Mark 13

1 As He was leaving the Temple, one of His disciples exclaimed, "Look, Rabbi, what wonderful stones! what wonderful buildings!"

2 "You see all these great buildings?" Jesus replied; "not one stone will be left here upon another--not thrown down."

3 He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite to the Temple, when Peter, James, John, and Andrew, apart from the others asked Him,

4 "Tell us, When will these things be? and what will be the sign when all these predictions are on the point of being fulfilled?"

5 So Jesus began to say to them: "Take care that no one misleads you.

6 Many will come assuming my name and saying, `I am He;' and they will mislead many.

7 But when you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed: come they must, but the End is not yet.

8 For nation will rise in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These miseries are but like the early pains of childbirth.

9 "You yourselves must be on your guard. They will deliver you up to Sanhedrins; you will be brought into synagogues and cruelly beaten; and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to be witnesses to them for me.

10 But the proclamation of the Good News must be carried to all the Gentiles before the End comes.

11 When however they are marching you along under arrest, do not be anxious beforehand about what you are to say, but speak what is given you when the time comes; for it will not be you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

12 "Brother will betray brother to be killed, and fathers will betray children; and children will rise against their parents and have them put to death.

13 You will be objects of universal hatred because you are called by my name, but those who stand firm to the End will be saved.

14 "As soon, however, as you see the Abomination of Desolation standing where he ought not" --let the reader observe these words--"then let those in Judaea escape to the hills;

15 let him who is on the roof not come down and enter the house to fetch anything out of it;

16 and let not him who is in the field turn back to pick up his outer garment.

17 And alas for the women who at that time are with child or have infants!

18 "But pray that it may not come in the winter.

19 For those will be times of suffering the like of which has never been from the first creation of God's world until now, and assuredly never will be again;

20 and but for the fact that the Lord has cut short those days, no one would escape; but for the sake of His own People whom He has chosen for Himself He has cut short the days.

21 "At that time if any one says to you, `See, here is the Christ!' or `See, He is there!' do not believe it.

22 For there will rise up false Christs and false prophets, displaying signs and prodigies with a view to lead astray--if indeed that were possible--even God's own People.

23 But as for yourselves, be on your guard: I have forewarned you of everything.

24 "At that time, however, after that distress, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not shed her light;

25 the stars will be seen falling from the firmament, and the forces which are in the heavens will be disordered and disturbed.

26 And then will they see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.

27 Then He will send forth the angels and gather together His chosen People from north, south, east and west, from the remotest parts of the earth and the sky.

28 "Learn from the fig-tree the lesson it teaches. As soon as its branch has become soft and it is bursting into leaf, you know that summer is near.

29 So also do you, when you see these things happening, be sure that He is near, at your very door.

30 I tell you in solemn truth that the present generation will certainly not pass away without all these things having first taken place.

31 Earth and sky will pass away, but it is certain that my words will not pass away.

32 "But as to that day or the exact time no one knows--not even the angels in Heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.

33 Take care, be on the alert, and pray; for you do not know when it will happen.

34 It is like a man living abroad who has left his house, and given the management to his servants--to each one his special duty--and has ordered the porter to keep awake.

35 Be wakeful therefore, for you know not when the master of the house is coming--in the evening, at midnight, at cock-crow, or at dawn.

36 Beware lest He should arrive unexpectedly and find you asleep.

37 Moreover, what I say to you I say to all--Be wakeful!"

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.