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Mark 13

Life Application Study BibleMarkChapter 13

Mark 13

New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 1650, 1651, 1652, 1653

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13Mark 13

1As Jesus was leaving the Temple that day, one of his disciples said,“ Teacher, look at these magnificent buildings! Look at the impressive stones in the walls.” 2Jesus replied, “Yes, look at these great buildings. But they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!” 3Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives across the valley from the Temple. Peter, James, John, and Andrew came to him privately and asked him, 4“ Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will show us that these things are about to be fulfilled?” 5Jesus replied, 6Don't let anyone mislead you, Sfor many will come in my name, claiming, ‘Tam the Messiah.’* They will deceive many. 7And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won't follow immediately. 8Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many parts of the world, as well as famines. But this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come. 9“When these things begin to happen, watch out! You will be handed over to the local councils and beaten in the synagogues. You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell them about me.* 10For the Good News must first be preached to all nations.* 11But when you are arrested and stand trial, don’t worry in advance about what to say. Just say what God tells you at that time, for it is not you who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit. 12“A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed. 13And everyone will hate you because you are my followers.* But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14"The day is coming when you will see the sacrilegious object that causes desecration* standing where he* should not be.” (Reader, pay attention!) “Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. 5A person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. 16A person out in the field must not return even to get a coat. 17How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. 18And pray that your flight will not be in winter. 19For there will be greater anguish in those days than at any time since God created the world. And it will never be so great again. 20In fact, unless the LORD shortens that time of calamity, nota single person will survive. But for the sake of his chosen ones he has shortened those days. 21” Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. 22For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. 23Watch out! I have warned you about this ahead of time! Jesus Tells about His Return (202/Matthew 24:26-35; Luke 21:25-33) 24”At that time, after the anguish of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light, 25 the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.* 26Then everyone will see the Son of Man* coming on the clouds with great power and glory.* 27And he will send out his angels to gather his chosen ones from all over the world*—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven. 28“Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. 29In the same way, when you see all these things taking place, you can know that his return is very near, right at the door. 5° tell you the truth, this generation* will not pass from the scene before all these things take place. 31Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear. Jesus Tells about Remaining Watchful (203/Matthew 24:36-51; Luke 21:34-38) 32“However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. 3 And since you don’t know when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert*! 34"The coming of the Son of Man can be illustrated by the story of a man going ona long trip. When he left home, he gave each of his slaves instructions about the work they were to do, and he told the gatekeeper to watch for his return. 35You, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know when the master of the household will return—in the evening, at midnight, before dawn, or at daybreak. 36Don’t let him find you sleeping when he arrives without warning. 37I say to you what I say to everyone: Watch for him!”

C. DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS, THE SERVANT (14:1—16:20)

Mark tells us about Jesus’ ultimate deed of servanthood—dying for us on the cross. Jesus died for our sin so we wouldn't have to. Now we can have eternal fellowship with God instead of

eternal suffering and death. When first written in Rome, this Gospel was encouraging to Roman Christians during times of persecution. Christ's victory through suffering can encourage us during difficult times, too. Religious Leaders Plot to Kill Jesus (207/Matthew 26:1-5; Luke 22:1-2)

Textual footnotes

  1. 34:4; Joe! 2:10. 13:26a “Son of Man’ is a title Jesus used for himself.
  2. the four winds.
  3. 13:6 Greek claiming, ‘1am.’ 13:9 Or But this will be your testimony against them.
  4. 13:10 Or all peoples.
  5. 13:13 Greek on account of my name.
  6. 13:14a Greek the abomination of desolation. See Dan 9:27; 11:31; 12:11.
  7. 13:14b Or it. 13:24-25 See Isa 13:10;
  8. 13:26b See Dan 7:13, 13:27 Greek from
  9. 13:30 Or this age, or this nation.
  10. 13:33 Some manuscripts add and pray.

