Lesson Eighteen

The Son of Man Returning

Mark 13

Knowing the Scriptures

Studies in the Gospel of Mark

LAST WEEK IN REVIEW

In Mark 12 we saw the Son of Man being tested, sort of a trial before His actual trial later in the Passion Week.  First, Jesus told the parable of the vineyard, which ties in with the events of Mark 11.  In this parable He showed the evil of the religious leaders’ real motives, and it made clear that they were rejecting the very cornerstone on which they could either fall and be broken, or let it fall on them and smash them into the dust.  The various political and religious groups spent the rest of that day trying to trap Jesus by their testing of Him; from the heavenly perspective they were the ones being tested!  The Herodians sought to trip Jesus up over the issue of paying taxes to Rome and the Sadducees tried to get Him to stumble over the issues of the resurrection and eternal life. Lastly, the Pharisees and scribes tried to corner Him on issues regarding the Law and the most important commandment. Rather than stumbling Jesus, this test actually turned a scribe toward Him.  All of their efforts to trap Him were frustrated.  Jesus then took His turn to question them and observe.  Jesus clarified who the Messiah really was: not just a conqueror in the line of David, but actually David’s Lord, superior to him.  Jesus also spent some time observing how people were giving to the work of the temple, and saw an old woman contributing her last bits of money, small amount though it was.  Jesus praised this woman, and her example still speaks to us today, having been recorded in Mark’s Gospel for all time.

This week we come to what some call the Olivet Discourse, Jesus’ teaching on the events coming shortly as well as at the end of history as we know it.  This is the longest and most difficult discourse of Jesus recorded by Mark.[i] Although we won’t be able to answer concretely what these events are and when exactly they will happen, there is a repeated theme in this discourse we must take into account:  Watch!  Be ready and on guard!  We will attempt to discern the meaning of Jesus’ teachings here, but we must realize that all Bible prophecy seems to reflect both a near and a more distant meaning[ii], and sometimes it is difficult to tell them apart until we get closer to the events.  Similarly, we observe mountains in the distance that appear joined together, but as we get closer to them we see they are several distinct peaks.  So let’s turn to this chapter and see the Son of Man Returning, and learn what our responsibility is in the meantime.

DAY ONE:  Two-fold Prophecies

Please carefully read Mark 13:1–8 and answer the following questions.

1.  Jesus and the disciples were probably heading out of Jerusalem for the night after the events of Mark 12, making it probably Wednesday night of the Passion Week.[iii]  What did the disciples observe, and what was Jesus’ shocking statement about it (vv. 1, 2)?

Sidelight: Herod’s Temple

The Jerusalem temple wasn’t fully completed until a.d. 63-64.  It was built by the Herods to win the Jew’s favor and of course to create a monument to themselves! It was an architectural wonder of the ancient world and was built with large white stones, polished and generously decorated with gold, covering about 1/6 of the land area of old Jerusalem. To the Jews nothing was as magnificent and formidable as their temple.  Jesus predicted its destruction, saying “Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down” (Mark 13:2 nkjv). His words proved true when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in a.d. 70. Excavations in the area adjacent to the west side of the Temple Mount have revealed graphic evidence of this event. Tons of limestone blocks were discovered lying in the street where they were thrown by the Roman soldiers when they razed the temple.  These stones measured twenty-four feet in length by six feet in thickness. However, both at the southeastern and southwestern corners, stones have been found measuring from twenty to forty feet long, and weighing above one hundred tons![iv]

2.  What happened after this shocking statement, and what was the opening statement of Jesus’ response (vv. 3–5)?

3.  We can’t see as easily in Mark’s record of the disciples’ question, but it really is a two-fold question: (1) When will these things (destruction of the temple and other future events) happen, and (2) What will be the sign that they (literally, “these things”) are all about to be fulfilled? The verb fulfilled (Greek, “be accomplished”) means the final end of the age.[v] The disciples’ questions also revealed that their understanding of prophecy was still confused. They thought that the destruction of the temple coincided with the end of the age and the return of Jesus.[vi] How do Matthew 24:3 and Luke 21:7 clarify what the disciples asked?

4.  Warren Wiersbe well pointed out that we need to remember four things as we study this discourse:  Look at it in the light of the rest of Scripture; see the practical application of the discourse (we’ll discuss this more later); keep in mind the Jewish atmosphere of the things Jesus spoke of; and remember that this chapter describes a period of time known as “the Tribulation” which the Old Testament prophets wrote about, calling it “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7), a time of wrath (Zephaniah  1:15–18), and a time of indignation and punishment (Isaiah 26:20, 21).[vii]   What were some of the things Jesus warned His followers not to be deceived about (vv. 6–8)?

Scripture Memory:  This week we will be memorizing Mark 13:33–35a.  Review the passage several times throughout the day each day this week, and by the end of the week, you should have it memorized completely.

“Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.  It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch.  Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming.” (Mark 13:33–35a, nkjv)