Mark 13

Temple Destruction and Other Signs// Matthew 24:1–8; Luke 21:5–9

¹As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, look at the magnificent stones and buildings!”

²“Do you see all these great buildings?” Jesus replied. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

• MK 13:2[PROPHECY]Not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down (regarding the Temple) → HISTORY: Rome burned the temple in AD 70 and tore the city down. Recorded by Josephus. Fallen Temple Mount stones lie below the Western Wall.

³While Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, ⁴“Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to be fulfilled?”

⁵Jesus began by telling them, “See to it that no one deceives you. ⁶Many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many. ⁷When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come. ⁸Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, as well as famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.

• MK 13:5[PROPHECY]Many would come claiming to be the Christ and deceive many → HISTORY: Theudas about AD 45 and the Egyptian in the AD 50s led crowds astray. Recorded by Josephus. Bar Kokhba was hailed as Messiah in AD 132.MEDIUM
• MK 13:7[PROPHECY]Wars, nations rising against nations, famines, and earthquakes would be the beginning of birth pains → STILL TO COMEMEDIUM

Witnessing to All Nations// Matthew 24:9–14; Luke 21:10–19

⁹So be on your guard. You will be delivered over to the councils and beaten in the synagogues. On My account you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. ¹⁰And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all the nations. ¹¹But when they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand what to say. Instead, speak whatever you are given at that time, for it will not be you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

• MK 13:9[PROPHECY]They will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake → HISTORY: Nero killed Christians in AD 64, and Diocletian's persecution ran AD 303 to 311. Recorded by Tacitus and Eusebius.
• MK 13:10[PROPHECY]This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations → HISTORY: By 2025 over 99 percent of people could reach at least some Scripture in their language. Reported by Wycliffe Global Alliance.

¹²Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. ¹³You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.

The Abomination of Desolation// Matthew 24:15–25; Luke 21:20–24

¹⁴So when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ¹⁵Let no one on the housetop go back inside to retrieve anything from his house. ¹⁶And let no one in the field return for his cloak.

• MK 13:14[PROPHECY]When you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place... then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world → STILL TO COMEMEDIUM
• MK 13:14[DEMONIC]Jesus warns of the abomination of desolation where it should not be
• MK 13:14[ALLUDES TO]Refers to ← DAN 9:27; 11:31

¹⁷How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers! ¹⁸Pray that this will not occur in the winter. ¹⁹For those will be days of tribulation unseen from the beginning of God’s creation until now, and never to be seen again. ²⁰If the Lord had not cut short those days, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom He has chosen, He has cut them short.

²¹At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There He is!’ do not believe it. ²²For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive even the elect, if that were possible. ²³So be on your guard; I have told you everything in advance.

The Return of the Son of Man// Matthew 24:26–31; Luke 21:25–28

²⁴But in those days, after that tribulation:

‘The sun will be darkened,

and the moon will not give its light;

• MK 13:24[PROPHECY]Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven... they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds → STILL TO COME
• MK 13:24[ALLUDES TO]Refers to ← IS 13:10; 34:4

²⁵the stars will fall from the sky,

and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’

²⁶At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. ²⁷And He will send out the angels to gather His elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

• MK 13:26[ALLUDES TO]Refers to ← DAN 7:13

The Lesson of the Fig Tree// Matthew 24:32–35; Luke 21:29–33

²⁸Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near. ²⁹So also, when you see these things happening, know that He is near, right at the door. ³⁰Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened. ³¹Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.

• MK 13:28[PROPHECY]When you see these things happening, know that He is near, right at the door → STILL TO COMEMEDIUM

Readiness at Any Hour// Matthew 24:36–51; Luke 12:35–48

³²No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. ³³Be on your guard and stay alert! For you do not know when the appointed time will come.

• MK 13:32[PROPHECY]No one knows the day or hour, so keep watch → STILL TO COME

³⁴It is like a man going on a journey who left his house, put each servant in charge of his own task, and instructed the doorkeeper to keep watch. ³⁵Therefore keep watch, because you do not know when the master of the house will return—whether in the evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or in the morning. ³⁶Otherwise, he may arrive without notice and find you sleeping. ³⁷And what I say to you, I say to everyone: Keep watch!”