Life Application Notes 8 notes

13:1,2About 15 years before Jesus was born (20 B.C.}, Herod the Great began to remodel and rebuild the Temple, which had stood for nearly 500 years since the days of Ezra (Ezra 6:14, 15). Herod made the Temple one of the most beautiful buildings in Jerusalem, not to honor God, but to appease the Jews whom he ruled. The magnificent building project was not completely finished until A.D. 64. Jesus’ prophecy that not one stone would be left on another was fulfilled in A.D. 70, when the Romans completely destroyed the Temple and the entire city of Jerusalem. 13:31f The disciples wanted to know when the Temple would be destroyed. Jesus gave them a prophetic picture of that time,

13:14The “sacrilegious object that causes desecration” refers to the desecration of the Temple by God's enemies. This happened repeatedly in Israel’s history: in 597 B.C. when Nebuchadnezzar looted the Temple and took Judean captives to Babylon (2 Chronicles 36); in 168 B.C. when Antiochus Epiphanes sacrificed a pig to Zeus on the sacred Temple altar (Daniel 9:27; 11:30, 31); in A.D. 70 when the Roman general Titus placed an idol on the site of the burned-out Temple after the destruction of Jerusalem. Just a few years after Jesus gave this warning, in A.D. 38, the emperor Caligula made plans to put his own statue in the Temple, but he died before this could be carried out.

13:17Some Christian couples who are contemplating pregnancy have been discouraged by this verse. They wonder if kids should be brought into a world filled with sin, evil, and terror. Jesus was not making a general warning against pregnancy, however. Many times in history have had risks and drawbacks; no place or time is perfect. We must remember that God will look out for the welfare of our children as he has looked out for us.

13:22,23|s it possible for Christians to be deceived? Yes. So convincing will be the arguments and proofs from deceivers in the end times that it will be difficult notte fall away from Christ. If we are prepared, Jesus says, we can remain faithful. But if we are not prepared, we will turn away. To penetrate the disguises of false teachers we can ask: (1) Have their predictions come true, or do they have to revise them to fit what’s already happened? (2) Does any teaching utilize a small section of the Bibie to the neglect of the whole? (3) Does the teaching contradict what the Bible says about God? (4) Are the practices meant to glorify the teacher or Christ? (5) Do the teachings promote hostility toward other Christians?

13:31The truth that heaven and earth will disappear is all that much more believable in our age of nuclear power and terrorism. Jesus tells us, however, that even though the earth will pass away, the truth of his words will never be changed or abolished. God and his Word provide the only stability in our unstable world. How shortsighted people are who spend all their time and energy learning about this temporary world and accumulating its possessions, while neglecting the Bible and its eternal truths!

13:32When Jesus said that even he did not know the time of the end, he was affirming his humanity. Of course God the Father knows the time, and Jesus and the Father are one. But when Jesus became a man, he voluntarily gave up the unlimited use of his divine attributes. The emphasis of this verse is not on Jesus’ lack of knowledge, but rather on the fact that no one knows. It is God the Father's secret to be revealed when he wills. No one can predict by Scripture or science the exact day of Jesus’ return. Jesus is teaching that preparation, not calculation, is needed.

13:33,34Months of planning go into a wedding, the birth of a baby, a career change, a speaking engagement, the purchase of a home. Do you place the same importance on preparing for Christ’s return, the most important event in your life? its results

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JESUS’ PROPHECIES IN THE OLIVET DISCOURSE

Other New Testament References John 15:21 Revelation 11:2 1 Timothy 4:1, 2 Revelation 6:12 Mark 14:62 1 Thessalonians 4:16

Old Testament References Daniel 9:26, 27 Daniel 11:31 Joel 2:2 Isaiah 13:6-10 Ezekiel 32:7 Daniel 7:13, 14

Type of Prophecy The Last Days Mark 13:1-23 Matthew 24:1-28 Luke 21:5-24 The Second Coming of Christ Mark 13:24-27 Luke 21:25-28 Matthew 24:29-31

In Mark 13, often called the Olivet discourse, Jesus talked a lot about two things: the end times and his second coming. Jesus was not trying to encourage his disciples to speculate about exactly when he would return by sharing these prophecies with them. Instead, he urges all his followers to be watchful and prepared for his coming. If we serve Jesus faithfully now, we will be ready when he returns.

believers. Beware of groups who claim special knowledge of Christ’s return because no one knows when that time will be (13:32). Be cautious about saying, “This is it!” but be boid in your total commitment to have your heart and life ready for Christ's return. 13:9-11 As the early church began to grow, most of the disciples experienced the kind of persecution Jesus was talking about. Since the time of Christ, Christians have been persecuted in their own lands and on foreign mission fields. Though you may be safe from persecution now, your vision of God’s Kingdom must not be limited by what happens only to you. A glance at a newspaper will reveal that many Christians in other parts of the world daily face hardships and persecution. Persecutions are an opportunity for Christians to witness for Christ to those opposed to him. God's desire is that the Good News be proclaimed to everyone in spite of persecution. 13:11 Jesus was teaching the kind of attitude we should have when we must take a stand for the Good News. We don't have to be fearful or defensive about our faith because the Holy Spirit will be present to give us the right words to say. 13:13 To believe in Jesus and “endure to the end” will take perseverance because our faith will be challenged and opposed. Severe trials will sift true Christians from fair-weather believers. Enduring to the end does not earn salvation for us but marks us as already saved. The assurance of our salvation will keep us strong in times of persecution.

