife. In addition, there would be great cataclysms of natureearth quakes, famines, and troubles. These would be but preliminary birth pangs, ushering in a period of unparalleled travail.
Mark 13:9
C. Persecution of Disciples (13:9-13) 13:9 Thirdly, the Lord predicted great personal testing for those who would be unflinching in their testimony for Him. They would be put on trial before religious and civil courts. While this section is applicable to all periods of Christian testimony, it seems to have special reference to the ministry of the 144,000 Jewish believers who will carry the gospel of the kingdom to all nations of the earth prior to Christ’s coming to reign. 13:10 Verse 10 should not be used to teach that the gospel must … be preached to all the nations before the Rapture. It should be proclaimed world-wide and perhaps it will be, but to say that it must be is to state something the Bible doesn’t state. No prophecy needs to be fulfilled before Christ’s Coming for His saints; He may come at any moment! 13:11 The Lord promised that persecuted believers on trial for His sake would be given divine help in making their defense. They would not need to prepare their case in advance; perhaps there would not be time. The Holy Spirit would give them exactly the right words. This promise should not be used as an excuse for not preparing sermons or gospel messages today, but is a guarantee of supernatural help for crisis times. It is a promise for martyrs, not ministers! 13:12, 13 Another feature of tribulation days will be widespread betrayal of those who are loyal to the Savior. Family members will serve as informers against believers. A great wave of anti-Christian sentiment will sweep the world. It will take courage to remain true to the Lord Jesus, but he who endures to the end shall be saved. This cannot mean that they will receive eternal salvation because of their endurance; that would be a false gospel. Neither can it mean that faithful believers will be saved from physical death during the Tribulation, because we read elsewhere that many will seal their testimony with their blood. What it probably means is that endurance to the end will evidence reality, that is, it will characterize those who are genuinely saved.
Mark 13:14
D. The Great Tribulation (13:14-23) 13:14-18 Verse 14 marks the middle of the Tribulation Period, the beginning of the Great Tribulation. We know this by comparing this passage with Daniel Dan_9:27. At that time, a great abominable idol will be set up in the temple in Jerusalem. Men will be compelled to worship it or be slain. True believers will, of course, refuse. The setting up of this idolatrous image will signal the beginning of great persecution. Those who read and believe the Bible will know that the time has come to flee from Judea. There will not be time to gather up personal belongings. Pregnant women and nursing mothers will be at a distinct disadvantage. If it happens in winter, that will add further hazards. 13:19 It will be a time of tribulation greater than anything in the past or the future. It is the Great Tribulation. The Lord Jesus is not speaking here about the general type of tribulation which believers in every age have encountered. This is a period of trouble unique in its intensity. Notice that the tribulation is primarily Jewish in character. We read of the temple (v. 14, cf. Mat_24:15) and of Judea (v. 14). It is the time of Jacob’s trouble (Jer_30:7). The church is not in view here. It will have already been taken to heaven before the Day of the Lord begins (1Th_4:13-18; cf. 1Th_5:1-3). 13:20 The bowls of God’s wrath will be poured out on the world in those days. It will be a time of calamity, chaos, and bloodshed. In fact, the slaughter will be so great that God will supernaturally shorten the period of daylight; otherwise no one would survive. 13:21, 22 The Great Tribulation will again witness the rise of false messiahs. People will be so desperate they will turn to anyone who promises them safety. But believers will know that Christ will not appear quietly or unheralded. Even if these false christs perform supernatural wonders (as they will), the elect will not be deceived. They will realize that these miracles are satanically inspired. Miracles are not necessarily divine. They represent superhuman departures from the known laws of nature but may represent the work of Satan, angels, or demons. The Man of Sin will be given satanic power to perform miracles (2Th_2:9). 13:23 So believers should take heed and be forewarned.
