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Gospel of Mark

Olivet Discourse 4: ‘Destruction of the Temple’ Mark 13:14-23

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Olivet Discourse 4: Mark 4: 14-23

’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. 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.

Mark 4:14-23

Destruction of the Temple
There are various interpretations of these verses. For some, this prophecy concerns the Second Coming of Christ. We’ll look at that in my next post. in this post, I’m reflecting on the interpretation which concerns the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.

Run for the Hills!
The first part of this chapter dealt with the coming destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. Jesus warned of problems which will arise in the months and years to follow, but said clearly, ‘do not be alarmed!’.

There’s a real change of pace in verse 14, with the exhortation that those who are in Judaea should run for the hills. This reads rather like a fire alarm or tsunami response briefing. Do not stop to pick up your bags. Do not go back for your mobile phone. Abandon your laptop. Get out – do it now!

‘Up until this point they are to stand firm: now, at a given signal, they are to take to their heels.’ (Wright, p180)

There can be no doubt that in verses 14-23 Jesus is delivering a prophecy about the fall of Jerusalem. We know that a brutal invading army will arrive and take control of the city, including the Temple. These events came to pass in 70AD, when the Romans delivered a crushing response to the Jewish uprising of 66-70AD.

In the verses we’re looking at here, Jesus describes the signal to run. He refers to the ‘abomination which causes desolation’ (the NRSV translates this term as the ‘desolating sacrilege’), which will appear in the Temple and bring some kind of disaster on the people of Jerusalem.

‘Jesus doesn’t seem to know precisely what this [abomination] might be, but it sounds like a pagan idol, or an image of another god, in the place of the One true God, set up in the middle of the Temple.’ (Wright p181)

At a time of turmoil in the Roman empire, it was Titus, one day to become Emperor himself, who led the destructive assault on Jerusalem. The brutal invasion, during which thousands of Jews were subjected to brutal beatings, sexual violence and execution, To the Jews of Jerusalem, their experience felt like the end of the world. But in reality, it seems that Jesus is predicting the end of the Temple at Jerusalem. As we would anticipate, his prophecy was horrifically fulfilled in full measure.

End Piece
So how does a prophecy about the fall of Jerusalem speak to us today.

Christ has taught us to listen to his word and put it into practice. He warned us that we will face persecutions of all kinds (eg Luke 21:12). He prayed that we would be given strength to stand firm in our faith. Paul encourages us to stand firm in the face of adversity, in the knowledge that nothing can separate us from his love.

Yet here is an interesting turn in his teaching. As the writer of Ecclesiastes once wrote, there is a time for everything. Jesus now teaches that there is a time to run for safety.

 A believer is not to suppose that God will take care of him and provide for his needs if he does not make use of means and the common sense which God has given him as well as other people. Beyond doubt he may expect the special help of his Father in heaven in every time of need. But he must expect it in the diligent use of lawful means. To profess to love God while we idly sit still and do nothing, is nothing better than fanaticism and brings religion into contempt.

Ryle, p205

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

 

Gospel of Mark

Olivet Discourse 5: Mark 13:14-27: The Second Coming of Christ

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Olivet Discourse 5:

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. 15Let no one on the housetop go down or enter the house to take anything out. 16Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 17How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 18Pray that this will not take place in winter, 19because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now—and never to be equaled 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. 21At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. 22For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 23So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.

24“But in those days, following that distress,

“ ‘the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
25the 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. 27And 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.

Mark 13:14-27

1st October 2025: Horsham

Alternative Readings of this Prophecy
We’ve seen that there are various interpretations of these verses. Many people see in these verses, particularly vv 17-23, a direct prophecy of the brutal fall of Jerusalem which took place in 70AD (see Olivet Discourse 4).  In this post, I’m reflecting on the alternative reading of this prophecy of the Second Coming of Christ.

The Second Coming of Christ
Scripture tells us that Christ was crucified. He died. He was buried. He rose from the dead and during his resurrection was seen regularly over a period of 40 days. At the end of this period, he was taken up into heaven. At the moment of his resurrection, Christ declared that he would return.

10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Acts 1:10-11

It is this predicted event, the ‘coming back’ of Jesus (v11), which is referred to as the Second Coming of Christ.

The phrase ‘abomination that causes desolation’ leads us directly to the prophecies of Daniel, which are closely referenced in the words of  Revelation, which in turn speak of the return of Christ.

