1 And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!
2 And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,
4 Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?
5 And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you:
6 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet.
8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.
9 But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.
10 And the gospel must first be published among all nations.
11 But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.
12 Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.
13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:
15 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:
16 And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment.
17 But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
18 And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter.
19 For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.
20 And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.
21 And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not:
22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
23 But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.
24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.
26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.
28 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near:
29 So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.
30 Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.
31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
34 For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.
35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:
36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
Mark Chapter 13, in the King James Version (KJV) of the Holy Bible, is a profound chapter that presents a prophetic discourse from Jesus Christ about the end times and the signs of His second coming. This chapter is often referred to as the “Little Apocalypse” or the “Olivet Discourse” because Jesus delivered this sermon on the Mount of Olives. It covers the themes of prediction of the destruction of the temple, warnings against deception, the persecution of the disciples, the desolation of abomination, the great tribulation, the coming of the Son of Man, the parable of the fig tree, and the need for watchfulness.
The chapter begins with Jesus predicting the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. His disciples, particularly Peter, James, John, and Andrew, were taken aback by this prophecy, and they asked Him privately about when this would happen and what would be the sign of its fulfillment. This led Jesus to provide a lengthy discourse about the events that would precede His second coming and the end of the age. He warned His disciples to be on their guard against those who would come in His name, claiming to be Him, and deceiving many.
Jesus further warned His disciples about the persecutions they would face for His name's sake. They would be brought before rulers and kings as a testimony against them. However, He comforted them by promising that the Holy Spirit would speak through them during these trials. Jesus also prophesied about the 'abomination of desolation,' a term borrowed from the book of Daniel. This was a prediction of the desecration of the holy temple, a calamitous event that would serve as a sign of the impending end.
Following this, Jesus spoke about a period of 'great tribulation' that would be unparalleled in history. He explained that unless those days were shortened, no life would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days would be shortened. After this period of tribulation, signs would appear in the heavens. The sun would be darkened, the moon would not give its light, and the stars would fall from the sky. Then, the Son of Man, a term Jesus used to refer to Himself, would come in clouds with great power and glory to gather His elect from the ends of the earth.
Jesus then shared the parable of the fig tree to illustrate the recognition of the signs of the times. Just as one can tell that summer is near when the fig tree's branch becomes tender and puts forth leaves, the disciples were to recognize that the end is near when they see the events He described. However, Jesus also admitted that even He, in His earthly form, did not know the day or the hour when these events would take place, only the Father knew. This led to His final exhortation in this chapter for His followers to stay awake and be on constant watch.
Mark Chapter 13 is significant because it presents a comprehensive prophetic discourse from Jesus about the end times. This discourse serves as a guide for believers to understand the signs of the end times and prepare for His second coming. It also reveals Jesus' divine nature, as He prophesies future events with accuracy. The chapter emphasizes the importance of spiritual vigilance and faithfulness to God's word amid tribulation and deception.
In predicting the destruction of the temple, Jesus was not only foretelling a historical event, but also signifying the end of the old religious order and the beginning of a new era of worship not confined to a physical temple. His warnings against deception underscore the importance of discernment and fidelity to the true Christ and His teachings. The prophecy about the disciples' persecution underscores the cost of discipleship and the promise of divine assistance.
The prediction of the 'abomination of desolation' and the 'great tribulation' highlight the severity of the end times. They serve as a call for believers to remain steadfast in their faith despite trials. The coming of the Son of Man signifies the ultimate triumph of God's kingdom, offering hope to believers of their final redemption and gathering into God's kingdom.
The parable of the fig tree teaches the importance of discerning the signs of the times and being prepared for the Lord's return. The exhortation to watchfulness emphasizes the need for spiritual vigilance and readiness at all times, as the exact time of the end is unknown. This uncertainty about the timing of the end is not meant to induce fear, but to encourage constant preparedness and faithfulness.
In conclusion, Mark Chapter 13 is a profound discourse on the end times, providing guidance, warnings, and hope for believers. It underscores the importance of discernment, faithfulness, and spiritual vigilance in the face of trials and the anticipation of the Lord's return. This chapter serves as a reminder that despite the tribulations and uncertainties of life, God's ultimate plan is the redemption and gathering of His elect in His kingdom. Hence, believers are called to live in constant readiness for the coming of the Son of Man, with unwavering faith and commitment to the teachings of Jesus Christ.
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