Mark 13

Prediction of the destruction of the temple (vs. 1-4)—In this chapter, Jesus discusses the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. by the Roman armies. Mark doesn’t go into near the detail that Matthew does on this subject, and I refer the reader to my discussion of Matthew 24 to get a full account. Matthew wrote for a Jewish audience, thus the events of 70 A.D. would be extremely important to them. Mark’s Roman audience wouldn’t be quite as interested. The conflict between Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders, which is such an important theme in the first gospel, is not catalogued as extensively in the second gospel. But Jerusalem’s (and the temple’s) annihilation were very singular and significant episodes in history, and each of the first three gospel accounts devotes a not inconsiderable amount of space to it. In the first four verses of chapter 13, Jesus announces the destruction of the temple/Jerusalem, and the disciples ask Him when it is going to happen.

“The beginnings of sorrows" (vs. 5-13)—The occurrences leading up to Jerusalem’s destruction are quite specific, and Jesus warns His disciples of them. Don’t let anyone deceive you regarding the time (v. 5). Many false Christs will arise trying to lead people astray, and they will be successful (v. 6). There will be wars, earthquakes, famines, and troubles, but that’s not the end (vs. 7-8). The apostles will be abused and mistreated (v. 9), but will successfully preach the gospel to the whole world, i.e., Gentiles and Jews (v. 10). The Lord will help the apostles in their preaching (v. 11), but even families will be divided as part of the sorrows leading up to the catastrophe befalling the Jewish capital (v. 12). Jesus’ followers will be hated, but “he who endures to the end shall be saved” (v. 13).

Jerusalem surrounded by armies (vs. 14-23)—The “abomination of desolation” (v. 14) is “Jerusalem surrounded by armies” (Luke 21:20). When they see that, Jesus says, flee! (v. 14). Don’t delay (vs. 15-16), and pray that your flight will not be hindered in any way (vs. 17-18). The tribulation will be horrendous (v. 19). The Lord will shorten the horrors of those days, “for the elect’s sake”—i.e., for those Christians who might not have gotten His warning about this terrible event (v. 20). But again, don’t be deceived by claims of false Christs; they will come and “deceive, if possible, even the elect” (vs. 21-22). The Lord has given this warning, however, so if His people succumb to these teachers of error, it will be their own fault (v. 23).

The destruction of Jerusalem (vs. 24-27)—I think it is necessary here that I reproduce what I wrote in Matthew 24:29-31. This is the most misunderstood and abused passage in Jesus’ discussion on the destruction of Jerusalem, and so a full exposition of this is best: “These three verses are the ones that confuse most people. Let’s get them fully before us: “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Verse 30’s declaration that “they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with power and great glory” is interpreted to mean the literal Second Coming of Jesus. It’s not. It is a figurative coming in judgment upon Jerusalem. Notice that this coming was going to happen “Immediately after the tribulation of those days” (v. 29). Jesus obviously did not literally come back in the first century, so we must understand the “coming” of verse 30 as figurative.

And, frankly, if we’d do just a little bit of Old Testament study, there would be no difficulty. This idea of the sun being darkened, the moon not giving its light, etc. was used by the prophets to indicate judgment upon a nation. For example, in his “burden against Babylon” in Isaiah 13, we find this language: “Behold, the day of the LORD comes, cruel, with both wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate; and He will destroy its sinners from it. For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be darkened in its going forth, and the moon will not cause its light to shine” (vs. 9-10). Notice that the language used is almost exactly what Jesus says in Matthew 24:29. If God used this language in illustrating “the day of the Lord,” i.e., a day of judgment against Babylon, why would He not use it against Jerusalem?

Another example: In Ezekiel 32, the prophet speaks judgment against Pharaoh and Egypt. Verses 7 and 8 read, “When I put out your light, I will cover the heavens, and make its stars dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light. All the bright lights of the heavens I will make dark over you, and bring darkness upon your land,' says the Lord GOD.” Sound like Matthew 24:29 again. If we study the Old Testament, this “apocalyptic” language that Jesus uses in Matthew 24 should be familiar to us (it would have been to His readers and listeners), and thus we ought not be surprised that such speech is found in reference to the coming judgment on Jerusalem.

And, once more, the “coming with the clouds” is figurative. Isaiah 19:1 says, “The burden against Egypt. Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud, and will come into Egypt.” Jehovah is coming in judgment upon Egypt riding on a cloud. Literally? Psalm 104:3 talks about a God Who “lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters, who makes the clouds His chariot, who walks on the wings of the wind.” Now, indeed, when the Lord Jesus returns the final time, He will come with the clouds (Acts 1:11; Rev. 1:7). But that coming will be a judgment day, too. So familiarity with the Old Testament figures and allusions will help us to understand Jesus’ language in Matthew 24:29-31, the most difficult passage in the chapter.

Verse 31, “And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other,” simply tells us that, during this destruction of Jerusalem, the Lord will protect “His elect”—provided, of course, they paid attention to what He had told them earlier in the chapter. ‘See, I have told you beforehand’ (v. 25).” So reads what I penned regarding Matthew 24:29-31, the parallel passage to Mark 13:24-27. Again, I encourage the reader to study all three of the posts I made on Matthew 24 for a complete explanation of this remarkable event, i.e., the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., and its meaning.

The lesson from the fig tree (vs. 28-30)—Just like when you see the leaves sprouting on a fig tree, “you know that summer is near” (v. 28), “so you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near--at the doors!” (v. 29)—Jerusalem’s destruction was about to come to pass. That event would take place in the lifetime of the apostles (v. 30).

The Second Coming (vs. 32-37)—Mark records Jesus saying a few words about His literal Second Coming at the end of the world. Matthew has about 17 verses at the end of chapter 24 and all of chapter 25 on the subject. The literal Second Coming will be preceded by no signs whatsoever, thus we must always “Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is” (v. 33). Three times in this short section, Jesus says “watch, watch, watch!” (vs. 33, 35, 37). We don’t know when the Lord will come back again, but we DO know when Jerusalem was to be destroyed! The signs regarding the latter were very specific; there are no signs at all announcing the former. Watch and always be ready.

Once again, I refer the reader to my discussions on Matthew 24 and 25 for a complete analysis of this very important, and widely misunderstood, section of God’s Word. Let the reader beware!