v1-3 Context & questions Q: when will the temple end?
v5-13 The imminent sign What will happen before
v14-27 Abomination; distress What will happen at that time
v28-31 Signs and times When ‘that time’ will be
v32-37 A future hour An unknown time
Mark 13
“Pitiful was the fare and lamentable the spectacle, the stronger taking more than their share, the weak whimpering... wives would snatch the food from their husbands, children from fathers, and—most pitiable of all—mothers from the very mouths of their infants.”
Josephus
The roar of the flames streaming far and wide mingled with the groans of the falling victims; and, owing to the height of the hill and the mass of the burning pile, one would have thought that the whole city was ablaze… But yet more awful than the uproar were the sufferings. You would indeed have thought that the Temple hill was boiling over from its base, being everywhere one mass of flame, but yet that the stream of blood was more copious than the flames and the slain more numerous than the slayers. For the ground was nowhere visible through the corpses; but the soldiers had to clamber over heaps of bodies in pursuit of the fugitives…
Josephus
The temple site was now nearly empty of rebels and the Roman troops set up their standards within the court opposite the eastern gate and sacrificed to them, and “with rousing acclamations” hailed Titus as “commander-in-chief ”. Some of the Temple priests were still taking refuge on the sanctuary wall, although at least two of them had chosen to end their lives spectacularly by plunging into the flames. On the fifth day those who were left were too hungry to hold out any longer. They surrendered themselves to the Romans, only to be put to death by Titus on the basis that “it is fitting for priests to perish along with their Temple.”
Josephus
v1-3 Context & questions Q: when will the temple end?
v5-13 Forewarning What will happen before
v14-27 Suffering and destruction What will happen at that time
v28-31 Signs and times When ‘that time’ will be
v32-37 A future hour An unknown time
Mark 13
v1-3 Context & questions Q: when will the temple end?
v5-13 Forewarning What will happen before
v14-27 Suffering and destruction What will happen at that time
v28-31 Signs and times When ‘that time’ will be
v32-37 A future hour An unknown time
Jesus said to them: ‘Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, “I am he,” and will deceive many. When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth-pains.
‘You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.
‘Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
‘When you see “the abomination that causes desolation” standing where it does not belong – let the reader understand – then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the housetop go down or enter the house to take anything out. Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that this will not take place in winter, because those will be days of distress unequalled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now – and never to be equalled again.
‘If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them. At that time if anyone says to you, “Look, here is the Messiah!” or, “Look, there he is!” do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. So be on your guard; I have told you everything in advance.
‘But in those days, following that distress,
‘“the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.”
‘At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.
‘Now learn this lesson from the fig-tree: as soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
‘But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: he leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.
‘Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back – whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the cock crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: “Watch!”’
Mark 13
v1-3 Context & questions Q: when will the temple end?
v5-13 Forewarning What will happen before
v14-27 Suffering and destruction What will happen at that time
v28-31 Signs and times When ‘that time’ will be
v32-37 A future hour An unknown time
Mark 13
v1-3 Context & questions Q: when will the temple end?
v5-13 Forewarning What will happen before
v14-27 Suffering and destruction What will happen at that time
v28-31 Signs and times When ‘that time’ will be
v32-37 A future hour An unknown time