including events leading up to it. He also talked about future events connected with his return to earth to judge all people. Jesus predicted both near and distant events without putting them in chronological order. Some of the disciples lived to see the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. This event would assure them that everything else Jesus predicted would also happen. Jesus warned his followers about the future so that they could learn how to live in the present. Many predictions Jesus made in this passage have not yet been fulfilled. He did not make them so that we would guess when they might be fulfilled but to help us to be spiritually alert and prepared at all times as we wait for his return. 13:3, 4 The Mount of Olives rises above Jerusalem to the east. From its slopes a person can look down into the city and see the Temple. Zechariah 14:1-4 predicts that the Messiah will stand on this very mountain when he returns to set up his eternal Kingdom. 13:5-7 What are the signs of the end times? There have been people in every generation since Christ's resurrection claiming to know exactly when Jesus would return. No one has been right yet, however, because Christ will return on God's timetable, not ours. Jesus predicted that before his return, many believers would be misled by false teachers claiming to have revelations from God. According to Scripture, one clear sign of Christ's return will be his unmistakable appearance in the clouds, which will be seen by all people (13:26; Revelation 1:7). in other words, you do not have to wonder whether a certain person is the Messiah or whether these are the “end times.” When Jesus returns, you will know beyond a doubt, because it will be evident to ail true

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14:3 Or reclining.

will last for eternity. You dare not postpone your preparations because you do not know when his return will occur. The way to prepare is to study God’s Word and live by its instructions each day. Only then will you be ready. 13:35-37 Mark 13 tells us how to live while we wait for Christ's return: (1) We are not to be misled by confusing claims or speculative interpretations of what will happen (13:5, 6). (2) We should not be afraid to tell people about Christ, despite what they might say or do to us (13:9-11). (3) We must stand firm by faith and not be surprised by persecution (13:13). (4) We must be morally alert, obedient to the commands for living found in God’s Word. This chapter was not given to promote discussions on prophetic timetables but to stimulate right living for God in a world where he is largely ignored. 14:1 The Passover commemorated the night the Israelites were freed from Egypt (Exodus 12), when God “passed over” homes marked by the blood of a lamb while killing firstborn sons in unmarked homes. The day of Passover was followed by a seven-day festival called the Festival of Unleavened Bread. This, too, recalled the Israelites’ quick escape from Egypt when they didn't have time to let their bread rise, so they baked it without yeast (leaven). On this holiday, Jewish families still gather for a special meal that includes lamb, wine, bitter herbs, and unleavened bread. 14:2 The Jews were preparing to observe Passover, a time of remembrance for families to celebrate when the blood of lambs had saved their ancestors. But some of the religious leaders had another agenda. Jesus had disrupted their security, revealed their sham, and opposed their authority. Now they would put him away. But the world is controlled by our all-wise God, not puny politicians. God would turn the religious leaders’ murder plot into the greatest blessing that mankind would ever know. Another Lamb would be stain, and his blood would save all people. When grief or disaster seem to be dominating, remember that your tife is in God’s hands and remember what Jesus did for you. 14:3 Bethany is located on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives (Jerusalem is on the western side). This town was the home of Jesus’ friends Lazarus, Mary, and Martha, who were also present at this dinner (John 11:2). The woman who anointed Jesus’ feet was Mary, Lazarus and Martha’s sister (John 12:1-3). 14:3-9 Matthew and Mark placed this event just before the Last

Supper, while John placed it a week earlier, just before the Triumphal Entry. It must be remembered that the main purpose of the Gospel writers was not to present an exact chronological account of Christ’s life but to give an accurate record of his message. Matthew and Mark may have chosen to place this event here to contrast the complete devotion of Mary with the betrayal of Judas, the next event in both Gospels. cr eer er.

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b vaouvaneeres ~ ee “J UPPER ROOM AND GETHSEMANE Jesus and the disciples ate the traditional Passover meal in an upper room in the city and then went to the Mount of Olives into a garden called Gethsemane. In the cool of the evening, Jesus prayed for strength to face the trial and suffering ahead.

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