Chapter 13: Mark/Meat

Warning of Future Events

And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, Teacher, see what marvelous stones and buildings there are!
And Yeshua said to him, Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left one stone on the other that will not be thrown down. And as he sat upon the mount of Olives opposite of the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew privately asked him, Tell us, when will these things be? and what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled? And Yeshua answered them and said, Take heed that no man leads you astray: For many will come in my name, saying, I am the Christ and will deceive many. And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, don’t be frightened: they must be said, but the end is not yet. For ethnicity will rise against ethnicity, and kingdom against kingdom: and there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles: and these are the beginning of birth-pangs.

But take heed to yourselves: for they will deliver you up to the Sanhedrim; and in the synagogues you will be beaten: and you will be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. And the gospel must be first preached to all ethnicities. And when they will deliver you to councils take no thought beforehand what you will say neither cogitate for whatever will be given you speak it in that hour, for it is not you that speaks, but the Holy Spirit. And to the deathSeparation from God—now overcome. Physical death remains, but it no longer separates us from life with God. brothers will betray brothers, and the father, the son; and children will rise up against their own parents and will cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all men for my name's sake: but he who endures to the end the same will be saved.

Abomination of Desolation

But when you will see the abomination of desolation set up where it should not be and spoken of by Daniel the prophet (let him that reads understand,) then let them that are in Judaea run to the mountains: And let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter it to take anything out: And let him that is in the field turn back again to get his cloak. But how unfortunate are those that are with child or breastfeeding in those days! And pray to God that your flight is not in winter. For in those days there will be such tribulations that from the beginning of the creation which YHWH created, until this time and hereafter, will never be. And unless the Lord shortens those days, nobody would be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he has chosen, he shortened the days. And then if anyone says to you, Look, here is the Christ; or, look, there he is; do not believe it: False Christs and false prophets will arise and show signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. But take heed: I have told you everything ahead of the time.

Signs of the End Times

But in those days, after that tribulationA real historical event fulfilled in 70 A.D.—not a future apocalyptic crisis. More, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give her light, And the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers that are in heaven will be shaken. And then will they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. Now learn a lesson from the fig tree; as soon as her branch is tender and puts forth leaves, you will know that summer is near: Therefore, in like manner, when you will see these things take place, know that the end is near, as if at the very door. Truly, I am telling you that this generation will not pass, until all of these things will happen. Heaven and earth will pass away: but my words will not pass away. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take heed, watch and pray: for you do not know when the time will come. Liken it to a man taking a far journey, and leaving his house, give authority to his servants and laborers, then commands the doorkeeper to keep an alert lookout. Therefore watch: for you don’t know when the Lord of the house will come – at evening, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Forbid he comes suddenly and finds you sleeping. And what

The Teachings of Mark Chapter 13

I’ve said to you I say to all, watch intently.

Overview of Mark Chapter 13

The contents of chapter 13 are discussed at length in the coverage of Matthew 24 (see, Commentary on Matthew 24) and are essential to a sound interpretation of the contents included herein. And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, Teacher, see what marvelous stones and buildings there are! 2And Yeshua said to him, Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left one stone on the other that will not be thrown down. This was an amazing statement for Yeshua to make in light of the view that the temple was virtually impenetrable in that day and age. Josephus says that some of these stones were fifty feet long, twenty-four wide, and sixteen feet thick.

3And as he sat upon the mount of Olives opposite of the temple, From the Mount of Olives, the Temple could be seen clearly. Peter and James and John and Andrew privately asked him, 4Tell us, when will these things be? and what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled? In Matthew 24, the Apostles ask Yeshua to tell them, “when shall these things be?” “and what shall be the sign of thy coming,” “and of the end of the ageThe close of the old covenant era, fulfilled in 70 A.D.—not the end of the world.?” And the remainder of the chapter is Yeshua answering these three questions. The fulfillment of all Yeshua said, according to secular history, occurred to them/then (at the end of that age) and is not waiting for fulfillment in our future. (see, Matthew 24 Notes and Commentary) Hereafter verses 4-37 will be treated superficially.

Insights and Warnings by Yeshua

5And Yeshua answered them and said, Take heed that no man leads you astray: PO Notice these insights from Yeshua were to the four Apostles present with him there. 6For many will come in my name, saying, I am the Christ and will deceive many. 7And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, don’t be frightened: they must be said; but the end is not yet. PO But the end of what is not yet? The Authorized Version translates this to mean, “the end of the world,” but Yeshua was speaking of the end of all the former things, from the former age, which was prophesied to come before the New age, the New World, with a New Jerusalem (in Heaven) could be established. CLA: (see, the End of the Age).

