Mark's Eschatological Discourse
Jefferson Vann shares a section of his new book “Devotions from Mark’s Gospel”
Mark 13
Mark 13:1 As he exited the temple area, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher, what enormous stones and what enormous buildings!"
Mark 13:2 Then Jesus asked, "Do you see these big buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; everything will be demolished."
Mark 13:3 Later, when he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple area, Peter, James, John, and Andrew requested privately,
Mark 13:4: "Tell us, when will these events that you predicted happen, and what will be the sign showing that all these predicted events are about to occur?"
demolished
I can remember the weird feeling I had when I first flew over New York City and did not see the twin towers below. It was surreal. Those great buildings were such a part of my expectations and understanding of the place. It was hard to get my head around the fact that they were gone – taken down by terrorism and hate.
Jesus had just let his knowledge of the future slip out for his disciples to ponder. Herod’s magnificent temple area was a series of impressive structures surrounded by great walls – a city itself in one corner of Jerusalem. They had problems imagining a Jerusalem – even a world without it. Everyone who had ever seen it was naturally impressed by its greatness.
True greatness cannot be demolished. Jesus showed his apostles that the greatest servant would be like a little child and slave of all. He was reminding them here that great things do not last. He invites us all to watch as the things we are impressed with are eventually demolished.
LORD, loosen our attachment to the great things that will not last. Tighten our grip on your kingdom, which will last.
Mark 13:5 Then Jesus began to say to them, "See to it that no one leads you astray.
Mark 13:6 Many will come claiming to be me saying, 'It's me, I am!' and they will cause many to go astray.
Mark 13:7 When you first hear of wars and threats of wars, do not panic; this must take place, but the end is yet to come.
Mark 13:8 Because nation will stand up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be disasters[1] in various places and famines. These events are just the beginning of the birth pangs.
false alarms
The beginning of labor contractions can be very deceptive. Often, a couple having their first child will arrive at the hospital convinced that “this is it,” only to be told the child is not yet ready to make an entrance. It is the same with the three signs mentioned here. Each time a new cult leads a group on a mass defection from Christ – each time a war devastates a land – and each time a natural disaster strikes – someone is convinced that the end has come. But Jesus warned his disciples not to be deceived by these false alarms. Each is a sign that we are in the last age, but these signs are set to recur often throughout the age. The end is yet to come.
LORD, may we recognize the signs but not be deceived by them.
Mark 13:9 "But see to yourselves; because they will apprehend you for an appearance at Sanhedrin,[2] and you will be flogged in synagogues; and you will stand before governors and kings because of me so that you can testify to them.
Mark 13:10 And this excellent message must be proclaimed to all nations first.
Mark 13:11 When they arrest you and betray you, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say; but say whatever is given you at that time, because it is not you who will speak, but the Sacred Breath.
Mark 13:12 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death;
Mark 13:13 and you will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the enduring one will be rescued at the end.
the enduring one
When Jesus describes the Christian life in this age between his ascension and his second coming, he does not say “the victorious one,” “the powerful one,” or even “the gifted one.” The Holy Spirit can give us victory, power and spiritual gifts, and his presence is still among us during this age. But the role of the Holy Spirit that Jesus spoke of in this context is different.
This is an age in which persecution from outside the church and betrayal from within is to be expected. All the time we are getting the gospel (the excellent message) out to all the nations, we will be constantly under attack. We should expect our churches, our families, our ministries, and our persons to be targets of attack and bombardment. All around me, I see Christians who are ready to give up because of what they are facing. They are tempted to take all these things as evidence that there really isn’t a God, but this text shows that they are signs that Christ is real and his words are reliable.
The mark of a faithful Christian in this age is not victory, power, or gifts. The mark of a true Christian in this age is endurance.
LORD, give us victory; provide us with power; give us spiritual gifts; but above all things, give us endurance. We want to be here for you when you come, faithful to you until you come.
Mark 13:14 "But when you see the desolating detestable thing set up where it ought not to be (let the reader think about this), then those in Judea must escape to the mountains;
Mark 13:15 someone on the housetop must not even go down or enter the house to take anything out;
Mark 13:16 Someone in the field must not even turn back to get a coat.
Mark 13:17 Tragedy will visit those who are pregnant and nursing infants in those days!
Mark 13:18 Pray that it may not happen during the storm season.
Mark 13:19 Because in those days there will be suffering, such as has not been experienced from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, no, and never will happen again.
Mark 13:20 And if the Lord had not shortened those days, no one would be rescued; but for the sake of the chosen ones,[3] whom he chose, he has shortened those days.
meanwhile – back home
The eschatological discourse that extends through this whole chapter deals with the entire period between Christ’s ascension and his return and explains what the whole planet is going to experience. But Jesus has not forgotten the original context of the discourse. He had told his disciples that Herod’s magnificent temple area would be utterly demolished. The disciples were obviously curious as to when this local event would happen and whether they would live to see it.
Some of them would. The Roman siege and attack that led to the destruction of the temple started in 66 AD, and the temple was demolished in 70 AD. The terrible suffering that put the chosen ones (Jews) at risk of genocide happened within one generation of its prediction. There is nothing in this section that ever needs to happen again. It is a fulfilled prophecy. It is evidence that we can trust his words.
LORD, thank you for being faithful to your words.
Mark 13:21 And if anyone says to you at that time, 'Watch! Here is the Messiah!' or 'Watch! There he is!'-- do not believe it.
