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Mark 13: Watch and Be Ready

On the Mount of Olives Jesus foretells coming trials and his return in glory, calling his followers to endure faithfully and stay awake and ready.

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Mark 13 (WEB)

1 As he went out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher, see what kind of stones and what kind of buildings!”

2 Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone on another, which will not be thrown down.”

3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately,

4 “Tell us, when will these things be? What is the sign that these things are all about to be fulfilled?”

5 Jesus, answering, began to tell them, “Be careful that no one leads you astray.

6 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and will lead many astray.

7 “When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, don’t be troubled. For those must happen, but the end is not yet.

8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places. There will be famines and troubles. These things are the beginning of birth pains.

9 But watch yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils. You will be beaten in synagogues. You will stand before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them.

10 The Good News must first be preached to all the nations.

11 When they lead you away and deliver you up, don’t be anxious beforehand, or premeditate what you will say, but say whatever will be given you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

12 “Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. Children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death.

13 You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end, the same will be saved.

14 But when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains,

15 and let him who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter in, to take anything out of his house.

16 Let him who is in the field not return back to take his cloak.

17 But woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse babies in those days!

18 Pray that your flight won’t be in the winter.

19 For in those days there will be oppression, such as there has not been the like from the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will be.

20 Unless the Lord had shortened the days, no flesh would have been saved; but for the sake of the chosen ones, whom he picked out, he shortened the days.

21 Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, there!’ don’t believe it.

22 For there will arise false christs and false prophets, and will show signs and wonders, that they may lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones.

23 But you watch. “Behold, I have told you all things beforehand.

24 But in those days, after that oppression, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light,

25 the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken.

26 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.

27 Then he will send out his angels, and will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the sky.

28 “Now from the fig tree, learn this parable. When the branch has now become tender, and produces its leaves, you know that the summer is near;

29 even so you also, when you see these things coming to pass, know that it is near, at the doors.

30 Most certainly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things happen.

31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

32 But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

33 Watch, keep alert, and pray; for you don’t know when the time is.

34 “It is like a man, traveling to another country, having left his house, and given authority to his servants, and to each one his work, and also commanded the doorkeeper to keep watch.

35 Watch therefore, for you don’t know when the lord of the house is coming, whether at evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning;

36 lest coming suddenly he might find you sleeping.

37 What I tell you, I tell all: Watch.”

Summary

As they leave the temple, a disciple marvels at its great stones, and Jesus foretells that not one will be left upon another. On the Mount of Olives, Peter, James, John, and Andrew ask when these things will be. Jesus warns them not to be led astray by false christs, wars, earthquakes, and famines, which are only the beginning of birth pains. His followers will be handed over and hated for his name, yet the gospel must first be preached to all nations, and the Holy Spirit will give them words. He speaks of great tribulation and warns against deceivers, then describes the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory to gather his chosen ones. From the fig tree they are to learn that his coming is near, though no one knows the day or hour but the Father. Again and again he urges them to watch, for the master may return at any time and must not find them sleeping.

Main Characters

  • Jesus — He foretells the temple's fall, coming trials, and his glorious return, calling his followers to endure and stay watchful.
  • Peter, James, John, and Andrew — The disciples who ask Jesus privately when these things will happen and what the sign will be.
  • The Son of Man — Jesus' title for himself as the one who will come in clouds with power and glory to gather his elect.

Key Verse

Mark 13:31 (WEB)

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Lessons Learned

  • The most impressive human structures will pass away, but Jesus' words will never pass away.
  • Faithful followers should expect trials yet trust the Spirit to sustain and speak through them.
  • The gospel must be proclaimed to all nations before the end comes.
  • Because no one knows the day or hour, Jesus calls us to stay awake and ready for his return.
  • Jesus' words outlast everything else. He declares, 'Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away' (Mark 13:31, WEB).
  • Endurance marks the faithful through trials. Jesus says, 'He who endures to the end will be saved' (Mark 13:13, WEB), even amid hatred for his name.
  • The gospel must reach all nations. Jesus says, 'The Good News must first be preached to all the nations' (Mark 13:10, WEB), before the end.
  • The Son of Man will return in glory. They will see 'the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory' to gather his chosen ones (Mark 13:26-27, WEB).
  • We must stay awake, for the hour is unknown. Since no one knows the day or hour, Jesus commands, 'Watch, keep alert, and pray' (Mark 13:32-33, WEB).
  1. What does Jesus foretell about the temple, and what question do the disciples ask in response?
  2. What warnings does Jesus give his followers about deception and persecution?
  3. What does Jesus say must happen among the nations before the end?
  4. How does Jesus describe his return as the Son of Man, and what does he say about the timing?
  5. Where in your own life do you need to stay spiritually awake and ready for the Lord?
  1. Jesus says not one stone of the temple will be left on another (Mark 13:2). On the Mount of Olives the disciples ask when this will be and what sign will mark it (13:3-4), opening his teaching on the end.
  2. He warns of false christs, wars, and disasters that are only the beginning of birth pains, and of being handed over and hated for his name (13:5-13). Yet the Spirit will give them words, and endurance leads to salvation.
  3. Jesus says the gospel must first be preached to all the nations (13:10). God's saving purpose for the world advances even through trials and tribulation.
  4. He describes the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory to gather his elect (13:26-27), yet says no one knows the day or hour but the Father (13:32). So he calls them to watch.
  5. This is a personal application question. Invite members to consider where they have grown drowsy in faith, and encourage watchful, hopeful living. As leader, welcome honest reflection and do not press anyone to share more than they wish.

Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (WEB), the King James Version (KJV), and the American Standard Version (ASV), all of which are in the public domain.