The connection between this prophecy and the anticipated future return of Christ is not new. From the very beginning, followers of the risen Christ believed that this prophecy heralded his imminent return. This is strongly implied in Matthew’s version of this discourse, which includes the phrase 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened (Matthew 24:34), yet this has greater application when taken to refer to the fall of Jerusalem in 70AD. The verses which follow affirm that no-one will know the time or the hour of his return (Mark 13:32-34), and Jesus confesses  that nobody – even the Son, knows the hour of His return (Mark 13:32; Matthew 24:36).

So, do we now have a problem. If this prophecy is to be regarded as referring to the return of Christ, how do we respond to those who believe that it relates to the destruction of the Temple?

Single Fulfilment
There are those who contend that any prophecy can have only a single fulfilment. And so there are those for whom this prophecy must apply either to the fall of Jerusalem, of to the second coming, but cannot apply to both..

Dual Fulfilment
It seems to many commentators that the broad context of this section of Scripture is the destruction of the Temple. In the first verses of Mark 13, we have seen that Jesus appears to be  prophesying the fall of Jerusalem. We have seen that this came to pass in 70AD, when the Roman  Titus brutally crushed the Jewish uprising. This reading can suffice throughout the Olivet Discourse, and there are those who believe that this is the only valid interpretation. However, the latter part of the narrative under review here, can be taken to make the case that the current verses also speak of the Second Coming of Christ.

Multiple Fulfilment
For completion, some writers assert that there can legitimately be multiple fulfilments of prophecy, and this is an obvious case for consideration.

In addition to the widely discussed Fall of Jerusalem and the Second Coming of Christ, the original prophecy of Daniel relating to the ‘Abomination which causes desolation’, which is referenced in these verses by Jesus, some writers point to an earlier ‘fulfilment’.   In 167BCE, Antiochus Epiphanes IV entered Jerusalem and set up a statue of the Greek god Zeus in the Temple, and sacrificed a pig on the altar.

And then, of course, there are those who regard the presence of the  Al Aqsa Mosque, the Dome of the Rock and Dome of the Spirit on the ancient Temple Mount in Jerusalem as the most clear and powerful fulfilment of Daniel’s and Christ’s prophecy. The identification of these Islamic places of worship as ‘the Abomination’ is even explored by some Islamic writers. (Note: Construction of the Islamic sites started in around 638CE under the Umayyad Caliphate)

End Piece
In researching this section, I’ve been disappointed that some major evangelicals will state firmly that this prophecy relates only to the fall of Jerusalem (eg William Barclay), whilst others insist that it relates in its exclusively to the second coming of Christ (eg John Macarthur). Whilst the preceding sentence greatly oversimplifies the position of both Christian theological thinkers and writers, my point is simply that I am always counsel caution when anyone claims to have identified the truth about Jesus, and suggests that those who disagree with them are in the wrong.

For myself, I am comfortable to find that I am in good company when I say that it seems to me that this particular prophecy can have more than one fulfilment. Whether or not that is a valid interpretation, it seems to me that this prophecy fits well with Antiochus Epiphanes IV desecration of the Temple in 167BCE, and the fall of Jerusalem and the Second Temple in 70CE, when the Temple was thoroughly desecrated and ultimately destroyed. It is as possible that Christ was predicting  the future Second Coming at a date as yet unknown.

Ah, the mysteries of faith!

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

Gospel of Mark

Olivet Discourse 3: Mark 13:14-25 ‘The Abomination’

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Mark 3:14-25 ‘The Abomination’

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 unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now—and never to be equaled 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. 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 ahead of time.

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.

Mark 13:14-25

Pocklington: 5th August 2025

These verses have been interpreted and abused in all sorts of ways. They have been used alongside other scriptures to create a sense of urgency, even panic, about the imminence of the end times, by pointing at various contemporary ‘abominations’. I grew up during the Cold War, and as a teen, I was personally taught, absurdly, that the USSR was the ‘abomination’ which. along with the threat of war, presaged the end of the world. Whilst that was distorted theology, it’s easy to find modern day candidates for the title of the ‘abomination’. But that’s not what these verses are about.

These words do not directly prophecy the end of the world. They do prophecy the end of an era. The prophecy was given by Christ. As we will see, it has been fulfilled.

Context Matters..

As ever, context matters.  Let’s start by reminding ourselves that this prophecy comes as part of Christ’s response to a question from his disciples about the timing of the destruction of the temple (Mark 13:1-4). We can see Verses 5-13 as saying to the disciples, and vicariously to us, don’t panic when bad things happen. There was a developing theme. ‘Don’t be discouraged – Be on your Guard – Stand Firm’. Yet here, suddenly, there’s a change of mood – a change of pace. There is a time, we learn, to flee to the mountains! There is a time, it seems, to run for your life!

