TEXT [Commentary]

10. The destruction of the Temple and return of the Son of Man (13:1-37; cf. Matt 24:1-36; Luke 21:5-36)

1 As Jesus was leaving the Temple that day, one of his disciples said, “Teacher, look at these magnificent buildings! Look at the impressive stones in the walls.”

2 Jesus replied, “Yes, look at these great buildings. But they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!”

3 Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives across the valley from the Temple. Peter, James, John, and Andrew came to him privately and asked him, 4 “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will show us that these things are about to be fulfilled?”

5 Jesus replied, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, 6 for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’[*] They will deceive many. 7 And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. 8 Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many parts of the world, as well as famines. But this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.

9 “When these things begin to happen, watch out! You will be handed over to the local councils and beaten in the synagogues. You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell them about me.[*] 10 For the Good News must first be preached to all nations.[*] 11 But when you are arrested and stand trial, don’t worry in advance about what to say. Just say what God tells you at that time, for it is not you who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

12 “A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed. 13 And everyone will hate you because you are my followers.[*] But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

14 “The day is coming when you will see the sacrilegious object that causes desecration[*] standing where he[*] should not be.” (Reader, pay attention!) “Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. 15 A person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. 16 A person out in the field must not return even to get a coat. 17 How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. 18 And pray that your flight will not be in winter. 19 For there will be greater anguish in those days than at any time since God created the world. And it will never be so great again. 20 In fact, unless the Lord shortens that time of calamity, not a single person will survive. But for the sake of his chosen ones he has shortened those days.

21 “Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. 22 For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. 23 Watch out! I have warned you about this ahead of time!

24 “At that time, after the anguish of those days,

the sun will be darkened,

the moon will give no light,

25 the stars will fall from the sky,

and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.[*]

26 Then everyone will see the Son of Man[*] coming on the clouds with great power and glory.[*] 27 And he will send out his angels to gather his chosen ones from all over the world[*]—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.

28 “Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. 29 In the same way, when you see all these things taking place, you can know that his return is very near, right at the door. 30 I tell you the truth, this generation[*] will not pass from the scene before all these things take place. 31 Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.

32 “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. 33 And since you don’t know when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert[*]!

34 “The coming of the Son of Man can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. When he left home, he gave each of his slaves instructions about the work they were to do, and he told the gatekeeper to watch for his return. 35 You, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know when the master of the household will return—in the evening, at midnight, before dawn, or at daybreak. 36 Don’t let him find you sleeping when he arrives without warning. 37 I say to you what I say to everyone: Watch for him!”

NOTES

13:1 look at these magnificent buildings! The Temple, which was being enhanced by Herod, was impressive. Josephus said that it looked like a snow-capped mountain rising up in the midst of Jerusalem (Josephus War 5.184-226, esp. 222-223). Stones found there are fifteen meters long and two and a half meters wide; they weighed 420 to 600 tons (Evans 2001:299). It is the temple and its future that triggers the discourse. The temple was destroyed in AD 70, which has led to interpretive debates about what Jesus meant in the whole of the discourse (for this debate and views, see the discussion in the commentary below).

13:2 they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another! The NLT clearly brings out Jesus’ imagery in referring to the building’s being completely demolished. The Gr. reads, “There will not be one stone left on another that will not be thrown down.”

13:3 Mount of Olives. This was often the setting for discussing judgment (Ezek 11:23; 43:2; Zech 14:3-4; Evans 2001:304).

Peter, James, John, and Andrew. Four “inner circle” disciples were part of this discussion, not the usual three (Peter, James, John). The difference gives evidence of careful historical detail and recollection. In Mark, the discussion known as the Olivet discourse is triggered by a private question of some of the key disciples.

13:4 when will all this happen? What sign will show us that these things are about to be fulfilled? The questions recognize that Jesus had predicted an event of great significance for Jerusalem. The Temple would not be destroyed unless God was engaged in a serious work. So they asked about the timing and about whether there would be any special indicator or warning signal, a sign (sēmeion [TG4592, ZG4956]) that these things were about to happen (on this concept, see Exod 3:12; Isa 7:11; 4 Ezra 4:52; Evans 2001:305). In Gr., the questions center twice around “these things” (tauta [TG3778A, ZG4047]; note the plural) happening. Jesus’ reply confirms that his remarks dealt with more than the Temple.

