Frameworks:
Mark's Gospel chapter 13
(The
objective of these ‘Frameworks' is to provide an easy-to-read
layout of the text in order then to use these individual verses
for verse-by-verse study or meditation. To focus each
verse we have also added in italic a description of what is happening)
CHAPTER
13
v.1-4
The Destruction of the
v.5-27
Signs of the End Times
v.5-8
General Signs
v.9-13
Arrest & Persecution
v.14-20
Temple desolation
v.21-23
Beware deception
v.24-27
Look to the sky
v.28-31
Be alert to the time
v.32-37
The Day and Hour Unknown
v.1-4
The Destruction of the Temple
v.1 (a
disciple points out the temple grandeur) As
Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him,
“Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!”
v.2
(Jesus warns of its short life) “Do
you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus.
“Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be
thrown down.”
v.3 (the
‘four' question him) As Jesus
was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter,
James, John and Andrew asked him privately,
v.4
(they want to know when it will happen) “Tell
us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that
they are all about to be fulfilled?”
v.5-27
Signs of the End Times
v.5-8
General Signs
v.5
(Jesus warns the key thing is not to be deceived)
Jesus said to them: “Watch
out that no one deceives you.
v.6
(for instance many will come claiming to be him)
Many will come in my name, claiming,
‘I am he,' and will deceive many.
v.7
(upheavals will come, but don't worry) When
you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed. Such
things must happen, but the end is still to come.
v.8 (nations,
nature, it's just the early days beginning) Nation
will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will
be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning
of birth pains.
v.9-13
Arrest & Persecution
v.9
(they will be arrested & persecuted for him)
“You must be on your guard. You will
be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On
account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses
to them.
v.10
(the gospel will go round the world first) And
the gospel must first be preached to all nations.
v.11
(when arrested the Holy Spirit will be there for
them) Whenever you are arrested
and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say.
Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you
speaking, but the Holy Spirit.
v.12
(families will be divided for the faith) “Brother
will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children
will rebel against their parents and have them put to death.
v.13
(stand in persecution to the end) Everyone
will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm
to the end will be saved.
v.14-20
Temple desolation
v.14
(when the enemy breaches the temple – run!) “When
you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation' [Dan
9:27; 11:31; 12:11] standing
where it does not belong—let the reader understand—then let
those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
v.15,16(don't
hang around for anything) Let
no one on the housetop go down or enter the house to take anything
out. Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak.
v.17
(it will be a bad time for those with babies)
How dreadful it will be in those
days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!
v.18,19 (pray
for this time because it will be bad) Pray
that this will not take place in winter, because those
will be days of distress unequalled from the beginning, when God
created the world, until now—and never to be equalled again.
v.20
(for your sake the Lord will make it short)
“If the Lord had not cut short those
days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom
he has chosen, he has shortened them.
v.21-23
Beware deception
v.21
(ignore claims it is him) At
that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!'
or, ‘Look, there he is!' do not believe it.
v.22
(deception will be rife) For
false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform
signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
v.23 (so
you've been alerted) So be on
your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.
v.24-27
Look to the sky
v.24,25
(Prophecy says even the sky will show signs)
“But in those days, following that
distress, “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will
not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.' [Isa
13:10; 34:4]
v.26
(but he will return in the sky - see Acts 1:11)
“At that time people will see the
Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.
v.27
(it will be the time of winding it all up)
And he will send his angels and gather
his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the
ends of the heavens.
v.28-31
Be alert to the time
v.28
(as trees give indication of summer coming, these
signs will give indications of him coming) “Now
learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get
tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.
v.29
(watch for them and get ready) Even
so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is
near, right at the door.
v.30
(mankind will last until this time) Truly
I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away
until all these things have happened.
v.31
(this warning will not be lost) Heaven
and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
v.32-37
The Day and Hour Unknown
v.32
(only God knows when this will happen) “But
about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven,
nor the Son, but only the Father.
v.33
(so keep watching, be alert) Be
on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.
v.34
(he gives a picture to explain) It's
like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in
charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the
door to keep watch.
v.35
(the lesson is stay watching) “Therefore
keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house
will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when
the rooster crows, or at dawn.
v.36 (don't
be asleep when he comes) If
he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping.
v.37 (so
that's it – watch for it!) What
I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!'”