Mark 13:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak.

NIV: Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak.

NASB: And whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak.

CSB: and a man in the field must not go back to get his coat.

NLT: A person out in the field must not return even to get a coat.

KJV: And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment.

NKJV: And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes.

Jesus is warning the Jews how urgent the danger will be at the midpoint of the tribulation. The Antichrist will fully reveal that he is the enemy of Israel, not its peace-broker (Daniel 9:27; Revelation 12:6, 13–17). He will build a statue for the world to worship (Daniel 9:27; 12:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:4; Revelation 13:15) and defile Jerusalem in a manner similar to Antiochus Epiphanes who sacrificed a pig to Zeus in God's temple. When this happens, Jews will barely have enough time to flee the city. Some see at least a partial fulfillment of this in the tragic events of 70 AD, when Jerusalem was sacked and the temple destroyed.

In Bible times, the cloak, the robe that is worn over the clothes, is a necessary accessory. The Mosaic law specifically states that if a man borrows money and leaves his cloak as collateral, the lender is required to return the cloak at the end of the day because it may be the man's only protection from the cold (Exodus 22:26–27). During the day, working in the fields, a cloak might not be necessary so it was left at the corner of the field. At night, fleeing to the hills, it certainly would be. And yet the coming danger is such that even the threat of cold nights is no comparison; there won't even be time to go to the corner of the field before the people need to go.

If the times of the tribulation are more like the modern day than Jesus' era, we can extrapolate what it might mean to those who live through it: Do not go back for your phone chargers. Leave your pets. Do not go home to pack food or get extra insulin or heart medication. There is no time to grab passports or birth certificates. Just run.

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.