Mark 13:1-371And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! 2And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. 3And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, 4Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled? 5And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you: 6For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 7And when ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. 8For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows. 9But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. 10And the gospel must first be published among all nations. 11But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost. 12Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. 13And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 14But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judea flee to the mountains: 15And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house: 16And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. 17But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 18And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. 19For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. 20And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. 21And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: 22For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. 23But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things. 24But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, 25And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. 26And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. 28Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: 29So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. 30Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. 31Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. 32But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. 33Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. 34For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. 35Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 36Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 37And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. (Mark 13:1‑37)
“AND AS He went out of the temple, one of His disciples saith unto Him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”
The disciple’s admiration of the architecture and glory of the temple was used of Jesus to bring knowledge to them as to the future of Jerusalem and the nation of Israel. This prophetic portion of the gospel covers a wide period of time.
First the Lord told them what they personally could expect when He would be taken from them. There would be severe opposition to their work and teaching. Persecution, imprisonment and violence would be used against them. But they were to carry on. Their very imprisonment would be the means of presenting the gospel to kings and rulers who would not otherwise listen to it. They were not to prepare beforehand, but God would give them the proper message suitable for each occasion: “For it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost,” He told them.
The Lord let them look ahead to a yet future time—not merely the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus. That took place in the year 70 A.D., when the temple was literally torn down without one stone remaining upon another. But He looks on through the long period when Israel would be cast away (the present “times of the Gentiles”)—and yet farther on to the great tribulation that would follow the “abomination of desolation” spoken of by Daniel—and eventually to the saving of the faithful remnant of the Jews who would endure to the end, through the tribulation period.
Those interested in the study of prophecy will find this an interesting chapter to review in detail. We will not attempt to do so here, except to remind our readers that all that was spoken on this occasion referred to God’s dealings with His earthly people, the Jews and Israel nationally. The disciples would know persecution and trial in their lifetime, but most of the events foretold looked on to a period that has not yet come—although its coming is most certain. Through all these sorrows and tribulation, God will have a faithful few and He will not forget nor neglect them. They will have a special reward for their faithfulness. “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” Genesis 18:2525That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? (Genesis 18:25).
Prophetic truths concerning the Church the bride of Christ—composed of both Gentile and Jewish believers—its place in future times, as well as the coming of the Lord for His own, are given elsewhere in the Scriptures, principally through Paul’s epistles and in the Revelation of John. The Christian who reads our present chapter and thinks it applies to him, will look in vain for the signs outlined by Jesus to the disciples. They provide insight for us as to God’s dealing with His earthly people, but speak strictly of Jewish experiences—some now past, and some yet to come.
“And what I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch.” With this exhortation the Lord ends His prophecy and we do well to heed these words too, for with all His people—Jew or Gentile—there will be a blessing for those found watching and waiting. May it be with lamps burning and bright testimony that we, who love Him, welcome His return!
ML-02/23/1964