Mark 13 Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Mark 13:1-8

1 As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!’

2 ‘Do you see all these great buildings?’ replied Jesus. ‘Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.’

3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 ‘Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?’

5 Jesus said to them: ‘Watch out that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come in my name, claiming, “I am he,” and will deceive many. 7 When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth-pains.

A. Find Out:

1. What building did the disciples comment upon? v.1
2. What did Jesus say would happen to them? v.2
3. What 2 things did the disciples ask? v.4
4. What did Jesus say they must watch out for? v.5
5. List the things Jesus said would yet happen? v.6-8
6. What did he say they were? v.8c

B. Think:

1. What attitude of one of the disciples was it that prompted Jesus to prophesy?
2. What further attitudes prompted him to speak about the end times?
3. But how did Jesus view all these things?

C. Comment:

As they leave the temple one of the disciples comments on the grandeur of the buildings; he is obviously somewhat overawed by the majesty of these man-made structures. Jesus basically says, “Don’t get excited about these, they won’t be here very long”. In AD70 the temple was destroyed by the Romans! It is very easy to get swept up with grandeur but the kingdom of God isn’t about that.

As they are sitting, looking across the valley and seeing the temple buildings, curiosity prompts them to raise the subject again. We often feel we need to know what the future holds. In his reply Jesus says, first of all, just make sure you are not deceived by future events. Things will happen which might lead you to believe wrongly. Don’t! Impostors will come. Don’t believe them! You’ll hear of strife, uprisings, natural disasters, lots of unsettling things, but never the less, don’t be deceived, this is not the end!

Those things are like the labour pains of a woman before childbirth. They are merely the signs of something greater to come. It is what will follow that should excite us, which is the hope of Jesus return.

D. Application?

1. Praise God that the future is in His hands (read Rev 5:1-5, 6:1 etc.)
2. Ask the Lord to settle your heart about future things that you may rest in Him over them.

Passage: Mark 13:9-13

9 ‘You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. 10 And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. 11 Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

12 ‘Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 13 Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

A. Find Out:    

1. What does Jesus say will first happen to them? v.9a
2. What does he say they will be? v.9b
3. Where will the Gospel be preached? v.10
4. Who will enable them to speak? v.11
5. What will happen to families? v.12
6. Why will men hate his disciples? v.13

B. Think:

1. What things does Jesus say will happen to his followers?
2. Look up the following to balance the picture: Romans 8:38,39 / John 14:12 / Matthew 13:11
3. How and when does Jesus promise help?

C. Comment:

At first sight this is not a very encouraging passage, but it is better to be forewarned and prepare than be caught off guard when things don’t turn out as we might prefer! Now this was spoken specifically to the apostles but it has had much wider application through the centuries and probably in the days to come. First Jesus promises them opposition but in the midst of that they will be his witnesses. There is a positive side to every negative in the Christian life. Jesus then gives two more positive pointers, first that the Gospel will go world-wide, and second that His Holy Spirit will be there to help them speak in every situation.

In the last days, Jesus says, families will be divided either because of the Gospel (see Matthew 10:34 -36), or simply because there is strife in them. Yes there will be opposition for Jesus’ followers but that will be in the midst of a world of strife where men are opposing men generally, so it’s better to be opposed for the most worthwhile cause! It is important that when we see negatives in the Christian life, we get them in perspective and in balance.

D. Application?

1. Thank the Lord that if we are going to be opposed by others, it will be for THE best cause in the world!
2. Thank Him for the truth of Rom 8:38,39.

Passage: Mark 13:14-20

14 ‘When you see “the abomination that causes desolation” standing where it does not belong – let the reader understand – then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15 Let no one on the housetop go down or enter the house to take anything out. 16 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 17 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 18 Pray that this will not take place in winter, 19 because those will be days of distress unequalled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now – and never to be equalled again. 20 ‘If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them.

A. Find Out:

1. What, says Jesus, will be set up where? v.14a
2. What should the people of Judah do then? v.14b
3. What must people not do? v.15,16
4. When should we pray for it to happen? v.18
5. How bad would the trouble be? v.19
6. Why has the Lord shortened these days? v.20

B. Think:

1. How would you summarise the events that Jesus is describing?
2. What indication is there of the Lord in it all?
3. Why should Jesus be saying these things?

C. Comment:

In Daniel 9:27 we read of an “abomination” set up in the temple in Jerusalem . History says that that might have happened about 150 years before Jesus, that perhaps it was repeated at the fall of Jerusalem in AD70, but whether any of the accompanying events described have happened is unlikely. It may yet have to be fulfilled. Whatever the truth of this, what is clear is that Jesus was warning of a coming holocaust of gigantic proportions that would affect Jerusalem and Judea . Described as unique days of distress, the picture is quite horrific.

