Mark 13

Signs of the End

1 Jesus was leaving the temple. One of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher! What huge stones! What wonderful buildings!"

2 "Do you see these huge buildings?" Jesus asked. "Not one stone here will be left on top of another. Every stone will be thrown down."

3 Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, across from the temple. Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him a question in private.

4 "Tell us," they said. "When will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to come true?"

5 Jesus said to them, "Keep watch! Be careful that no one fools you.

6 Many will come in my name. They will claim, 'I am he.' They will fool many people.

7 "You will hear about wars. You will also hear people talking about future wars. Don't be alarmed. Those things must happen. But the end still isn't here.

8 Nation will fight against nation. Kingdom will fight against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many places. People will go hungry. All of those things are the beginning of birth pains.

9 "Watch out! You will be handed over to the local courts. You will be whipped in the synagogues. You will stand in front of governors and kings because of me. In that way you will be witnesses to them.

10 The good news has to be preached to all nations before the end comes.

11 You will be arrested and brought to trial. But don't worry ahead of time about what you will say. Just say what God brings to your mind at the time. It is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

12 "Brothers will hand over brothers to be killed. Fathers will hand over their children. Children will rise up against their parents and have them put to death.

13 Everyone will hate you because of me. But the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

14 "You will see 'the hated thing that destroys.'(Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11) It will stand where it does not belong. The reader should understand this. Then those who are in Judea should escape to the mountains.

15 No one on the roof should go down into his house to take anything out.

16 No one in the field should go back to get his coat.

17 How awful it will be in those days for pregnant women! How awful for nursing mothers!

18 Pray that this will not happen in winter.

19 "Those days will be worse than any others from the time God created the world until now. And there will never be any like them again.

20 If the Lord had not cut the time short, no one would live. But because of God's chosen people, he has shortened it.

21 "At that time someone may say to you, 'Look! Here is the Christ!' Or, 'Look! There he is!' Do not believe it.

22 False Christs and false prophets will appear. They will do signs and miracles. They will try to fool God's chosen people if possible.

23 Keep watch! I have told you everything ahead of time.

24 "So in those days there will be terrible suffering. After that, Scripture says, " 'The sun will be darkened. The moon will not shine.

25 The stars will fall from the sky. The heavenly bodies will be shaken.' (Isaiah 13:10; 34:4)

26 "At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds. He will come with great power and glory.

27 He will send his angels. He will gather his chosen people from all four directions. He will bring them from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.

28 "Learn a lesson from the fig tree. As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.

29 In the same way, when you see those things happening, you know that the end is near. It is right at the door.

30 What I'm about to tell you is true. The people living at that time will certainly not pass away until all those things have happened.

31 Heaven and earth will pass away. But my words will never pass away.

The Day and Hour Are Not Known

32 "No one knows about that day or hour. Not even the angels in heaven know. The Son does not know. Only the Father knows.

33 "Keep watch! Stay awake! You do not know when that time will come.

34 It's like a man going away. He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge. Each one is given a task to do. He tells the one at the door to keep watch.

35 "So keep watch! You do not know when the owner of the house will come back. It may be in the evening or at midnight. It may be when the rooster crows or at dawn.

36 He may come suddenly. So do not let him find you sleeping.

37 "What I say to you, I say to everyone. 'Watch!' "

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Mark 13 Commentary

Chapter 13

The destruction of the temple foretold. (1-4) Christ's prophetic declaration. (5-13) Christ's prophecy. (14-23) His prophetic declarations. (24-27) Watchfulness urged. (28-37)

Verses 1-4 See how little Christ values outward pomp, where there is not real purity of heart. He looks with pity upon the ruin of precious souls, and weeps over them, but we do not find him look with pity upon the ruin of a fine house. Let us then be reminded how needful it is for us to have a more lasting abode in heaven, and to be prepared for it by the influences of the Holy Spirit, sought in the earnest use of all the means of grace.

Verses 5-13 Our Lord Jesus, in reply to the disciples' question, does not so much satisfy their curiosity as direct their consciences. When many are deceived, we should thereby be awakened to look to ourselves. And the disciples of Christ, if it be not their own fault, may enjoy holy security and peace of mind, when all around is in disorder. But they must take heed that they are not drawn away from Christ and their duty to him, by the sufferings they will meet with for his sake. They shall be hated of all men: trouble enough! Yet the work they were called to should be carried on and prosper. Though they may be crushed and borne down, the gospel cannot be. The salvation promised is more than deliverance from evil, it is everlasting blessedness.

Verses 14-23 The Jews in rebelling against the Romans, and in persecuting the Christians, hastened their own ruin apace. Here we have a prediction of that ruin which came upon them within less than forty years after this. Such destruction and desolation, that the like cannot be found in any history. Promises of power to persevere, and cautions against falling away, well agree with each other. But the more we consider these things, the more we shall see abundant cause to flee without delay for refuge to Christ, and to renounce every earthly object, for the salvation of our souls.

Verses 24-27 The disciples had confounded the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world. This mistake Christ set right, and showed that the day of Christ's coming, and the day of judgment, shall be after that tribulation. Here he foretells the final dissolution of the present frame and fabric of the world. Also, the visible appearance of the Lord Jesus coming in the clouds, and the gathering together of all the elect to him.

Verses 28-37 We have the application of this prophetic sermon. As to the destruction of Jerusalem, expect it to come very shortly. As to the end of the world, do not inquire when it will come, for of that day and that hour knoweth no man. Christ, as God, could not be ignorant of anything; but the Divine wisdom which dwelt in our Saviour, communicated itself to his human soul according to the Divine pleasure. As to both, our duty is to watch and pray. Our Lord Jesus, when he ascended on high, left something for all his servants to do. We ought to be always upon our watch, in expectation of his return. This applies to Christ's coming to us at our death, as well as to the general judgment. We know not whether our Master will come in the days of youth, or middle age, or old age; but, as soon as we are born, we begin to die, and therefore we must expect death. Our great care must be, that, whenever our Lord comes, he may not find us secure, indulging in ease and sloth, mindless of our work and duty. He says to all, Watch, that you may be found in peace, without spot, and blameless.