8For ethnicity will rise against ethnicity, and kingdom against kingdom: and there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles: and these are the beginning of birth-pangs. The term birth pangs purposely describes the beginning of a deliverance. This deliverance, filled with anguish, pain and sorrow, was to deliver the New Heaven and New Earth to the world once labor was complete.

Trials and Testimonies

9But take heed to yourselves: for they will deliver you up to the Sanhedrim; and in the synagogues you will be beaten: and you will be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. PO Re-read the passage with the added emphasis of underlining as Jesus says to them/then: But take heed to yourselves: for they will deliver you up to the council (Sanhedrim); and in the synagogues you will be beaten: and you will be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. This advice was to them and all who were of Him in that day. (See, verse 37)

10And the gospel must be first preached to all ethnicities. PO Even in Paul’s life he taught that the Gospel had already gone out to the whole “world” (see, Romans 1:8; Colossians 1:6 and 23). 11And when they will deliver you to councils take no thought beforehand what you will say neither cogitate for whatever will be given you speak it in that hour, for it is not you that speaks, but the Holy Spirit. 12And to the death brothers will betray brothers, and the father, the son; and children will rise up against their own parents and will cause them to be put to death. 13And you will be hated by all men for my name's sake: but he who endures to the end the same will be saved. PO The term saved here primarily applies to being saved from the coming destruction of Jerusalem. CLA: (see, Saved).

14But when you will see the abomination of desolation set up where it should not be and spoken of by Daniel the prophet (let him that reads understand,) then let

Signs of Tribulation and End Times

them that are in Judaea run to the mountains:

CLA: For a contextual understanding, (see, Abomination of Desolation). (see also, Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15; Luke 21:21).

15And let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter it to take anything out:

PO In Ancient Israel people spent time on their roofs – not so much in modernity.

16And let him that is in the field turn back again to get his cloak. Field workers removed their outer cloak when working in the fields. 17But how unfortunate are those that are with child or breastfeeding in those days! 18And pray to God that your flight is not in winter. 19For in those days there will be such tribulations that from the beginning of the creation which YHWH created, until this time and hereafter, will never be.

(See, Daniel 9:26; 12:1; Joel 2:2; Matthew 24:21; Revelation 7:14) Some suggest that the World Wars I and/or II have supplied carnage far more horrid than what occurred at the Destruction of Jerusalem. According to Yeshua, this was not possible. (See Josephus, The Siege of Jerusalem. See also, Overview of Revelation).

20And unless the Lord shortens those days, nobody would be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he has chosen, he shortened the days. Obviously to them/then, that the days were shortened and not to today, right? I mean we are two thousand YEARS out so obviously the day have not been shortened.

21And then if anyone says to you, Look, here is the Christ; or, look, there he is; do not believe it: 22False Christs and false prophets will arise and show signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 23But take heed: I have told you everything ahead of the time.

PO From verse 24 to 31 it seems that Yeshua describes the signs before His coming, and the verses prior were aimed at describing what to look for and do before and in the midst of the tribulation. (see, verses 25-26) (see, Josephus, The Siege of Jerusalem)

Celestial Changes and the Coming of the Son of Man

24But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give her light, 25And the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers that are in heaven will be shaken.

See, Hebrews 12:27

26And then will they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27And then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

28Now learn a lesson from the fig tree; as soon as her branch is tender and puts forth leaves, you will know that summer is near: 29Therefore, in like manner, when you will see these things take place, know that the end is near, as if at the very door. 30Truly, I am telling you that this generation will not pass, until all of these things will happen.

GENERATION COMMENT HERE

31Heaven and earth will pass away: but my words will not pass away.

PO These words are more than just a mere statement or abstraction from the Tanahk. The former heaven and earth were indeed going to pass away (this is what Yeshua has been describing to them) and will be replaced by a new heaven and a new earth where God would reign in the hearts of people forevermore. CLA: (see, A New Heaven and New Earth)

The Uncertainty of the Hour

32But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

PO In verses 3-31, Yeshua speaks of “those days,” referring to the days of tribulation and the wrapping up of the age prior to His return. At verse 32, he shifts and begins to speak of “that day and that hour,” which is a reference to the actual day of His return and the ultimate end of that age. This passage has perplexed many scholars and Trinitarians over the centuries. The thinking is if Yeshua was fully God then he would have known all things. (see, The Trinity; Jesus as God)

33Take heed, watch and pray: for you do not know when the time will come. 34Liken it to a man taking a far journey, and leaving his house, give authority to his servants and laborers, then commands the doorkeeper to keep an alert lookout. 35Therefore watch: for you don’t know when the Lord of the house will come – at evening, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 36Forbid he comes suddenly and

Main Topic: Watchfulness and Prayer

37And what I’ve said to you I say to all, watch intently.

Prayer Requests

Ross, open heart surgery
Mary knee replacement
Michael and his cancer operation.