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Mark 13:1–13 (ESV)
1 And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” 2 And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”
3 And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” 5 And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray. 6 Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. 7 And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, 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. These are but the beginning of the birth pains. 9 “But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. 10 And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. 11 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. 12 And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. 13 And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
Have you ever tried to describe something new to someone and didn’t have a picture or a video to help in your explanation (that’s what we used to do before the advent of cell phones)? So where do you begin? Generally, we start to tell the person what it’s “like.” It’s just like surfing but on a lake (wakesurfing), it’s like a bird flying, but it’s big and the “wings” don’t flap (a plane), it’s like volleyball and foursquare, but the net is on the ground (Spikeball). It’s like this…, but it’s totally different.
That is what’s happening here as Jesus begins to describe to the disciples what the future holds for the Temple and His disciples. Please keep in mind that this passage is part of a larger section that covers verses 1-37. You may want to read the whole section to get the big picture. As you do, please keep in mind that the larger passage, while at times touching on the future, is primarily about the Temple in Jerusalem and how Jesus’ disciples will be viewed in the time leading up to the destruction of the Temple.
Jesus has been in conflict with the religious leaders in several ways throughout Mark’s Gospel, not the least of which has been His implication that He, not the Temple, was the center of God’s healing and reconciliation. That was a huge claim. Remember that for centuries, the Temple has been the center of Jewish worship. At the Temple, you made sacrifices to atone for your sin. At the Temple, people gathered to worship and pray for God’s deliverance for the nation. The Temple was where you encountered the Lord Almighty because that is where God dwelt.
Now, Jesus has said something different. The Temple is not the center of God’s restorative work anymore. It’s Him (Jesus). Now the Temple is under judgment. Jesus warned His disciples that the Temple, as big and beautiful as it is, would come crashing down (and it did in 70 A.D.).
So naturally, the disciples are curious and want to know when this will all happen, and they ask Jesus to speak about this more. Jesus goes on to describe some of the things that the disciples can expect.
As Jesus describes what it will be like, don’t miss the point that Christians are not exempt from terrible times. Christians will go through them with everyone else. There will be wars and rumors of wars, natural disasters, lawlessness, false prophets claiming to be the Christ will lead many people astray, Christians will face persecution, and in some cases, will be handed over by family and friends, some will be put to death, and all will be hated because they claim the name of Jesus.
But Jesus says, be calm, hold on, be faithful, and be my witnesses.
Jesus chose to describe all this as the beginning of birth pains. I’m thinking about the moment that my kids were born, and the delight that I had as this new life entered the world and my life. It was a great and wondrous moment. So I’m thinking if Jesus describes all that is about to unfold as the beginning of birth pains, something good is coming; new and wondrous life is entering into the world through Him. We know it does in the future if we take in the whole counsel of scripture and consider the wedding feast of the Lamb in Revelation 19.
However, we also know a taste of the feast now on this side of the cross, that something good has already come—just not all of it yet. Jesus took all the weight of our sin and judgment upon Himself, and we have new life through Him. But it’s more than just new life. When we entrust our lives to Jesus, we have a new status as sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty, and we share in Jesus’ victory over death itself.
The times that we live in now are troubling. But play with me for a moment. Do you remember just a few years ago, with the pandemic and disunity that our country was experiencing at that time (2020-21)? Our troubles and difficulties can feel like a raging storm on the sea, and every day the news we hear paints a picture for most of a pot boiling over. But don’t be troubled. The calling Jesus gave to the disciples is our calling today; hold on to Jesus, trust Him with everything, for you have that hope, that new life, and the great privilege and honor of sharing the joy, love, mercy, and forgiveness that are found in Christ alone.
God bless you, and know that you are constantly in my prayers!
Scott
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