Mark 13:37 - Printer Friendly

The Olivet Discourse begins with Peter, James, John, and Andrew asking Jesus when the temple will fall (Mark 13:3–4) and, "…what will be the sign of [His] coming and of the end of the age?" (Matthew 24:3). For some time, the disciples have expected Jesus, as the Jewish Messiah, to take His rightful place as king over Israel—and they expected to benefit from their association with Him (Mark 10:35–37). In fact, days before, a crowd had escorted Jesus into Jerusalem singing "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!" (Mark 11:9–10).

Jesus has told them that their timeline is incomplete. Three times He's warned them He must die first (Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:33–34). They still can't understand, in part because of the Holy Spirit concealing the truth (Luke 9:45). The disciples have no idea what they are about to witness in the next few days.

Jesus explains that their wait for His return and the end of the age will be even longer than they anticipated. Two thousand years later, the audience for Mark 13 has not yet come. As we sit in the years between Jesus' prophecy and its fulfillment, we must stay awake so we will not be deceived by false prophets (Mark 13:5–6) or frightened by war, natural disasters, or famine (Mark 13:7–8). We must understand Jesus' prophecy to make sure its meaning is available for future generations, and eventually the generation that will need it. And although we may let the promise of coming horror inspire us to preach the gospel and serve in God's kingdom, we must not become obsessed with the end of the world.

Mark finishes his record of Jesus' formal teaching here, although Matthew and John add more (Matthew 25; John 14–17). From here, Jesus and the disciples will go to Bethany one last time (Mark 14:3–9). Then they will celebrate the Passover together (Mark 14:12–31). After a restless few hours praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus will be arrested and the trials will begin (Mark 14:32—15:15).

Mark 13:32–37 continues Jesus talking about the end times by relating the fact that not even He knows when He will return: only God does. This does not mean that Jesus is not God. It merely means that in His incarnate form, the Son has ''emptied himself'' (Philippians 2:7) of God's omniscience and omnipotence. Like a weightlifter who only uses a portion of his strength at times, God incarnate can limit expressing His omnipotence. This is a message for us that we should not believe those who claim to know when Jesus is returning. This warning is also found in Luke 21:34–36 while Matthew gives this warning along with the parable of the ten virgins and the parable of the talents in Matthew 24:42–25:30.

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.