The trigger for this panicked departure seems to be the ‘appearance of the abomination that causes devastation, standing where it does not belong.’ (v14). Again, context matters. The place where the Abomination should not be standing is very specifically the Temple at Jerusalem. This is a prophecy by Christ, and it was to be fulfilled within a few years of his death and resurrection.

In his reply to the Disciples, Jesus used language drawn from the Book of Daniel. These words would be familiar to the disciples, and their application here would be alarming. Daniel 11:31 and 12:11 refer to the invasion of Jerusalem by an invading army, and the disruption of worship in the Temple. Pagan invaders will, according to Daniel’s prophecy, set up an ‘abomination’. When these days approach, says Jesus, just get out of there – to run.

Daniels prophecies describe exactly what happened in Jerusalem just 40 years later.

Prophecy Fulfilled..

In drawing on the Old Testament prophecies of Daniel, these verses become a prophecy of Christ, relating specifically to the Temple in Jerusalem. So, how was that prophecy fulfilled?

Emperor Titus

In 66CE, there was a Jewish uprising against the Roman occupiers. This led to serious unrest and ultimately to war between Rome and the Jews. Many false prophets emerged, as Jesus said they would, promising victory for Israel over Rome. The ill fated war ended in 70CE with the arrival of future emperor Titus in Jerusalem. The brutality of the invading army to put down the rebellion defies description. They destroyed the city, murdering and plundering with genocidal zeal. They set fire to the Temple and the entire city. They razed Temple Mount to the ground, utterly destroying the Temple itself. Scarcely one stone remained upon another.

Jesus uses the words of Isaiah to describe the horror of these days:

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.

The prophecies of Isaiah had seen fulfilment generations earlier, yet Jesus uses them himself to describe the horrors of the sacking of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple to come.

In the build up to these events, there had been a moment of opportunity to get out – to run to the mountains. Those men, women and children who remained in Jerusalem faced destruction, starvation, and in most cases violent death.

This then, ‘is not a prophecy of the end of the world […] but it was the end of their world.’  (NT Wright, p181) For the people of Jerusalem, of that generation, their way of life, and their way of worship, was utterly devastated.

End Piece..

So, since we are saying that this prophecy was fulfilled nearly 2000 years ago, what do we learn? What is Christ saying to us through these verses today?

‘It is vital to read this passage as containing Jesus’ prophecies, fulfilled 40 years later, against the Temple. That is what Mark, at least, believes this whole chapter is about. But we should not suppose that there are no messages for our own day, nearly 2000 years later. Where human societies and institutions set themselves up against the gospel and its standards, producing arrogant and dehumanising structures, deep injustices and radical oppression, there may once more be a place for prophets to denounce and to warn, and for  God’s people to get out and run. If we do not find ourselves in that position we should be grateful; but we should remember to pray for those, even today, who do.’ (NT Wright, p182)

Reflecting on these comments from NT Wright, do any contemporary ‘human societies and institutions‘ come to mind? There are so many that it might seem overwhelming. However, we are to remember Christ’s earlier teaching:

‘Don’t be discouraged – Be on your Guard – Stand Firm’.

Gaza: Christians for Palestine

Amongst so may situations which come to my mind, I find myself praying once more for my brothers and sisters in the Palestinian Christian community in Gaza, who, alongside their Muslim neighbours, are innocently caught in an endless and utterly avoidable cycle of devastating brutality, hunger and pain. For them, running is not an option.

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

Gospel of Mark

Olivet Discourse 2: Mark 13:9-13 ‘Stand Firm!’

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Today we’re looking at the second part of the Olivet Discourse (my notes on the first part are here).

In this reading from Mark 13, we join Jesus, sitting with some of his disciples on the Mount of Olives, looking across the valley towards the Temple and the city of Jerusalem. He has already prophesied that the Temple itself will be destroyed, and spoken of the need to be on your guard against apostate teachers and false messiahs. He has warned about wars, earthquakes and famines. Such things will happen, but they are not the end, says Jesus. Rather they are like birth pains which herald the end.

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.

Mark 13:9-13

Horsham: 16th July 2025

These verses are deeply prophetic, and set out the reality of the Christian faith for generations of followers of Christ. Almost immediately we see the fulfilment of this prophecy in the lives of the disciples. The book of Acts contains stories of those disciples being brought before the leaders of Jerusalem and provincial Governors, and called to give account of their behaviour. All of the Apostles were arrested (Acts 5 17-18) and flogged (Acts 5:40)as a punishment for preaching Christ, and we see this pattern repeated with Paul, Silas (Acts 16:22-23) and others. James was beheaded by Herod Agrippa (Acts 12:2).