Mark 13:24
E. The Second Advent (13:24-27) 13:24, 25 After that tribulation, there will be startling disturbances in the heavens. Darkness will shroud the earth both by day and by night. The stars of heaven will fall and the powers in the heavens (the forces that keep stellar bodies in orbit) will be shaken. 13:26, 27 Then the awe-struck world will see the Son of Man returning to the earth, not now as the lowly Nazarene but as the glorious Conqueror. He will come in the clouds, escorted by myriads of angelic beings and of glorified saints. It will be a scene of overwhelming power and dazzling splendor. He will dispatch His angels to gather together His elect, that is, all who have acknowledged Him as Lord and Savior during the Tribulation Period. From one end of the earth to the otherfrom China to Colombiathey will come to enjoy the benefits of His wonderful thousand-year reign on earth. His enemies, however, will be destroyed at the same time.
Mark 13:28
F. Parable of the Fig Tree (13:28-31) 13:28 The fig tree is a symbol (or type) of the nation of Israel. Jesus taught here that prior to His Second Advent, the fig tree would put forth leaves. In 1948, the independent nation of Israel was formed. Today that nation exerts an influence in world affairs that is out of all proportion to its size. Israel can be said to be putting forth its leaves. There is no fruit as yet; in fact, there will be no fruit until the Messiah returns to a people who are willing to receive Him. 13:29 The formation and growth of the nation of Israel tell us that the King is nearat the doors. If His coming to reign is that near, how much nearer is His coming for the church! 13:30 Verse 30 is often understood to mean that all the things prophesied in this chapter would take place while the men of Christ’s day were still living. But it cannot mean that because many of the events, especially verses 24-27, simply did not take place at that time. Others understand it to mean that the generation living when the fig tree put forth its leaves, that is, when the nation of Israel was formed in 1948, would be the generation that would see the Second Advent. We prefer a third view. This generation may mean this race. We believe it means this Jewish race characterized by unbelief and rejection of the Messiah.
The testimony of history is that this generation has not passed away. The nation as a whole has not only survived as a distinct people, but has continued in its deep-seated animosity toward the Lord Jesus. Jesus predicted that the nation and its national characteristic would continue until His Second Advent. 13:31 Our Lord emphasized the absolute certainty of every one of His predictions. The atmospheric heaven and the stellar heaven will pass away. The earth itself will be dissolved. But every word He spoke will come to pass.
Mark 13:32
G. The Day and Hour Unknown (13:32-37) 13:32 Jesus said, But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. It is well known that this verse has been used by enemies of the gospel to prove that Jesus was nothing more than a man with limited knowledge like ourselves. It has also been used by sincere but misguided believers to demonstrate that Jesus emptied Himself of the attributes of deity when He came into the world as a man. Neither of these interpretations is true. Jesus was and is both God and Man. He had all the attributes of deity and all the characteristics of perfect manhood. It is true that His deity was veiled in a body of flesh, but it was there nonetheless. There was never a time when He was not fully God. How then can it be said of Him that He does not know the time of His Second Advent? We believe the key to the answer is found in Joh_15:15 : … a servant does not know what his master is doing. … As a perfect Servant, it was not given to the Lord Jesus to know the time of His Coming. As God, of course, He does know it. But as Servant, it was not given to Him to know it for the purpose of revealing to others. James H. Brookes explains it thus: It is not a denial of our Lord’s divine omniscience, but simply an assertion that in the economy of human redemption, it was not for Him to know the times or seasons, which the Father hath appointed by His own authority, Act_1:7. Jesus knew that He will come again, and often spoke of His second advent, but it did not fall to His office as Son to determine the date of His return, and hence He could hold it up before His followers as the object of constant expectation and desire. 13:33-37 The chapter closes with an exhortation to watchfulness and prayer in view of the Lord’s Return. The fact that we do not know the appointed time should keep us on the alert. A similar situation is common in everyday life. A man goes away from home on a long trip. He leaves instructions with his servant and tells the watchman also to be on the lookout for his return. Jesus likened Himself to the traveling man. He may come back at any hour of the night. His people, serving as night watchmen, should not be found sleeping. So He left this word for all His people: Watch!