The question that comes to mind is “Couldn’t God stop such a thing happening?” The answer is clearly yes, but the Lord allows such things as acts of judgement, never harshly but after careful consideration and after constant warnings (see the studies on Jeremiah in this series). The Lord is obviously overseeing it all because He will limit the length of this time for the sake of His chosen ones who will have to pass through it (like Jeremiah did at the time of the exile). We must remember that God is sovereign in power and wisdom, and His ways are perfect (Psalm 18:30 ).

D. Application?

1. Thank the Lord that His grace is sufficient for us even in the midst of turmoil!
2. Commit your way into His hands (Psa 37:5,6)

Passage: Mark 13:21-27

21 At that time if anyone says to you, “Look, here is the Messiah!” or, “Look, there he is!” do not believe it. 22 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 23 So be on your guard; I have told you everything in advance.

24 ‘But in those days, following that distress,

‘“the sun will be darkened,
    and the moon will not give its light;
25 the stars will fall from the sky,
    and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.”

26 ‘At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens. 28 ‘Now learn this lesson from the fig-tree: as soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.

A. Find Out:

1. What will false prophets do? v.22
2. With what purpose? v.22
3. When will sun and moon change? v.24
4. When will the Son of Man come? v.26a
5. How will he be seen? v.26b
6. Why will he send his angels out? v.27

B. Think:

1. What abilities does the enemy clearly have?
2. What is his aim?
3. How are we to overcome that?

C. Comment:

Jesus continues speaking about the times to come. He has, you may remember, just spoken about an unparalleled time of distress. Now, he says, if men say they are the returned Christ, don’t believe them! I will return in the clouds so everyone will see me! Such a time will be a time of DECEPTION when men will come who are not God’s prophets but who nevertheless have miraculous powers from the enemy, Satan.

Jesus warns us not to believe people merely because they have miraculous power, but only when they speak the truth of the gospel, as laid down in Scripture, and live lives of holiness. Following that time will come universal upheaval which, if it is meant literally, means darkening the whole earth. If it is meant figuratively, it means spiritual darkness, an equally grim time! Then, and only then, will Jesus return in glorious splendour to take his people to himself.

Note that God’s people will still be on the earth after the tribulation mentioned previously. There is no reference to them being taken before, but remember, these times are in God’s hands and His grace is still sufficient for His people for such a time – whenever it is! Again, we need to remember, however hard times get God’s grace is big enough to match them!

D. Application?

1. Ask the Lord to give you wisdom and insight to overcome deception.
2. Thank Him again that HE is overseeing all history.

Passage: Mark 13:28-37

28 ‘Now learn this lesson from the fig-tree: as soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 29 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it[s] is near, right at the door. 30 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

32 ‘But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. 34 It’s like a man going away: he leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

35 ‘Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back – whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the cock crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: “Watch!”’

A. Find Out:

1. When did they naturally know Summer was near? v.28
2. When will we know that the end is near? v.29
3. Who also knows when the end will be? v.32
4. What are we therefore commanded to be? v.33
5. To whom does Jesus liken us? v.34
6. What does he therefore warn against? v.35,36

B. Think:

1. What is the key point being made by Jesus here?
2. What is to be our attitude towards “future” things?
3. What is to be our attitude towards daily living?

C. Comment:

We come to Jesus closing words about the end times that he speaks for our encouragement AND challenge. In these verses Jesus first says that in the same way that we observe natural events and draw conclusions, so we should watch out for the events he has been speaking about and conclude that the end is coming shortly afterwards.

When that exact end will be, he says, only the Father knows, so people predicting Jesus’ return are foolish and should be ignored. According to Jesus we should simply get on with what he has given us to do, alert to his presence always, ready for his return. It is a call primarily to stick with what we’ve been given to do and leave His return, which is guaranteed, to Him!

“This generation” that he speaks about, probably would be better taken to mean all those of the church age, i.e. after his first coming. If that application is used then it makes a more sensible rendering, “Christians will not disappear from the earth until I return again”, i.e. don’t worry about the church being wiped out, it won’t be. Instead of seeing these verses as “gloom and doom”, let us therefore see them as verses of hope and assurance that Jesus speaks to bring us much encouragement!

D. Application?

1. Thank the Lord that He IS going to return.
2. Ask the Lord to help you persevere in faith with all He’s given you to do in your life.