This pattern of persecution and physical abuse extended beyond the disciples. Stephen was not one of the twelve, yet he is stoned to death by the Jews (Acts 7). The early generation of Christians faced violence and persecution on a daily basis, risking their liberty and their lives to proclaim the Gospel. Men and women, touched and transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit , standing firm for their beliefs. We know Stephen as the first Christian martyr. We know from historical records that many others quickly met a similar fate.

There is no question that in the years which followed, Jewish, Greek and Roman families and households were torn apart as individuals joined the early Church, often precipitating great suffering and familial betrayal. “The Christian faith was looked on as heresy and blasphemy by both Jews and Gentiles.’ (Wiersbe, p151).

This pattern continued after the first century and continues even today. I have friends in Cuba, Egypt, Nepal and Nigeria, for whom persecution, suffering, discrimination, loss of liberty and in some of those nations loss of life is the price of associating oneself with the Gospel of Jesus. For them, the price of standing firm is high. Sadly, even today, conversion to Christ can lead to family or community rejection, isolation or worse, even in the UK.

Stand Firm
Stand Firm

As I reflect on the extraordinary courage of my friends at home and abroad, and the generations of saints in every corner of the world, I am humbled by their confidence in  Christ. I am moved and challenged by their determination in the face of extreme persecution to stand firm.

It raises an inevitable question. When the pressure is on, will you – will I – have the courage to ‘stand firm to the end.’

End Piece

These verses emphasise the futility of wasting time and energy looking for signs of the end, or the imminent return of Jesus. There are many who try to read signs of the end times in contemporary circumstances. Their misjudgments have caused, and continue to cause, immeasurable anxiety and pain.

At a macro level, we know that throughout history tyrannical leaders  have abused people of faith. Familial betrayal has been common, and in many countries even today, conversion to Christianity attracts the most severe penalties. Yet the world continues. The words of Jesus in the Olivet discourse are, in a sense, a prophecy which just keeps on giving. Persecution of his disciples has always happened, and always will.

These things are horrific, but we are not to waste time poring over Daniel, Revelation and other Scriptures, trying to identify signs in our own times of the imminent end.

As Christian’s, we should speak out and stand firm against persecution, discrimination and abuse in all its forms, offering in its place the love of Jesus.

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly with your God.

Micah 6:8

Until Christ does return, our primary role, as followers of Jesus, is to follow in the footsteps of the past and present Christian saints. To fulfil his Great Commission and to pray for the persecuted Church. We are called to do all that we can to stand up for Jesus in this deeply fractured world. Stand up and stand firm.

Never forget the greatest commandment.

“30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[b] 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[c] There is no commandment greater than these.”

Mark 12:30

When he does return, or you are called home to him, aim to be found doing these things!

He will return, but no-one, says Jesus, knows the time or the hour. The underlying theme of this discourse now becomes:

‘Don’t be discouraged – Be on your guard. – Stand firm’

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

Gospel of Mark

Olivet Discourse 1: Mark 13:1-8

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In this post I’m looking at the first part of a conversation between Jesus and some of his disciples. A question from the disciples leads to a lengthy and challenging answer from Jesus. The discussion took place on the Mount of Olives, overlooking the Temple at Jerusalem. This gives it the commonly used name of the ‘Olivet Discourse’. Christ’s response runs from verse 3 to the end of the Chapter, and provides a key source for His explanation of eschatology, or what many Christians refer to as the ‘End Times’. The same conversation is recorded in similar format in Matthew 24 and Luke 21. We’ve already looked at verses 1 and 2, and today we’re looking at verses 3-8.

13: 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 rumors 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.

Mark 13: 1-8

Horsham: 12th July 2025

We’ve already looked at the first two verses, noting the incredible beauty and grandeur of the Temple. The conversation reported in verse 1 and 2 probably took place when the disciples were within the Temple  with Christ. We saw that the shocking prophecy of the destruction of the Temple actually became a reality in 70AD.

Jesus has now moved out of the Temple courts, probably through the Eastern gate, following the path which crosses the Mount of Olives. Remember that this is towards the end of Holy Week, and it is likely that Christ and his disciples are travelling along this road to the village of Bethany, where they have been spending the nights. From their vantage point on the Mount of Olives, the view back towards the Temple, with the city beyond, would be absolutely stunning, and it is here that Jesus pauses with his closest friends Peter, James, John and Andrew. Christ’s prediction that the Temple, with its massive stones and huge importance to the Jewish faith, would be destroyed, would seem unimaginable and frightening to the disciples.

