90 Day Bible Reading Plan Devotional Day 18

Mark Chapter 13

1. The Destruction of the Temple Predicted. Verses 1-2. Mt 24:1-2; Lu 5:6.

2. The Questions of the Disciples. Verses 3-4. Mt 24:3; Lu 21:7.

3. The Olivet Discourse. Verses 5-37. Mt 24:4-42; Lu 21:8-38.

1. The Destruction of the Temple Predicted. Verses 1-2. He went out of the temple for the last time, when one of His disciples called attention to the temple buildings. They were of the most massive construction, some of them still in process of erection. He predicted complete destruction, which was fulfilled later in the year 70. The destruction of Jerusalem is more fully foretold in Lu 21:20-24.

2. The Questions of the Disciples. Verses 3-4. Mark gives us their names, which are omitted by Matthew and Luke. What follows is the answer.

3. The Olivet Discourse. Verses 5-37. Mark's report is the briefest, Matthew's the longest. omitted in Mark are the parables, which have special reference to the Christian profession (Mt 25) and the judgment of living nations (chapter 25:31-46). These belong in Matthew, but would be out of keeping with the purpose of the Gospel of Mark. The Service of our Lord, as we have seen, is in the foreground. The three characteristic discourses in Matthew nowhere else reported in full are: 1. The Sermon on the mount, which is the Proclamation of the King. 2. The Parable Discourse in Mt 13, the mysteries of the Kingdom. 3. The Olivet Discourse, Mt 24-25, the future of the Kingdom. But why should there be anything at all in the Gospel of Mark about the future things, such as the end of the age and His Return in Glory, if only the Servant is described? it will be seen that the predictions are in part at least in view of their service. He forewarned them as His servants of what was to come after His departure.

It is not the purpose of this annotated analysis to give an exposition of this discourse. We must ask the reader to turn to our commentary on Matthew. We give here a subdivision of the discourse as contained in Mark: 1) The characteristics of the present age and the end of the age. Verses 5-13. 2) The abomination of desolation or the great tribulation which precedes the Second Coming of Christ. Verses 14-23. 3) The visible manifestation of Christ. He will come again in clouds as Son of Man not as an humble Servant but as the King of Glory. The regathering of the elect Israel then takes place. Verses 24-27. 4) The Signs of His Coming. The budding fig tree is Israel awakening to new national life. Verses 28-33. Note that in verse 32 "neither the Son" is added. This statement of our Lord that even He the Son does not know the hour of His return has been used to deny His Deity. All kinds of theories have been invented to explain it. It is explained by the Lord having taken the place of humiliation as a Servant for "the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth." This is why the statement appears only in Mark. It does not affect the truth of His Person. 5) The solemn exhortation to watch. It behooves the servants to watch during the absence of the Lord.

Arno C Gabelien, The Annotated Bible