13:5 Don’t let anyone mislead you. The verb planaō [TG4105, ZG4414] means not being deceived or led into error (12:24; Gal 6:7; Rev 2:20). The NLT obscures the verbal idea of “taking heed” (blepete [TG991, ZG1063]). This idea and variations on it also appear in 13:9, 23, 33, 35, and 37.

13:6 claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. The error to avoid is the idea that anyone else could be the Christ. Taylor (1966:503-504) argues that the meaning here is a messianic or quasi-messianic claim.

13:7 you will hear of wars and threats of wars. Another feature of the period will be rampant rumors of war. This is seen in Jewish texts on the end times (1 Enoch 99:4; 2 Baruch 27:5; 4 Ezra 13:31; 15:15; note also Isa 8:21; 13:13; 14:30; 19:2; Jer 23:19; 51:46; Ezek 5:12; Hag 2:6; Zech 14:4; Taylor 1966:505). In other words, this is a prophetic theme. The Temple will be destroyed in a period of chaos.

but the end won’t follow immediately. Jesus said that such chaos would still not indicate the end. This is Mark’s first direct mention of “the end.” The Temple’s destruction suggests that the end was also related to its demise. How that relationship was to work was not yet detailed, except that the events that pointed to the Temple’s destruction would not indicate the end. This remark made it clear that there were many events to come before the return of the Son of Man, which was Jesus’ indirect way to refer to himself.

13:8 will go to war . . . earthquakes . . . famines. Jesus continued to describe a period of intense political and natural chaos.

first of the birth pains, with more to come. Picturing the end as the travail of a woman giving birth (also an OT theme; see Isa 26:17; Jer 4:31; 6:24; 22:23; Hos 13:13; Mic 4:9-10, sometimes about the nations and other times about Israel), Jesus said that these events were but the first part of the delivery of the end times.

13:12 will betray . . . will rebel. Alluding to Mic 7:6, Jesus made it clear that the persecution and division would touch families, as brothers betrayed brothers, fathers turned against children, and children turned against parents. The pain would be great because the conflict would involve those so near. Matthew 10:21 is similar in force. This idea also has parallels in Judaism (1 Enoch 100:1-2; Jubilees 23:19; 4 Ezra 6:24; 3 Baruch 4:17; Evans 2001:312).

13:13 And everyone will hate you because you are my followers. The NLT speaks of allegiance to Jesus; the Gr. says “on account of my name.” The rendering is a good one, as the point is that their association with Jesus will bring their arrest and persecution.

But the one who endures to the end will be saved. This reference to “the end” is not to the final point on the eschatological calendar; it refers to the end of an individual’s journey.

13:14 the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing where he should not be. This is a very explanatory rendering of the Greek: “the abomination of desolation set up where it [the abomination] ought not be.” The language comes from Dan 12:11, and the historical example at the root of the image is Daniel’s prophetic prediction of Antiochus Epiphanes and his desecration of the Temple in 167 BC (see 1 Macc 1:54; 2 Macc 6:2; other passages in Daniel note the theme; Dan 8:13; 9:27; 11:31). What is described is the desecration of the Holy of Holies.

Reader, pay attention! This parenthetical remark calls the reader to appreciate the significance of what is taking place.

Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. The call is to appreciate the danger of this time, when no one should remain in Jerusalem or its environs. All of Judea will be at risk in this time of severe judgment. Hills were regarded as a refuge in the OT (Gen 14:10; Jer 16:16; Ezek 7:16).

13:15 must not go down into the house to pack. The tribulation will be so intense that there will be no time to gather things in an organized withdrawal. The quicker one can get away, the better.

13:16 A person out in the field must not return even to get a coat. Again, the intensity and suddenness of the judgment means there will be no time even to gather a small item.