In that context, it seems entirely reasonable that the disciples should ask, 4 “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?” For them, the ‘things’ in question seem to relate to the destruction of the Temple. Yet Christ’s response goes far beyond that.

The Olivet discourse is a long passage with some big challenges. Through Chapter 13 , Christ leads our attention to the destruction of the Temple, and on towards the last days, often now called the ‘end times’.

‘Watch out that no-one deceives you’
The phrase ‘watch out’ is sometimes translated as ‘be on your guard.’ Jesus is saying that there will be deceivers.   His arguments with Temple leaders showed that there were many deceivers, even while he was alive. The deceptions continued throughout the centuries, so Christ’s warning resonates even today.  Be on your guard!

‘Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many’
We know that there were people who, soon after Jesus died, claimed to be the Messiah. Throughout the generations there have been those who claim to be the one we should follow, and in many cases they have been successful. Many have been deceived. Even now there are those who would lead you astray. Be on your guard.

‘When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed’
Palestine was firmly in the grip of Roman occupation, but even so, there were wars and rumours of wars. Then, as now, such things created anxiety. These, said Jesus, were not automatically signs that the destruction of the Temple is imminent, nor, in the wider context of the Olivet discourse, do they indicate the imminent return of Christ. As I write, there is war between Ukraine and Russia, Palestine and Israel, civil wars in Yemen, South Sudan, and the list co. These are horrific conflicts, and I am alarmed by the incredible suffering caused by these conflicts, and I am perhaps even more anxious by threats of other wars which could so easily involve my own children and grand-children. But of course, the context here is that we should not be alarmed that these events herald the end of the world. Be on your guard.

‘Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines.’
As I write, the political ‘world order’ is changing.  Globally, there is political posturing at a level which has never occurred before during my lifetime. Nations are rising up against one another. Earthquakes are common. Globally there are nearly 80,000 earthquakes every year, and there is nowhere safe from them (even the UK has experienced 85 quakes in the first half of 2025, thankfully all of them have been minor). Globally we produce enough food to feed everyone, and yet there are famines. These things are upsetting and cause us anxiety, but they do not, of themselves, herald the return of Christ. Be on your guard.

All of these things, says Jesus, are like the beginnings of birth pains (v8b)

End Piece

We have much more to cover in this difficult Chapter, but I want to suggest that there is a growing theme which permeates Chapter 13. It is a theme which is consistent with the wider teaching of Jesus. It s simple. It is direct.

Be on your guard!

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

Gospel of Mark

Temple Destroyed: Mark 13:1-2

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The Temple Destroyed

13 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.”

Mark 13:1-2

Horsham: 9th July 2025

The Temple which was familiar to Jesus and the Disciples is sometimes known as ‘Herod’s Temple’. It  had actually existed since 516BCE, but during the time of Christ it was undergoing renovation. The renovations had started in 18BCE under the direction of Herod the Great, but were continuing during the life of the disciples. We cannot overstate how unusual this complex and the Temple building in particular was. The Disciples could have never seen any building of anything like the size or quality of the Temple. It was truly impressive sight.

Rather than flattening the top of the hill on which Jerusalem was built,  Herod built up a vast retaining wall which surrounded the peak, and created a huge platform which became the foundation of the Temple complex. We read that some of the stones used in building the Temple were 40 feet long, 12 feet high and 18 feet wide. Parts of the building were cladded with gold, whilst other exposed stone was pure white in colour. If we were to see it as the disciples saw it, we too would exclaim ‘What magnificent buildings!’

To be told by Jesus that this awesome structure would be destroyed would have been shocking. Not one stone left upon another. Utter devastation.

In 66AD, a little less than 35 years after this conversation took place, there was an Jewish uprising against the Roman occupiers. The ensuing war and overwhelming force of the Roman empire led to the occupying forces laying siege to the city of Jerusalem in 69AD. After months of fighting, as hunger and disease became rife in the city,  the Romans eventually gained access to the Temple in 70AD. They set fire to anything which would burn, before literally taking the Temple apart, stone by stone. Whilst some small parts of the platform remained and are still visible even today, this extraordinary building was reduced to rubble. Not one stone of the temple buildings remained upon another.

The Romans continued the destruction of the entire city, killing thousands of men, women and children, with others enslaved.

End Piece

As we will see, Chapter 13 can be complex and challenging, but here at the beginning is a simple, clear prophecy from the Messiah. As we see, within a generation, to the lasting dismay of the Jewish nation, the prophecy was entirely and accurately fulfilled.

The destruction of the Temple is one of the most devastating moments of Jewish history, and is commemorated even today with the annual fast of  Tisha B’Av.

