Mark 13:36 - Printer Friendly

ESV: lest he come suddenly and find you asleep.

NIV: If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping.

NASB: so that he does not come suddenly and find you asleep.

CSB: Otherwise, when he comes suddenly he might find you sleeping.

NLT: Don’t let him find you sleeping when he arrives without warning.

KJV: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

NKJV: lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping.

Jesus' short parable of the absentee master is a warning to Christ-followers in the tribulation. They need to remember His words and recognize when He will return. Luke's account suggests an intriguing interpretation. He says, "But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man" (Luke 21:36).

In the Bible, to be "awake" is a euphemism for being alive, while being "asleep" means to be dead (Matthew 27:52; John 11:11; 1 Corinthians 15:51). Jesus doesn't just want His followers in the tribulation to be aware, He wants them to use that awareness to stay alive.

During the tribulation, many, many Christ-followers will be hunted and killed by the Antichrist (Revelation 13:7; 17:6). But Jesus explains that they should still try to survive. In fact, they should pray for favorable conditions (Mark 13:18). He tells them to be aware of false teachers (Mark 13:5), run from impending violence (Mark 13:14), and keep a clear head (Mark 13:35). He also promises that the tribulation will not last long. If the tribulation saints can remember Jesus' words, they will have a better chance of being "awake" when He returns.

Prayer to God can feel like a paradox. He knows everything that will happen (1 John 3:20), and yet we are still commanded to tell Him our needs and worries (1 Peter 5:7). Asking and listening to God's reply is part of the process of having our needs met. When we keep our eyes on Him, we are better able to see when He opens His hand to provide for us.

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.