13:17 How terrible it will be for pregnant women. The tribulation will be so severe that it will be a dreadful time for pregnant women and for mothers with nursing children. What normally is a blessing will become a bad situation. This is noted in Jewish texts (4 Ezra 16:40-46) and in the OT as a problem at times of judgment (Jer 44:7; Lam 2:11; 4:4). The expression “how terrible” renders the force of the Gr. idea of “woe” that Jesus pronounces here for those who are pregnant at this time. It is a lament over their suffering.

13:18 And pray that your flight will not be in winter. If the time to flee comes in winter, then the escape will be even more difficult. Everything that Jesus said here pointed to the terribly difficult nature of the time. In winter, streams would swell from the rain, making movement next to impossible (Lane 1974:470).

13:19 For there will be greater anguish in those days than at any time since God created the world. And it will never be so great again. The “tribulation” of these days will be unprecedented. It will be necessary to flee, but this may be difficult. There has never been a time like it nor will there be in the future. The key term is thlipsis [TG2347, ZG2568], referring to a time of disturbance (Rev 1:9; 7:14). The description points to the decisive time of world rebellion described in Dan 12:1. As such, it appears to speak to events at the very end of the speech’s timeframe.

13:20 unless the Lord shortens that time of calamity, not a single person will survive. But for the sake of his chosen ones he has shortened those days. This period of unprecedented tribulation will be so intense that were it not cut short for the sake of believers, no one would survive (an idea expressed in Jewish discussion of the end to show its severity, Dan 12:7; 1 Enoch 80:2, 4; 4 Ezra 4:26; 3 Baruch 9; 4Q385 3:3-5 [a.k.a. Pseudo-Ezekiel]; Evans 2001:323 suggests the influence of Isa 60:21-22).

13:24 after the anguish of those days. The NLT renders the Gr., “after that tribulation,” with this phrase.

the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light. One reason why no one will need to look for the return of the Son of Man and the vindication he brings is that there will be cosmic signs to signal his arrival. The picture is of a creation in alteration; the language is from Isa 13:10 (see also Ezek 32:7; Joel 2:10; 2:31; 3:15; Amos 8:9; Lane 1974:475).

13:25 the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Isaiah 34:4 is cited here. This OT theme carried over into Judaism (Judg 5:5; Ps 18:7; 114:7; Amos 9:5; Mic 1:4; Nah 1:5; Hab 3:6; Testament of Moses 10:1-5; 1 Enoch 57:2; Evans 2001:328). As with the entire speech, these themes were common in texts about the coming judgment.

13:27 he will send out his angels to gather his chosen ones from all over the world. The major point of his coming, his parousia, will be to vindicate the elect. Angels will gather believers from all the corners of the earth (Deut 30:3-4; Ps 50:3-5; Isa 43:6; 66:8; Jer 32:37; Zech 2:6, 10; Tob 14:10; 1 Enoch 62:13-14; Psalms of Solomon 8:28; 11:1-4; 17:28). With this note of gathering those present at his return, Jesus ended the discussion of the signs and began to summarize.

13:28 learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. Jesus used the picture of a budding plant to illustrate how one can sense the approaching judgment. Since these events occurred at the time of Passover, the trees were in the very condition Jesus was describing. Jesus said that when one saw the things he had been describing beginning to happen, it would be evident that the end was approaching, just as budding figs in March/April presage the fully blooming trees of May/June (see the commentary for the significance of the metaphor).

13:30 this generation will not pass from the scene before all these things take place. The note in the NLT mg indicates the difficulty with the verse; see the commentary for the various views.

13:31 Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear. Jesus emphatically states that what he has prophetically declared will come to pass. His word is more permanent than the creation (Isa 40:7-8).

13:32 However, no one knows the day or hour . . . not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. Jesus declared that the timing was strictly limited to the Father’s knowledge. This remark of Jesus is so unusual in claiming ignorance on this important point that it apparently caused a measure of controversy in the early church. There is evidence that it was so controversial that a few later copyists of the text omitted it. Jesus knew that these things would certainly happen, but that only the Father knows the timing. France (2002:544) discusses the theological perspective of the remark in terms of Jesus’ use of his divine attributes or, better, his lack of reliance upon them during his incarnation. Lane (1974:482) speaks of God not delegating this knowledge to the Son. Mark 13:33 and 35 reinforce the point that the time is unknown except to God.

13:33 be on guard! Stay alert! Once again Jesus told the disciples to watch and be observant (see 13:9). The double command with these synonyms is emphatic. The first verb was also used in 13:9; the second is a term from wisdom literature (Job 21:32; Prov 8:34; Wis 6:15; Sir 36:16). This theme of watching runs through the entire speech. The point is not to try and figure out all of the timing, for Jesus has just said it cannot be known. However, one can keep an eye on these things as they are unfolding, like watching the fig tree bud. That is what Jesus urges here.

13:34 The coming of the Son of Man can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. . . . he told the gatekeeper to watch for his return. A parable concludes the discourse. Disciples are like servants looking for their master to return home from a trip. They are to watch (see the next verse) and be ready for him to return at any hour.

13:35 You, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know when the master of the household will return. This verb for watching (grēgoreō [TG1127, ZG1213]) means to stay awake or alert (BDAG 207-208). It appears in 13:34, 35, and 37. Jesus’ call is to pay attention, since the exact time of the return is not known. The timing is expressed in terms of the usual four Roman watches: evening, midnight, dawn (Gr., “at cock’s crow”), daybreak. He could come at any time.

13:36 Don’t let him find you sleeping when he arrives without warning. The warning is to be awake when he suddenly returns (NLT, “without warning”). Disciples should be walking with God and alert to his return. Until then, they should be faithful stewards; there should be no dereliction of duty (Evans 2001:341).

13:37 I say to you what I say to everyone: Watch for him! The NLT expands on the command to watch and makes it specific by making clear who is anticipated. The discourse closes with an exhortation to everyone, not just to the four disciples present (13:3).

COMMENTARY [Text]

The passage begins with the disciples admiring the Temple’s excellent workmanship. Their remark implied that this glorious building would be around for a long time. Perhaps they were also looking forward to taking it over as Jesus’ assistants. As great and massive and magnificent as the Temple was, however, it was doomed to destruction (Josephus describes the Temple’s destruction and the fire that accompanied it in War 6.249-266; 7.1-3). Jesus’ remark about the Temple’s destruction also presupposed a terrible catastrophe for Jerusalem (Jer 7:11; 26:17-19; Amos 9:1; Mic 3:12). Later, the disciples asked about this.

Jesus’ first warning, “Don’t let anyone mislead you,” deals with claims of messianic presence. Given Jesus’ suffering, others might come along claiming to be the real and powerful Messiah. Jesus told the disciples not to be fooled. When such claims occurred, they would deceive many. Josephus notes some of these troublesome figures in Jewish history: (1) Simon of Perea, who assumed the diadem and plundered royal palaces (Antiquities 17.10.6.273-276); (2) Athronges, the shepherd of Judea, who wore a diadem (Antiquities 17.10.7.278-284); (3) Theudas (Antiquities 20.5.1.97-99); (4) sons of Judas of Galilee (Antiquities 20.5.2.102); (5) the Egyptian (Antiquities 20.8.6.169-172); (6) an imposter (Antiquities 20.8.10.188); (7) Sicarii (War 2.13.3.254); (8) Judas the Galilean (War 2.8.1.118); (9) Simon bar-Giora (War 4.9.3-8.503-544); (10) a false prophet (War 6.5.2.285); (11) Eleazar of the Sicarii, who fought at Masada (War 7.8.1.253; 7.8.2.275). Although Josephus never said that they made messianic claims, France (2002:510-511) and Evans (2001:306) regard some mentioned by Josephus as regal claimants. The explicit claim to be the Messiah did not appear until Bar Kochba made it around AD 132.

Jesus then told the disciples that certain signs would mark the onset of the end times (see notes on 13:7-8). He explicitly told them that “when these things begin to happen, watch out! You will be handed over to the local councils. . . . You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers” (13:9). Disciples should pay attention to such signs; they indicate that persecution will come for those who follow Jesus. Disciples appear before Jewish councils in Acts 4, while others testify before governors in Acts 23–24. Jesus told them that this persecution would lead to witness that could sometimes make a big impression, as in the example of Stephen’s effect on Paul (cf. Acts 7 with Acts 22:4-5, 20-21). Jesus indicated that the gospel would get out into the world as a result of such persecution, a point made in Acts, Romans (1:5, 8; 10:18; 15:18-24), and Colossians (1:5-6, 23).

With respect to their witness and gospel preaching, Jesus said, “Don’t worry in advance about what to say. Just say what God tells you at that time, for it is not you who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit” (13:11). Jesus therein made a promise. The Spirit would enable disciples who were persecuted to speak about their faith. They need have no anxiety because God would be with them through the Spirit. The Spirit is poured out in the messianic age (Isa 11:1-2; Joel 2:28-29), and one of the Spirit’s roles is to testify for God through his disciples. As God did through Moses, he will enable his servants to speak (Exod 4:10-17). The book of Acts shows how this was realized.

The first section of this speech ends with a call to persevere: “The one who endures to the end will be saved.” Salvation stands at the end of a hard road. This call is equivalent to Revelation’s “one who overcomes.” God will see and honor such faithfulness.

Jesus’ speech then shifts to a specific event that will trigger the end times. He told the disciples they would see “the abomination of desolation set up where it ought not be” (13:14, Gr.). The language comes from Daniel 12:11 and the historical example behind the image is Antiochus Epiphanes and his desecration of the Temple in 167 BC (1 Macc 1:54; 2 Macc 6:2; other passages in Daniel note the theme: Dan 11:31; cf. Dan 8:13; 9:27). The term “abomination” concerns shameful acts associated with a place of sacrifice or idolatry (Deut 7:25-26; 1 Kgs 14:24; 2 Kgs 23:13; 2 Chr 15:8; Jer 16:18; Ezek 5:11; TDNT 1:598-600). Jesus indicated that when the Temple was invaded and a Gentile stood in the holy place, the prediction about the Temple was about to occur (2 Thess 2:3-4 also appears to refer to this, in relation to the end time event of the Antichrist). Though some raise the issue of events in Judea in Jesus’ time as being fulfilled here (Lane 1974:467-469), it is more likely that those events picture what the decisive desecration will be like in the end times, given that this discourse ends with the return of the Son of Man. Among the early precedents are zealot victories that led to Roman occupation (Josephus War 2.20.1; 4.3.7; 4.3.10), Caligula’s effort to place images in the Temple (Philo Legatio ad Gaium; Josephus Antiquities 18.8.2-9), Pilate’s attempt to place standards in the city (Josephus Antiquities 18.3.1), and Titus’s entry into Jerusalem and the Temple (Josephus War 6.4.7). Evans (2001:318-319) discusses these four first-century options but notes that none of them is a good fit. Pilate and Caligula never carried out their plan and the Zealots do not fit the description. Titus visited the Temple after it was destroyed, so there was no altar to desecrate.

The abomination that causes desolation will bring about great tribulation. Mark 13:14-27 points to the decisive time of world rebellion described in Daniel 12:1. This unprecedented period is also called the “great tribulation” because it is uniquely disruptive. Other Old Testament and Jewish texts also make claims to unprecedented calamity (Exod 10:14; 11:6; Joel 2:2; Jer 30:7; Bar 2:2; 1 Macc 9:27; 1QM 1.11-12; Testament of Moses 8:1), but the context in relation to the Son of Man’s return means that this time is decisively tied to the vindication of the saints. Yet the remark in 13:19 that this tribulation is unique to any that precedes or succeeds it suggests that this event will not occur at the very end of history, but sometime before then.

During this period, some will claim to know where the Messiah is, but such declarations are not to be believed. As 13:24-27 makes clear, when the Son of Man returns, it will be obvious. Jesus said, “false messiahs . . . will rise up and perform signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones” (13:22). Such claims might be persuasive and capable of deceiving even believers because miraculous activity will accompany the claims (2 Thess 2:9). Thus, Jesus told his disciples, “Watch out! I have warned you!” (13:23). Nothing should catch them by surprise because they had been warned about the false claimants and the other difficulties that lay ahead.

After these difficult days, worse things will come: “The sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken” (13:24-25). The language shows that the “lights are going out” on the current world order. However, in reading the text this way, one should be careful not to reduce the imagery strictly to metaphor, because the return of the Son of Man will bring about a change in the world order even at its most basic, physical level.

Following these cosmic catastrophes, “everyone will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with great power and glory” (13:26). Jesus used imagery from Daniel 7:13 to describe the coming of the Son of Man. In that passage, one “like a son of man” receives the authority to judge from the Ancient One and rides the clouds, a figure reserved for God or the gods in the Old Testament. Daniel 7 pictures the Son of Man receiving authority from God to execute judgment; in this passage, he is coming to earth to exercise that power. France (2002:535-536) argues that the language is not about a physical return but depicts Jesus and the church as being given heavenly power and authority. For France, the gathering of the chosen ones (13:27) is not an event in which the saints are gathered, but a realization that the nations are included in the people of God. But in this interpretation, it is not clear how the gathering at the Son of Man’s coming constitutes the kind of vindication anticipated in the Old Testament. The view is also undercut by the idea that this event follows a period of unprecedented tribulation (see the remarks by Evans 2001:328-329).

Following his discussion of the end times, Jesus said, “Learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near” (13:28). Jesus used the picture of a budding plant to declare that one can sense when judgment comes. These events occurred at the time of Passover, when the trees were in the very condition Jesus described. At the end of this speech, Jesus was not discussing the destruction of the Temple, but the return of the Son of Man to vindicate the saints. Thus there is a suggestion that the return is separate from the destruction of the Temple. This interpretation counters that of France (2002:501-502, 530-533), who argues that almost everything in the passage before 13:32 is about AD 70. However, there was no gathering of the saints in AD 70, so his interpretation fails. Jesus’ statement about the budding fig tree uses a theme commonly associated with judgment when the Day of the Lord is discussed in the Old Testament. A judgment that will happen soon (in this case the destruction of the Temple) is like the decisive judgment (the return of the Son of Man), so that one event anticipates the other. This kind of “pattern” prophecy is what we observe here, even though that pattern was not clear to the listeners. So Jesus said that when these things begin to happen (as with budding figs in March/April), the end is approaching (just as the tree fully blooms in May/June).

Jesus then said, “When you see all these things taking place, you can know that his return is very near, right at the door” (13:29). Jesus thus completed the comparison. It is less than clear whether “these things” refer to the beginning of the discourse and the false claimants or to the things that complete it, such as the abomination and especially the cosmic signs. Probably the latter events are included, which also explains why the NLT has added the reference to “all” these things. The rationale for this choice is that the appearing of the Son of Man at the end is portrayed as obvious, as signaled by cosmic indicators. In addition, the emphasis is on the signs that let one know the end is near, not on the timing of the end. So the nearness is related especially to those events coming before the end. The NLT also renders “it” as a reference to the return. Possibly “it” means “he” and refers to the Son of Man, but this does not really change the basic meaning of the passage.

Following this, Jesus made the bold assertion that “this generation will not pass from the scene before all these things take place.” The Greek term for “generation” (genea [TG1074, ZG1155]) can refer to (1) a given generation, which might extend forty years or so, (2) a given age, speaking of a broader period, or (3) a given group of people (ethnic or ethical) such as a nation or a righteous or wicked generation (see BDAG 191-192, where the “wicked” generation is discussed in point 2). If the term is temporal and refers to the generation Jesus addressed, then the return did not happen for that group (unless one reads the verse as heavily symbolic of the destruction of Jerusalem as France 2002:501-502 and Lane 1974:480 do). Other suggestions are also made: (1) The generation referred to is the one that sees the abomination of desolation. Once that event occurs, things happen very quickly. “Generation” does not refer to a given temporal group or to the generation of the disciples addressed, but it is the group that sees the “great tribulation” events that are just before the end. (2) The generation may be a positive ethical reference, so that it is the “righteous” generation that will not pass away before all this takes place. In this case, the point is that the righteous will ultimately be vindicated. The problem with this option is that this is a very rare use of the term. (3) The term could refer to the “wicked” generation, in which case the point is that wickedness will remain until the judgment comes. This is the more common ethical use of the term, but it seems to state the obvious (Evans 2001:335 apparently takes this view). (4) A few take the term as referring to a race and to Israel on the basis of usage such as that in Luke 16:8. However, this ethnic use of the term for Israel is not common. (5) “All these things” refers to the signs Jesus has listed that point to the end rather than the events of the end. Thus, the current generation would see all the signs pointing to the end (the events of AD 70) as a guarantee that the events of the end will occur as Jesus predicts, though the end itself would come after the current generation.

Of these five readings, the first three and the last are all possible, with the first being slightly more likely than the second or third, since this temporal use of the term is more common and fits contextually with the call to understand when the abomination occurs. The fifth view underscores the logic of why Jesus would point to “all these things,” not to describe end time events, but to reveal how quickly the signs pointing to the end would come. I think that views one and five are the most likely, and it is hard to choose between them. According to view one, once the abomination (such as that done by Antiochus, not the Temple’s destruction in AD 70) takes place, the vindication of the saints in the return of the Son of Man to earth is not far away. In view five, the events point to the end as signs; they connect with the Temple’s destruction in AD 70 and therefore take place within a generation.

In summary, this discourse indicates that Israel will be judged; it will be a hard time for those present because of persecution, and the Temple will be destroyed. But this discourse, subject to so much discussion, does not merely deal with the destruction of the Temple. It also pictures a time when the Temple will be desecrated by one standing in the Holy Place; there will be a period of unprecedented persecution, and then the Son of Man will return to judge the world. Because of its typological or pattern-acts structure, it can be hard to tell if the nearer destruction or the more distant return is in view. Various scenarios have been considered as possible chronologies for the events. Some argue that the passage only treats AD 70, or at least substantially so. However, this does not address the Son of Man’s return, and to argue that only 13:32-37 deal with that future theme makes the discourse too disjointed. It is better to recognize the “pattern” in the discourse. “Pattern prophecy” is typical of Old Testament discussions of the Day of the Lord (more clearly seen now than when originally given). In this type of utterance, a judgment in the short term pictures or patterns a greater judgment to come at the end. The way that things happen in AD 70 anticipates how they will happen at the end. So to talk about one period is to also mirror or pattern the other. Jesus wove the two together here because their nature will be similar. (Matthew’s version of the speech makes this somewhat clearer by separating the question of the Temple’s destruction from that of the Lord’s return. Luke does the same. What is clear in Matthew and Luke is that the events covered by the entire speech stretch from the time of Jesus’ disciples through the destruction of the Temple until the return. It is not a discourse strictly about the period just before Jesus’ return.) In this context, the unprecedented level of persecution and the return to gather the elect make sense because the passage ultimately looks at the vindication of the elect and at God’s promise to judge the earth, predictions whose promises go back into the Old Testament (which is why I have noted the numerous thematic connections to OT and Jewish expression).

Jesus portrayed the events of the end as completing the hopes of the law and the prophets. Some call this period the “great tribulation,” which reflects the unprecedented chaos of the period. Some connect this period to Daniel’s seventieth week, making the most intense period seven years long. This is likely, though less certain. Other interpreters simply speak of an unprecedented time of chaos ending in Jesus’ return. Either way, the point is the decisive vindication of the elect that emerges at the return. The key point of the text is that disciples need to remain faithful until Jesus’ return, keeping watch for indications that the Son of Man is coming.