For a wonderful source of information about historical and contemporary views of Jewish history and in particular the Destruction of the Temple, click here Link to www.chabad.org).

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

Gospel of Mark

The Widow’s Offering: Mark 12:41-44

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The Widow’s Offering

41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

Horsham: 25th June 2025

This familiar incident takes place in the Temple, on the Wednesday of Holy Week. Jesus has been taunted by challenges from various religious and political groups who are keen to silence him. They are attempts to provoke him to blasphemy. They have failed.

Most of those exchanges have taken place in the vast but crowded Court of the Gentiles, or the surrounding Colonnades. At this point, the small group have moved into the Court of the Women (don’t be concerned, gentlemen – this area is open t men and women). This is where the Treasury is located. This is a confined area, largely unroofed, containing a number of large containers called ‘trumpets’ (so called because of their shape), into which monetary offerings for the sacrifices and the work of the Temple were to be placed.

We can imagine Jesus and the Disciples, standing near the wall, perhaps in the shade, watching people placing their cash offerings into the ‘trumpets’. If we imagine that we are standing there with them, we will notice the steady movement of people passing through to offer their contribution to the Temple funds. The ‘trumpets’ are made of metal, and so large donations clatter as they are thrown in with a flourish. The noise attracts the attention of people close by. The more noise that is made, the larger the donation. The larger the donation, the greater the attention. The greater the attention, the greater the respect given to the donor.  This is a great way to get yourself noticed. The donor stands for a moment in an attitude of contrition and prayer, quietly enjoying the approving glances of those around him.

In the midst of the bustle, a widow, probably an older lady, approaches the trumpet close to where Christ and the disciples are standing. She receives no social security. There is no benefits system. This woman is living in extreme poverty. Yet still she brings her gift to the Temple. Her gift for the work of God. Without ceremony, she drops two of the smallest coins  into the mouth of the ‘trumpet’. Her gift slides almost silently into the vault below. She pauses. She prays. And then she moves on, quickly lost in the crowd. Her gift passes unnoticed. Except by the Son of God.

The contrast is stark. The rich are giving from their great wealth. In spite of their great generosity, they remain comfortable and affluent. The widow, in her poverty, put in all that she had, with no certainty of where her next meal will come from. She has nothing left but her trust in God.

In the narrative of Mark’s gospel, Jesus has just been teaching about the dangers and the damage of pride. Here again we see an example of prideful giving, against the humility of the woman who gives her all.

The End Piece

The lesson here is not just about financial giving, although that is part of the challenge.  Those who give of their time, their money, their resources, their gifts, their lives to Christ, and whilst giving generously, hold back much are like the rich man. The contrast is with the one who has so little to offer, yet gives her all. Hers is the true example of sacrifice.

There is a great symbolic truth here. It is our tragedy that there is so often some part of our lives  which we do not give to Christ. Somehow there is nearly always something we hold back.’ (Barclay, Loc 6094)

On this occasion, as you imagine yourself in the Court of the Women alongside Christ and the Disciples, try to see yourself as part of the action – stepping out of the crowd and approaching the ‘trumpet’. What will you offer? How much are you ready to sacrifice? What will you hold back?

Reflecting on His upside down kingdom – where the first shall be last, where the greatest shall be the servant of all, and those who want to gain their life will lose it, I wonder what Christ is saying to you through this simple story.

As in the story, the Son of God sees your sacrifice. I wonder what he says to his Disciples about you?

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

Gospel of Mark

Watch out for the Teachers of the Law: Mark 12:38-40

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38 As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

Mark 12:38-40

Horsham: 23rd June 2025

In Mark’s Gospel, this teaching appears as part of the Holy Week narrative, when Jesus is spending most of his time in the Temple courts. The Teachers of the Law, sometimes referred to as scribes,  have been at the spearhead of attempts to catch Jesus out in his words, looking for an opportunity to turn the crowd against Jesus and arrest him on a charge of blasphemy.

The problem for the Jewish leaders was that many people in the crowd filling the Temple loved Jesus. They were amazed by his teaching. Jesus has already confronted the Teachers of the Law for their poor leadership and their inadequate understanding of the application of the Law. These Scribes were powerful men in Israel. To the delight of many in the crowd, they were very publicly humiliated.

Now, left alone with this attentive crowd, Jesus turns to those around him and attacks the Scribes. It’s a serious warning. There’s something very wrong here. You really need to watch out for these people. They love to flaunt their position of leadership. They love to be noticed in the market place. They love to take the best seats in the synagogue (ordinary worshippers would sit on the floor!).  They pray the longest prayers. Their faith, which should come from a genuine heart, has become a show. It’s performative. This is religious showmanship.  Jesus is condemning the religious elitism of the Jewish leaders.

