Mark 13:15 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Let the one who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything out,

NIV: Let no one on the housetop go down or enter the house to take anything out.

NASB: Whoever is on the housetop must not go down, nor go in to get anything out of his house.

CSB: A man on the housetop must not come down or go in to get anything out of his house,

NLT: A person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack.

KJV: And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house:

NKJV: Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house.

Jesus is prophesying about the events during the second half of the tribulation. When the Antichrist erects a statue in the temple and demands to be worshiped as a god, the Jews will have almost no time to flee their homes to hide in the mountains.

This warning was partially fulfilled during the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 when the Roman army destroyed Jerusalem and the Jews fled in the great Diaspora. Houses in Israel typically included a flat roof covered in rushes where those in the house would pray, socialize, or even sleep. It was on such a roof that Peter had a vision through which he learned Jesus had sanctified all food to eat and that the gospel was to be preached to the Gentiles, too (Acts 10:9–48). The rooftops were accessible through an exterior stairway. The suddenness described here implies Jews will not even have time to race down the stairs and duck into their homes to gather food or a staff.

But the prophecy can't mean just the AD 70 event. Jesus establishes that at this moment He does not know when He will return: He does not know the timing of the end of the tribulation (Mark 13:32). It follows that He does not know the mid-point of the tribulation, when the Jews will have to flee. This makes Him concerned that it will happen in winter, when the rainy season will swell the streams and the mountains may see snow (Mark 13:18).

Unlike the second coming, there's no indication that the timing of the destruction of the temple is hidden from Jesus. In fact, the end of the siege and the fall of Jerusalem occurred in late August to early September. Jesus' prophecy has hints of AD 70, but it will not be completely fulfilled until the tribulation. At that time, the inhabitants of Jerusalem and across Judea won't have time to gather money, IDs, or passports. They will be lucky to escape with their lives.

Mark 13:14–23 describes Peter, James, John, and Andrew asking Jesus for the signs that the temple will be destroyed and He will return to establish His kingdom (Matthew 24:3). Jesus has explained that wars, natural disasters, false teaching, and persecution will increase (Mark 13:5–13). Now He speaks of the second half of the end-times tribulation. It will start with the Antichrist erecting the abomination of desolation in the temple and end right before war and natural and supernatural disasters would cause worldwide extinction. Matthew talks a bit more about false prophets in Matthew 24:15–28 while Luke gives a shortened version in Luke 21:20–24.

Days before the crucifixion, the disciples praise the glory of the temple. When Jesus tells them the temple will be destroyed, they ask for signs of that coming destruction and of His return (Matthew 24:3). Jesus answers their second question with information crucial for believers in the end times, and any time. Tribulation Christians will face horrifying hardships and violence, as may believers of any era, but they must remember that the hardships will not last. Jesus will return so quickly, any attempt to live by the world's rules will be futile.

The prior chapter contained several parables and Jesus' answer to assorted questions. In this section, Jesus turns His teaching towards the disciples. He explains concepts related to the end times: the still-future period when God will complete His plan for judgment on sin. Those details include a prophecy about the impending destruction of the temple. The final chapters of Mark then describe events up to and after the crucifixion of Jesus at the hands of His enemies.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.