Year 2, Week 37, Day 3 Bible Reading Observations

Year 2, Week 37, Day 3

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of Mark 13.

Today’s reading is parallel to yesterday’s reading from Luke 21, and along with tomorrow’s reading from Matthew 24-25, today’s reading from Mark 13, provides many insights into the destruction of the temple, the suffering and persecution of the disciples, the need for the worldwide proclamation of the gospel, and the return of Jesus. All of these topics covered by Jesus are connected to the call for vigilance on the part of the disciples: “But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand” (Mark 13:23). And while Jesus has outlined things that His disciples need to know concerning future events, He has not provided specific times: “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come” (Mark 13:32-33). But Jesus not only unfolds broad descriptions about future happenings, He also seeks to sustain His disciples with assurance of the sustaining, empowering presence of the Holy Spirit: “And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit” (Mark 13:11). As the persecution that His disciples would face increases, Jesus wants His followers to rely upon the Spirit and not themselves. Jesus did not minimize either the difficulties that His disciples would face nor the responsibilities they were called to pursue: “And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Mark 13:13). But He did promise the Spirit’s presence.

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading was Jesus’ indicator as to when He would return: “And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations” (Mark 13:10). Matthew’s Gospel account adds just a bit more: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). Luke does not record any specific reference connecting the end with the proclaiming of the Gospel. The context of this whole conversation occurs as Jesus and His disciples pass by the Temple area as they are heading to the Mount of Olives. As the disciples point to the magnificence of the Temple, Jesus shocks them as He states that the Temple would be destroyed. Such jarring news prompted further inquiry: “And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” (Mark 13:3-4). The disciples ask Jesus a question that has two parts. When will these things occur and what will be the sign indicating these things are about to be accomplished? Jesus gives a lengthy answer.

Concerning the first part of their question, which pertained to a request for a sign, Jesus warns that if they seek after signs, they will open themselves up to being led astray: “See that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name, saying, I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains” (Mark 13:5b-8). The disciples needed to forget about looking for signs; they needed to watch out for themselves so that they might endure in their confession that Jesus is the Christ: "But be on your guard…the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Mark 13:9a,13b). Jesus redirects His disciples from worrying about and watching for signs to working on the witness they will bear concerning Christ in the midst of severe persecution: “But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness” (Luke 21:12-13). The period from the time Jesus is talking to His disciples until the end would be a time for focusing on testifying about Jesus. As Mark reports of the promise of the Holy Spirit to aid them in their work of testifying, Luke adds: “for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict” (Luke 21:15).

It is in the context of the disciples asking for a sign so as to better grasp the timing of the end, that Jesus describes the importance of bearing witness about Him through the proclamation of the Gospel. The timing of the end is not so much to be figured out by looking for signs. The timing of the end is to be associated with the completion of the task with which the disciples would soon be commissioned: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20a). The work before the church today is not to decipher the mystery surrounding the hour of Jesus’ return, but to bear witness of Christ to, “every tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9b). As Jesus will state after His resurrection and just prior to His ascension: “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:7-8). A global witness precedes Christ’s return.

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe