Mark 13.1-37 will tell us about Yeshua’s predictions about the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem and the overall calamity for Judea. He will also give us an eschatological picture of the birth pains.
v 1…And as he was going out of the Temple, one of his talmidim said to him, “Teacher, behold (see) what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings (their size, architecture, beauty and strength-six days of battering rams by the Romans made no impression on the walls according to Josephus, Wars of the Jews, Book 6, Chapter 4.1).
v 2…And Yeshua said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another which will not be torn down (first predicted in 1 Kings 9.7-9; Psa 79.1; Isa 64.11).”
v 3…And as he was sitting on the mount of Olives (very significant that his teachings about the birth pains were done here; the olive tree is a type of Israel and the first press of olives were best; priests were anointed with olive oil and it was used in the Temple; Messiah means “anointed one” leading people out of darkness; to get the fruit from the olive tree it must be shaken violently and some branches break; they can be re-grafted back in and be stronger; Paul’s olive tree theology speaks of this) opposite the Temple (near where the Parah Adumah, or Red Heifer, was slain), Peter and James and John and Andrew (first chosen by Yeshua) were questioning him privately,
v 4…Tell us, when will these things be (the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem), and what shall be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled (given meaning; the destruction of the Temple and the tearing down of the stones; they expected some manifestation to occur to announce all this; the Jewish historian Josephus was an eyewitness to this destruction and said in his writings on the Jewish war that there were seven signs-Wars, Book 6, Chapter 5.3-4, Whiston Edition).”
v 5…And Yeshua began to say to them, “See to it that no one misleads you (delude or deceive).
v 6…Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am (Messiah-Matt 24.5; Luke 21.8)’ and will mislead many (some will claim they are the Messiah and claim the time for the kingdom is now-Acts 21.38).
v 7…And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be frightened; those things must take place (man has a fallen nature); but that is not the end (“ha ketz” or the second redemption).
v 8…For nation will rise against nation (race against race repeatedly), and kingdom against kingdom (organized governments); there will be earthquakes in various places (repeatedly); there will be famines (in Judea especially during the reign of Claudius-Acts 11.28) and troubles. These are the beginning of birth pains (the early stages of what is known in Jewish eschatology as the “Chevlai Shell Mashiach” or the birth pains of the Messiah; a general deterioration of things).
v 9…But be on your guard; for they will deliver you up to the courts (Greek “Sanhedrins”) and you will be flogged in synagogues (religious trials) and you will stand before governors and kings (civil trials-Acts 12.1, 26.2) for my sake (on account of me) as a testimony to them.
v 10…And the gospel (Basar) must first be preached to the nations (to all races or ethnic groups-Matt 29.18-20; Mark 16.15; Acts 1.8).
v 11…and when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not be anxious beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour (by the Ruach Ha Kodesh); for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit (Ruach Ha Kodesh).
v 12…And brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.
v 13…And you will be hated by all on account of my name (who they professed), but it is the one who has endured (reproaches and persecutions) to the end (of those troubles; also alludes to the end of the birth-pains) who will be saved (delivered).
v 14…But when you see the abomination of desolation (the bringing of Roman gods on their standards and emblems) spoken by Daniel (this is not in many manuscripts; omitted in the Latin Vulgate, probably borrowed from Matthew) standing where it should not be (into Jerusalem and the Temple) let the reader understand (what Daniel was saying, or when you see the above come to pass), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains (be a fugitive; in the first-century believers fled to Pella in Jordan when the Romans came and before the city was surrounded, 17 miles south of the sea of Galilee, east of the Jordan; during the birth-pains believers will flee from the False Messiah to the Jordan-Moabite wilderness-Rev 12.13-17).
v 15…And let him who is on the housetop not go down to get anything out of his house (you could be trapped and can’t escape);
v 16…and let him who is in the field not turn back (to what is behind) to get his cloak.
v 17…But woe (lamentations await you) to those who are with child (incapable of moving fast; could be left behind) and to those who nurse babes in those days (couldn’t bear to leave the baby behind, but unable to carry them without great difficulty; it would slow them down and cause both to be taken)!
v 18…But pray that it (the fleeing) may not happen in the winter (rainy season when wadis are full and no food in the fields).
v 19…For in those days will be (future) tribulation such as not occurred since the beginning of the creation which God created, until now (meaning nothing could be compared to all of this since creation to the first century; some commentators believe Yeshua is looking from the fullness looking back).
v 20…Unless the Lord (Yehovah) had shortened the days (past tense-had determined in his secret counsels before the world was that these days would be few; this could also allude to the 2520 days only of the birth-pains) no life (flesh) would be saved (delivered); but for the sake of the elect (Israel who had been cut off temporarily-Isa 65.9; Rom 11.28) whom he chose, he shortened the days (determined they would be few in number).
v 21…And if anyone says to you, ‘Behold (see), here is Messiah (he has come here or there)’; or, ‘Behold, there’; do not believe (give no credit to the report),
v 22…for false messiahs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders (Deut 13.1-5), in order, if possible, to lead the elect astray (but it won’t be possible).
v 23…But take heed; behold, I have told you everything in advance (relating to the destruction of the city and the Temple and the nation).
v 24…But in those days, after that tribulation (of the city, Temple, nation), the sun will be darkened (the Shekinah; all symbols of the presence of God will be gone), and the moon will not give its light (Israel is seen as the moon and they will not reflect the light of God),
v 25…and the stars (leaders, teachers, sages) will be falling from heaven (no divine inspiration and they will compile the oral law in written form called the Mishnah; formed Rabbinic Judaism), and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken (in short, Yeshua is referring to the social, religious and civil upheaval using imagery found in the Tanak-Isa 13.10-13; Ezek 32.7-8, etc).
v 26…And then they shall see the sign of the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with great power and glory (in the power of his judgment and vengeance on Israel for neglecting the Torah, rejecting the Messiah and the kingdom of God).
v 27…And then he will send forth the angels (messengers of the Basar) and will gather together his elect (to obtain salvation; the ones chosen from all eternity unto salvation-Eph 1.4; John 1.13; 2 Tim 2.9; Acts 13.48) from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth, to the farthest end of heaven (wherever they are under the sun; this includes the non-Jews).
v 28…Now learn the parable (lesson) from the fig tree (he was on the mount of Olives where fig trees grow; he wants them to draw a lesson from the fig tree and its nature); when its branch has already become tender (as the sap rises), and puts forth its leaves (the sprigs in early spring), you know that the summer is bear (at the door).
v 29…even so (as sure as the natural signs in nature tell you that summer is near; use your logic and deductive skills) you too, when you see these things (v 1-27) happening, recognize (use your logic and deductive skills) that he (Messiah) is near, at the door (the bridegroom is coming-Matt 25.1-13).
v 30…Truly I say to you, this generation (the ones in the first century, “that generation”) will not pass away (off the earth) until all these things take place (which were being predicted by Yeshua about the destruction of the city, Temple, and nation).
v 31…Heaven and earth will pass away (the universe as we know it now will be altered-2 Pet 3.10-13) but my words will not pass away (be altered).
v 32…But of that day or hour (definitely) no one knows (they are to watch and understand as it gets closer; this term alludes to a new moon because no one knows exactly when it will be seen every month, and Rosh Ha Shannah became known as the day no man knows), not even the angels in heaven (know the specifics), nor the Son (in his human nature as the Son of Man, or Bar Enosh of Dan 7.13), but the Father (who has the times and seasons for executing a judgment on a nation like this-this is also a wedding term alluding to the father who will tell his son when to go get his bride).
v 33…Take heed (watch), keep on the alert and pray; for you do not know when the time is (the period or season until you see the signs).
v 34…As a man going away on a journey, upon leaving his house (but returning) and putting his servants in charge (of his house) to each one is assigned his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay on the alert (for the return of the master).
v 35…Therefore, be on the alert (watch) for you do not know when the master of the house is coming (back), whether in the evening, at midnight, at cockcrowing (predawn when the Temple crier sounded) or in the morning,
v 36…lest he come suddenly (unexpectedly) and find you asleep (careless, unaware of what’s happening).
v 37…And what I say to you (Peter, James, John, Andrew-v 3-4) I say to all (the rest of the talmidim, anyone else around, and all his followers who were concerned about these things), ‘Be on the alert (watch)!’ “
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