But it gets worse. These people are coercing others, including people who live in poverty, to support and sustain their lavish lifestyle. They readily accept expensive gifts from people who have little. Some are even demanding gifts of properties from widows. Make no mistake – there are victims here.

Jesus says beware those who place themselves on a pedestal, especially in matters of faith. Beware of those who act as if they have a monopoly on the truth and themselves speak with absolute authority. These men are supposed to be the Leaders of Israel. They are supposed to be the ones the people can trust. Their arrogance, elistism and pride are breathtaking. ‘These men will be punished most severely.’ (v40)

End Piece

Religious people who put themselves on a pedestal. Who love to be treated as something special. Who expect the best seats. Religious people who abuse others in order to assert their authority, demanding donations to support their personal ministry, even from those who have little. None of that would happen today, surely.

This is a serious warning from Jesus, and it needs to be heard even in our own times. Religion, politics, celebrity and more. Pride is an ever present danger in every part of our culture. Pride is never a victimless crime. Where there is pride in leadership, there are victims.

This teaching seems all the more poignant, because until he is seen hanging on the cross, these are the last public words of Jesus. Until His resurrection, these are the last spoken lesson of the greatest teacher of all time.

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

Gospel of Mark

Whose Son is the Messiah? Mark 12:35-37

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Whose Son is the Messiah?

 35 While Jesus was teaching at the Temple courts, he asked ‘ Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the Son of David. 36 David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared:

‘The LORD said to my Lord
“sit at my right hand
Until I put your enemies
Under your feet”’

 37 David himself calls him ‘Lord’. How then can he be his son?  The large crowd listened to him with delight.

Mark 12:35-37

Horsham: 17th June 2025

The action here takes place on the Wednesday of Holy Week. Jesus is having a busy day at the Temple. The religious and political leaders of Israel are provoking him. They want to arrest him. They want him out of the way. The knives are out. They want him dead.

Yet here is Jesus, out in the open, in the courts of the Temple, attracting attention. He is surrounded by this crowd who have witnessed his public humiliation of Temple Leaders, Herodians, Pharisees and Sadducees. This crowd love him. They are ‘listening to him with delight’ (v37). After all, who doesn’t like to see arrogant leaders slapped down once in a while!

Rabbi’s answer questions. That’s what they do. But sometimes, it is the rabbi who asks the question. In this case, the question he asks may sound strange to us, but it addressed a very familiar concept for the crowd. It’s drawn from Psalm 110. A Psalm of David. There’s a bit of a riddle in here somewhere. The crowd are keen to hear what Jesus thinks.

We need to look closely at the text of Psalm 110 as quoted here. Notice that the word ‘LORD’ appears first in capital letters. That means that in the Hebrew, the original word was ‘I AM’ – ‘Yahweh’. The second time it appears it is not capitalised. That means that the Hebrew word was ‘Adonai’. Adonai is also a name given to God, but is in some sense a lesser title. We might translated it as ‘Sovereign One’. So, we might think that in Psalm 110, God is talking to himself. That’s not the case. David, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (that’s Christ’s view – see v36), sees Yahweh inviting another, who also shares His Name, to sit at his right hand.

In this riddle, Jesus is saying to the crowd, ‘Who is this that God is calling to sit in the place of honour at his right hand?’ As a Christian, the answer is clear. The ‘Sovereign One’ is Jesus.

‘Psalm 110 is a prophetic Psalm, and David was saying by the Holy Spirit that when the Messiah had finished his labour in this world, He would be exalted to heaven and enthroned at the right hand of God.’ (Sproul, p294)

We can easily misunderstand the importance of King David to the Jews. He is a central and inspirational figure. He is their King. He was a renowned warrior, as well as a musician and poet.

There was a widespread acceptance that the Messiah would come from David’s descendants. There were, of course, many descendants – many ‘son’s of David’ – but only one was going to be Messiah. David was a successful warrior king, and there was a common expectation that the Son of David would be in the same mold. This fed the view that the Messiah would re-establish Israel, leading the nation to victory against Rome. Jesus did not deny that the Messiah would be of ‘David’s Line’ – people had started to call him ‘Son of David’ (eg,    ) but he repeatedly confronted and rejected any sense that he was to be a warrior ‘Messiah’.

So, David is referring to one of his descendants, yet he calls him ‘my Lord.’  It’s true in most cultures that the ‘son’ should respect the ‘father’. In general, that’s how family relationships work. So here’s the riddle. Whilst we know who the LORD is, who is the Lord in Psalm 110, and why does David call him my Lord?

