Mark's Gospel

Mark 13 - Watch and Be Ready!

I really enjoyed the progressive supper last night, and I’d like to offer my public thanks to Christine and Harry for co-ordinating everything again. Of course, it wouldn’t be the same without adequate preparation, would it? If they hadn’t prepared the lists, then some houses would have ended up empty and others would be crammed solid! And if everyone who was preparing a meal hadn’t got things ready in advance – bought the food, prepared it, made it ready… it could have been a disaster! Thankfully we all knew the score. We knew who to expect and we didn’t have to worry whether or not so-and-so was going to arrive… our job was to do the preparation we needed to, and make sure that we got to where we were expected. And a great time was had by all!

Making adequate preparation while we’re waiting. Funnily enough, that’s what Jesus is talking about in this passage today!

This chapter, an extensive section of teaching by Jesus, is prophetic in nature – and I think it it’s important that we remind ourselves about the purpose of prophecy:

Prophecy is to change our behaviour now

As you know, the purpose isn’t to satisfy curiosity about the future, it is to encourage certain behaviour now.
It reminds me a little of the tax return advertisements – do you know the ones that I mean? Adam Hart-Davis would say something like “make sure you get your tax return in by the end of the January or you will face a fine”. They were predicting what was going to happen if you didn’t file your tax return, but the purpose was to encourage you to get that form in on time.

Jesus is giving warnings about future events, but the purpose is to inform the disciples behaviour right now – and our behaviour too. I’d like to look at that in detail in a few minutes.

Prophecy often has more than one time of fulfilment

The second important principle of prophecy is that it can have more than one focus of fulfilment, and it is not necessarily obvious to the original hearers what kind of distance there might be between the events. It is like looking at a mountain range – we see several peaks but we often don’t recognise the scale and breadth of the valleys which separate them.

Jesus’ prophetic words in today’s passage are brought together in a specific context – the temple – which although majestic to look at, had fallen from what it should be and has already been judged by Jesus as ‘a den of thieves’ (11v17).

Jesus’ words look forward in time to two peaks. First the destruction of the temple which would happen in AD 70 and secondly the great tribulation, the time of great trouble which is still to come and immediately precedes the Lord’s return. He alternates between these two subjects, first speaking of the fall of the temple in v5-13, then the further future in 14-27, then the temple again in 28-31 and finally the further future again in 32-37.

One of the ways in which scholars divide up the thoughts in this passage is the use of the phrases “these things” (Greek tauta). Jesus introduces it in v2, The disciples use this term in their question in v4 and Jesus uses the same term in v8, 29, 30. The other section is tagged with the term “those days” several times (v17,19, 20, 24) and “that day” (v32). This is terminology which is commonly used in the OT prophets to refer to the coming day of God’s triumph (e.g. Jeremiah 3v16, Joel 3v1, Zech 8v23).

So let’s tackle this passage by looking first at Jesus predictions about the fall of the temple, then his predictions about the coming tribulation, and finally consider what it means to us today.

The temple will fall, Christ will return, so we must be watchful.

The temple will fall (v1-13, 28-31)

The disciples are amazed at the magnificent buildings – and they were truly magnificent. The historian Josephus reports that some of the stones were 60ft in length and weighed about 500 tons. The Royal Portico was 45ft wide and supported by four rows of columns, each of which was 40ft high and 18ft in circumference. The sanctuary was 50yds across and 50yds high, a visual collage of gold and silver, crimson and purple, radiating the rising sun like a snow clad mountain. No wonder they were impressed!

What did Jesus predict?

But Jesus dismisses it completely. Not one stone will be left on another. He has passed judgement on the rulers of the temple and the users of the temple. Now he passes judgement on the temple itself. The disciples ask when this will happen, and are probably expecting the inauguration of the Kingdom at the same time.
Jesus warns of wars and rumours of wars. Of many coming in his name who would deceive people, uprisings, earthquakes and famines. And a warning that they will be handed over to authorities, stand before governors and kings and face betrayal from within their ranks, even from within their own families.

These words have been fulfilled

We know that there was a Jewish uprising in AD 66 that led to the Roman army attacking Jerusalem and razing the temple in AD 70. There had been famines during the reign of emperor Claudius (AD 41-54), severe earthquakes in Phyrgia in AD 61 and Pompey in AD 63; there was also considerable unrest and fear of war according to the historians of those times (mostly Josephus again). We know also from the historical records of those times that many Christians were captured who had been denounced by others, or whose names had been gathered by interrogation of Christians already captured.

There were also false prophets during this time. Theudas was around in the mid-40s and he boasted of being able to do many signs including parting the Jordan. Josephus mentions both him and an Egyptian prophet who deceived many too.

As a side note, this passage has been accepted as excellent evidence that Marks gospel was written before AD 66 – even by leading liberal theologians – because if it had been written later we would expect that Jesus’ words would be tied here more directly to the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70. The fact that it is written the way it is, is taken as compelling evidence for an early date for the writing of Mark… well within living memory of people who were there with Jesus.

Jesus isn’t giving the disciples a roadmap so that they know exactly when this is going to happen. He is warning them what is coming so that they can prepare themselves for it.

You may be familiar with the work of Brother Andrew and the Open Doors ministry. One of their major activities in the countries where Christians are heavily persecuted is their programme called ‘Standing strong through the storm’; they are attempting to help Christian leaders in those countries to develop strong Christian foundations so that they can, in Jesus terms (v13) ‘stand firm to the end’ when the persecution comes.

Within 40 years of Jesus’ words, they came to pass. As Jesus says in v30, that generation did not pass away before these things happened. The temple would fall.

And yet… a new temple would be created. In a few weeks we shall see at Jesus’ trial false witnesses accuse him by saying (14v58) "We heard him say, 'I will destroy this man-made temple and in three days will build another, not made by man.'”. Although the dialog isn’t recorded in Mark, in John 2v19&22 Jesus is asked for a sign and he says “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days… but the temple he had spoken of was his body”.

The centre for worship of God was no longer going to be a temple made with human hands – it would be centred in the person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God – and in his body, which includes the church – all of us.
Difficult times would mark the closing of a chapter in the destruction of the temple. Difficult times are still to come marking the closing of our chapter when Christ returns in glory!

Christ will return (v14-27, 32-37)

This section starts with a warning about ‘the abomination that causes desolation’. This is a hotly debated text, and it isn’t made much easier by Marks explicit editorial note (let the reader understand). The term originates in Daniel 9, 11 & 12 and had it’s initial prophetic fulfilment in 168BC  when Antiochus Epiphanies erected an altar to Zeus in the temple and sacrificed a pig on it, initiating the Maccabean revolt.

Like so many prophecies this one had more than one layer of fulfilment though, and as Mark records it here it is probably looking forward to the event referred to in 2 Thess 2v3-4 “Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for [that day will not come] until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshipped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.”

There will come a day when the antichrist will be revealed, and this will usher in the great tribulation. As Jesus puts it in v19 “those will be days of distress unequalled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now – and never to be equalled again”.

Dafur. Rwanda. Pol Pots Cambodia. Stalin’s Russia. Hitler’s Holocaust. The 20th century has revealed the darkest side of human nature in some of the most distressing times imaginable. This is going to be worse. It is going to be so bad that (v20) “if the Lord had not cut short those days, no-one would survive”.

There is a time coming when things are going to get really, really bad. And in the midst of that there will be all kinds of false Christs and false prophets appearing, even performing miracles. But don’t be deceived – when Jesus *does* come, it will be in clouds with great power and glory. It will be impossible to mistake, it will be impossible to ignore. And we will be gathered by his angels to be by his side.

Does this sound fanciful? Unrealistic? Improbable? These are the words of Jesus! And we ignore them at our peril.

 <Richard to sing “Days were filled with guns and war>

So be watchful! (v5, 9, 23, 33, 35, 37)

Looking at v32 down to the end, Jesus is adamant that nobody knows when that time will come. Nobody knows what day or hour it will be – not even the angels in heaven, not even the Son. I think that there is a clear reason why Jesus makes this statement… he is closing the door firmly against anyone who might come along later and say “I’ve worked out when the second coming will be”, or anyone who says “I’ve had a visit from angels who told me when the second coming will be”.

Although history is full of well meaning people who are keen to try to ‘work out’ when Jesus will return, there is no way of doing this. It is pointless and fruitless to try, and it isn’t why Jesus is giving this warning.

So let’s think a moment about the point of Jesus’ message. Be watchful. Be on your guard. This is true in the predictions about the destruction of the temple (v5, 9) as well as the predictions of the tribulation and end times (v23, 33, 35, 37).

Let your knowledge of these future events affect the way you live now. Be expectant. Be ready.

You may have heard of the explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. In the recent ‘Greatest Briton’ competition he came in at number 11. While on a South Pole expedition, he was forced to leave most of his crew on Elephant Island while he and a few others attempted to get 800 miles to South Georgia to mount a rescue , promising that he would return. Later, when he tried to go back, huge icebergs blocked the way. But suddenly, as if by a miracle, an avenue opened in the ice and Shackleton was able to get through. His men, ready and waiting, quickly scrambled aboard. No sooner had the ship cleared the island than the ice crashed together behind them. Contemplating their narrow escape, the explorer said to his men, “It was fortunate you were all packed and ready to go!” They replied, “We never gave up hope. Whenever the sea was clear of ice, we rolled up our sleeping bags and reminded each other, ‘The boss may come today.’”

v36, 37 “If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: Watch!
Let us not be sleepwalking Christians, going through the motions and forgetting what Christ has saved us for.  Living lives which are indistinguishable from our neighbours in all except Sunday. Jesus’ commands to his followers are few and not difficult to remember. The three that always come to my mind are

We know Jesus is coming. We don’t know exactly when but it could be any day. So let us watch and be faithful – faithful in our worship of Jesus, faithful in our love for one another, and faithful spreading the gospel amongst those who have not yet been saved, before it is too late for them.

 

Alex White

 

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