Mark 13:22 False messiahs and false prophets will stand up, giving signs and wonders to lead wrongly, if possible, the chosen ones.
Mark 13:23 But see this; I have told everything to you in advance.
to lead wrongly
Jesus was answering questions about the interval between his first and second advents. He warned his disciples that the church during this age would be subject to misleading prophets and false messiahs. They would attempt to lead the church wrongly.
Consequently, false teachings and misplaced emphases will occur, which—if not challenged—could potentially spell disaster in people’s lives. So, Jesus warned his disciples to look for this kind of improper leadership. Any “new” theology or “new” display of signs and wonders should be suspect.
Unfortunately, the church throughout history has been too quick to adopt the latest theological or charismatic fad simply in an attempt to be relevant. We have not been diligent about obeying Jesus here. Instead of cautioning about new teachings and experiences, we have developed an intense thirst for them. We have become intoxicated with them. Now, many professing Christians are addicted to the new, the flashy, and the experience.
God’s true chosen ones will not allow themselves to be led astray. They will not seek the new; they will cling to the true.
LORD, give us caution; forgive our flirting with addiction to “new” things.
Mark 13:24 "But in those days, after that time of suffering, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light;
Mark 13:25 the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the sky will be shaken.
Mark 13:26 Then everyone will see the Human Son coming in the clouds, displaying great power and glory.
Mark 13:27 Then he will send agents, and they will gather [his] chosen ones together from the four winds, from the tip of the land to the tip of the sky.
everyone will see
Jesus had just warned his disciples that false Messiahs would appear all through the interval age between his first and second advents. Now, he contrasts that with a message about his second coming – the appearance of the true Messiah. No one will have to alert us when Jesus really returns. The sky itself will shake and unravel. Darkness will fall, making the dazzling brilliance of Christ’s glorious return even more spectacular. Everyone will see him, making the “secret rapture” the universe’s worst-kept secret. Angels will flood the earth, harvesting believers from every continent and every elevation.
When exactly will this happen? We do not know. If anyone tries to tell you that he knows, it is a lie. It could be today or a thousand years from today. The only clue our Lord gave us is that it would happen after the suffering time he had previously mentioned and that time of suffering ended in the first century. Twenty centuries later, we still await his return.
LORD, prepare us for your return whenever it happens. We long to see you bursting through the clouds.
Mark 13:28 "Take this illustration from the fig tree: Whenever its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you discover that summer is near.
Mark 13:29 So also you, when you see these things happening, you discover that it is near, right at the door.
Mark 13:30 I guarantee you, this same generation will not pass away until all these things happen.
Mark 13:31 The sky and the land will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
fig tree generation
This passage requires that we really stay tuned to the context, or we can go astray from its intended meaning. We have to keep in mind that the disciples had asked some open-ended questions and that Jesus chose to answer all of them. For interpretation of this passage, we have to look for clues as to which question he is answering. The clues are:
§ · the fig tree illustration
§ · “When you see”
§ · “this same generation”
The fig tree symbolizes first-century Israel. It was full of promising leaves but no fruit, ripe for the judgment that would destroy its temple.
Jesus predicted that the disciples themselves would see this happen. None of the disciples have lived for 2000 years. He must be talking about an event that would take place in their lifetime.
“This same generation” refers to the generation they were living in. Every other use of the word in Mark (8:12, 38) bears this interpretation out. Thus, Jesus was predicting that the events he was referring to would happen within the generation in which they were now living.
But Jesus had talked about a long age in which wars and disasters would come and go. Was that part of the discourse included in the promise? Apparently not. Jesus had made it clear that the labor pain signs were not signs of an impending event (9-13; 21-23), but the fig tree signs were. In this section, he is only referring to the fig tree signs and is predicting the siege and destruction of Herod’s temple.
Most of the fig tree generation was not ready when the Roman soldiers surrounded Jerusalem. They died in the battles or starved in the siege. That great and terrible event stands as a testimony of God’s judgment upon a people who would not listen to his Son. His words will not pass away. Are we listening?
LORD, thank you for giving us guidance about the future. We choose to trust your words and be ready for your return.
Mark 13:32 "But for that day or hour no one knows it-- neither the agents in the sky nor the Son-- except the Father.
Mark 13:33 See to it that you keep watch because you do not know when the time will come.
Mark 13:34 It is like a man going on a journey. He left his house and put his slaves in charge, assigning to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to stay alert.
Mark 13:35 You stay alert, then, because you do not know when the owner of the house will return -- whether during the evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or at dawn --
Mark 13:36 or else he might find you asleep when he returns suddenly.
Mark 13:37 But I am telling you what I tell everyone: Stay alert!"
suddenly, not soon
The referent has changed again. Now, Jesus is answering the question about his coming. He makes a point that he will be gone a long time, describing the interval time like a house owner who goes away, and puts his servants in charge until he comes back. If the house owner were coming back soon, he would not have to do that. But the warning has to do with the way in which the house owner returns. He will return suddenly, with no letters or signs or messengers to announce himself.
Our message to a world that keeps trying to forget Jesus is that he is coming back. We will get no forewarning. He will appear suddenly to take back what is rightfully his. His servants must stay alert and keep serving in spite of the apparent delay.
LORD, make us wise in the way we serve your coming king.
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[1] σειζμοι can refer to many types of natural disasters as well as earthquakes.
[2] συνέδριον (13:9; 14:55; 15:1)
[3] εκλεκτός (13:20, 22, 27)