We naturally assume that a ‘son’ would show deference to his father. Yet David creates the image of  himself, the greatest king of Israel, showing deference to one of his descendants – the one who is his son, even calling him his (ie David’s) Lord.

Jesus is born in the line of David (Matthew 1), into the household of Joseph. But Joseph was not his father. His conception was through the Holy Spirit. Whilst we don’t hear Jesus commenting on the title ‘Son of David’, he is saying that he, the one who people regard as the Son of David,  is actually the Son of God. He is immeasurably higher, even than the greatest king of Israel, King David.

In the Psalm, David refers to the Lord – the Son of God. Knowingly or not, David is prophetically pointing towards, and acknowledging the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The Messiah.

End Piece

We view the Old Testament through a very different cultural lens to our Jewish friends. It’s easy for us to underestimate the critical importance of King David in Jewish culture. That’s because we know Jesus as the Messiah. For us, He is the important One.  He is the Son of God.

Jesus had challenged the order of things, even trashing the market in the Temple. The theme of the questions was ‘Who do you think that you are.’ Time and again, because of their own preconceptions and in-grained cultural beliefs, the people in power misunderstood who he was. In reality, they completely misunderstood their opportunity for relationship with him.

When I talk to people about Jesus, the response is often similar. People are still asking the same questions. People have absorbed lots of misinformation about who he is. They trip up on their own cultural beliefs and completely misunderstand who this Jesus is. They completely misunderstand their opportunity for relationship with him.

Yet here we are, 2000 years later, still talking about him. Such is the power of God. That is the influence of the Holy Spirit. That is who Jesus is.

Yesterday, today and forever. Jesus Christ is the same (Hebrews 13:8). Unchanging (Malachi 3:6). Son of God (Mark 14:61-62).

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

Gospel of Mark

Greatest Commandment: Mark 12:28-34

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The Greatest Commandment

28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[e] 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[f] 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[g] There is no commandment greater than these.”
32 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

Mark 12:28-34

Horsham: 16th June 2025

The preceding verses of Chapter 12 have outlined an orchestrated attempt by religious and political leaders to catch Jesus out so that he could be arrested. First the Leaders of the Temple, then the Herodians and Pharisees, and then the Sadducees. These people want Jesus out of the way. They want him dead.

Mark turns our attention to an entirely different situation. This time a normal question comes from someone referred to as a scribe. As their name implies, the key role of the scribes was to make accurate copies of the scriptures (For more info click here: article by Christianity.com).  They were educated, learned and respected men.

‘In Judaism, there was a kind of double tendency. There was the tendency to expand the Law limitlessly into hundreds and thousands of rules and regulations. But there was also the tendency to try to gather up the law into one sentence, one general statement which would be a compendium of its whole message. ‘(Barclay, Loc 5902)

Throughout history, there have been attempts to summarise the core of Scripture. King David did it (Psalm 15). Isaiah did it at least twice (Isaiah 33.15 and 56:1). Micah did it (Micah 6:8). (for a simple discussion of these summaries see Barclay Loc 5902)

It was common for a rabbi to be asked to offer his own summary of the Law, so in the days leading up to Passover, it was reasonable for a scribe to approach a famous rabbi and put this question. “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”.

The first response is from Deuteronomy 6:4, the opening verse of the Shema, the words which committed Jews use at the start of every day, and which were carried by orthodox Jews in black boxes called phylacteries on their forehead or wrist. Every Jew knows this verse. Neither the scribe nor any other person listening would not be surprised that Jesus offers this verse.

The second part of his response is from Leviticus 19:18. Again, this is a deeply familiar verse.  It was familiar to Jewish people, and it’s familiar to us, although for different reasons. To us, the phrase reminds us of the parable of the Good Samaritan. To the Jewish mind, the ‘neighbour’ means anyone who is part of the family of Israel. Importantly, the way in which Jesus quotes it, he drops that restriction. The teaching of Jesus has a radical edge which we can easily miss.

Unlike those who are seeking Christ’s death, the scribe is not humiliated. He recognises the nuance of what Jesus has said. He affirms Christ’s summary and is himself commended. He is not far from the kingdom of God.

End Piece

‘What does it mean when a person is ‘not far from the kingdom of God’? It means he or she is facing truth honestly and is not interested in the ‘party line’. or even personal prejudices. It means the person is testing his or her faith by what the Word of God says and not by what some religious group demands. People close to the kingdom have the courage to stand up for what is true even if they lose some friends and make some new enemies.’ (Wiersbe, p142)

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK