Drew’s Blog - Drew Boswell

Leaders Who Hold On Too Tight For Too Long

In Mark 12 we find Jesus teaching in the temple during the week leading up to Passover. This is the week that the Jewish believers would remember how God had passed over the homes who had marked their doorpost with blood (see Exodus 12) and it involved a special symbolic meal that represented various things around that historical event. During this week Jesus would teach in the temple during the day, and it was during this time that he overturned the tables of moneychangers, drove out livestock traders, and kept people from cutting through the Gentile court (Mark 11).

Trying to trap Jesus various religious groups came up to him with scenarios, theological and political questions, and each time Jesus skillfully escaped their word games. By Mark 14 and in other gospels we are told that they were trying to develop a plan to kill him. So what was the disconnect between Jesus and these Jewish religious groups – didn’t they have the same law of Moses?

At the end of the day you can boil it all down to one word – influence. Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah – the promised king who would bring salvation to His people. He proved this by teaching “as one who had authority,” and performing miracles (casting out demons, raising the dead, healing the blind and sick, controlling weather, multiplying bread and fish to feed thousands, etc.).

These religious leaders were trying to kill Jesus because he threatened their influence over the people. When John the Baptist faced this same situation early in Jesus’ ministry he came to the conclusion, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Understanding who Jesus was and John’s role as preparing the way for Jesus, when it was time for him to step aside and let Jesus take the spotlight, John stepped aside. So from a leadership perspective . . .

How do you know if you are being like the Pharisees or John the Baptist?

We all know of leaders who held on too long – they may have been the founder, planter, original leader, or just in the same position for a long time, but their ability to take the ministry, church, organization has been overshadowed by the job itself (it has grown past their ability or skillset).

(1) Have You Clearly Heard From the Lord? Ministry is hard, and there will always be tough issues to work through. So, the spiritual leader must understand their role in the organization and execute that to their fullest. In ministry, I have experienced the Lord telling me to hang on and keep going, and there have been times when He has said, “Drew, your time here is over.” Keep praying until you clearly hear one or the other.

(2) Are You Afraid to Surround Yourself With Great Leaders? Bad leaders feel threatened by new leaders who seek excellence, are growing and developing – while they decline and are becoming obsolete. Good leaders try to sure up where they are weak, and put people where they have blind spots. If you feel so threatened by people who are better at things than you are, then it may be time to step aside. Part of this concept is raising up new leaders, to eventually replace you or to multiply the work. If a person is so threatened to mentor another, then they are keeping the organization stagnant on purpose.

(3) Why Do You Do What You Do? When John the Baptist would preach and baptize people Mark tells us that, “John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.” This would have been thousands of people traveling out to the wilderness just to see, hear, and be baptized by John. If John had been a prideful man, then all that popularity and influence would have been very difficult to let it go.

For the Pharisees, Sadducees, high priests, scribes, etc. this influence was intoxicating to them – they loved it. Jesus even said, Matthew 23:5-7 “They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, 6 and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues 7 and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others.” This is something about leadership that is hard to identify when you are in the moment – you may not see how people’s response to you drives your reason for serving in a particular position.

(4) Are You In Touch With Reality? The Pharisees, Sadducees, High Priests, and Scribes had to ignore all the miracles, fulfilled prophecies, and clear signs that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. Even at the testimony of the guards who saw Jesus rise from the dead, they paid them off to say the disciples came and moved the body. They ignored reality because they wanted to hang on to power and influence.

Take a good hard look at your current situation – are you having to overlook constant and clear signs that it is time for you to go, or do you see how God is using you to move the needle, and push the organization forward? Don’t ignore what is right in front of your face, so that you can hold on to power and influence. Ups and Downs are a part of any organization, so don’t be discouraged if you are “down.” If you are called to be there, surrounding yourself with good leaders, taking solid steps forward then hang on, and learning as-you-go then it will get better.

Remember, you are in between the last leader, and the one that will come after you. Therefore, you are a steward of the organization now, but you will not be there forever. So, leave it better than you found it.

“Questions” Mark 12:13-34

Christ’s Power Over Every Need

The Gospel of Mark Sermon Series

“Questions”

Mark 12:13-34

Introduction

I want us to begin our study of Mark 12:13-34 by jumping to v. 30-31, we will look at the heart of this body of Mark’s gospel because it will help us better understand it, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” In whatever theological, political, historical, or personal opinion you or I may have – everything that we are and do, should come from a complete love of God, and for our fellow man (regardless of color, nation of origin, level of income, or beliefs).

Prayer

Are You a Republican or a Democrat? (vv. 13-17)

And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. 14 And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone’s opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” 15 But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” 16 And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar’s.” 17 Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at him.

With this first group (there are three separate encounters that Mark gives us), we see that they are sent (from a larger group), with the specific task of trapping Jesus “in his talk.” They are trying to get Jesus to make an unguarded statement, to slip up, that they could use against Him. They want a sound bite that they can replay again, and again, to destroy Jesus’ credibility.

Luke calls this group, “spies who feigned themselves to be righteous,” and their plot was to deliver Jesus into the hands of the governor. The Herodians were strangers to Jesus, and would have served as witnesses whose word would have gone further than any of the Pharisees with the governor. They are pretending to have this argument between their groups, and want Jesus to help them settle the dispute.[1] They are trying to camouflage their true intent.

“The land of Palestine was under the rule of the Romans, and the Jews were essentially captives under the rule of the Romans. Some Jews went along with this quite willingly, and as a consequence were able to profit considerably (tax gatherers, etc.).”[2] Other Jews resisted and fought against the Romans. This was a question about a poll tax imposed on the Jewish people by the Roman government.

By the time of Jesus, the poll had been in place beginning around 6AD. It led to a revolt in Jerusalem in 66AD, revolutionaries found a following, and eventually was one of the major factors leading to the destruction of the temple in 70AD. It also, led to a group called the Zealots – which was a political patriotic Jewish group.

The Zealots refused to pay the tax because it acknowledged Caesar’s domination over them. They would not even look upon a coin which bore an image.[3] A Jewish person had to pay the annual tribute in the emperor’s silver coins.[4] “This question was therefore an essentially political one, aimed to elicit Jesus’ stance with regard to the ‘Zealot’ ideology.[5]

We have seen a hint of this ideology in Mark 6:42 ff. as the feeding of the feeding of the five thousand miracle was drawing to a close, “And they all ate and were satisfied. 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 44 And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men. 45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.”

Why did Jesus push the disciples to leave? Because there were a group there that were trying to force Jesus to start a revolution (according to their ideology), so Jesus stopped that group, but He didn’t want the disciples, at that point, to get caught up in the politics.

As a Galilean Jesus would not have been required to pay the poll tax, which applied only to those residing in areas under direct Roman authority (like Judea). But they want to use his answer against Him. This could have been his out to this question – it doesn’t affect me, so I’m not going to answer.

Judas of Galilee (not Jesus’ disciple) had led a revolt in 6AD and for him the issue had been as much theological as political. “The historian Josephus described his [Judas] calling to revolt in these terms: ‘He called his fellow countrymen cowards for being willing to pay tribute to the Romans and for putting up with mortal masters in place of God. The theology underlying such language is that allegiance to God and Rome as a pagan occupying power are fundamentally incompatible.”[6]

There is no answer that Jesus could give that would make everyone happy. If Jesus said ‘yes’ then he would alienate the Jewish patriots. If Jesus said ‘no’ then he could be reported to the authorities as a rebel.

(v. 15) “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” 16 And they brought one.” The coin had a stamped faced of Tiberius, and said, “Son of the divine Augustus.” For a Jewish person, it would have been religiously and politically offensive – it was carrying around a ‘graven image’ and that a man was claiming to be God. The Jewish people avoided this by carrying another copper currency – but the Pharisees and Herodians have no problem getting their hands on a denarius. Jesus wasn’t carrying this idolatrous coin, but one them had one very handy.

But Jesus is actually making an even deeper statement, than just catching them in their hypocrisy, by requesting the coin. (v. 17) “Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” – Jesus is saying that there can be obligations to the state (honor to those who hold positions, paying required taxes, following the law), and to God, and both can be maintained at the same time.[7]

To be loyal to God, does not necessarily mean civil disobedience (because the government is not theocracy). The coin bears the image of Caesar, what image does your heart bear? The Zealots would only be happy when the kingdom returns to a theocracy run by a king (either what we want, exactly how we feel it should be, or nothing).

Who are the Zealots of today? These are those that claim to be Christian, but cannot even look at, interact with, a society they feel has compromised their interpretation of Scripture. They do not completely love God, and they do not love their neighbor as much as they love themselves.

(v. 17) “And they marveled at him,” is their response to Jesus’ ability to escape their trap. This issue is much more important that Jesus doing verbal judo. How we deal with the issue of politics shows the world our heart towards God, and towards our fellow man. Bellevue Baptist Church exists to make disciples of Jesus Christ, and we must be careful that in our disciple making process ends where our personal opinions, emotions, feelings, begin. Our means of shaping the world is the gospel, when we get the voting booth and the baptistry mixed up – we are headed toward decline.

What Are Your Pronouns? (vv. 18-27)

18 And Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection. And they asked him a question, saying, 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 There were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and when he died left no offspring. 21 And the second took her, and died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise. 22 And the seven left no offspring. Last of all the woman also died.[8] 23 In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife.” 24 Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.”

First off, the Sadducees did not even believe in an afterlife, nor a resurrection. So, the fact that they design their question around the resurrection, “who say that there is no resurrection” Mark is showing us their hypocrisy and warns us that they are trying to trap Jesus. But instead of it being a political trap, this question is a theological trap.

The issue that the Sadducees bring up is “what happens with relationships, specifically marriage bonds, in the afterlife?” If a person marries, and then remarries, etc. who will be their spouse in eternity? They remove the question of whether the marriages are legitimate by crafting a scenario based on a passage of Scripture.

It is a paraphrase of Deuteronomy 25:5-6, “If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. 6 And the first son whom she bears shall succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel.” There was the cultural belief that the man lives on through the continuation of the family line.

Jesus suggests that the earthly perspective is not an appropriate view in eternity. Individuals will not be bonded together, but will be individuals, like angels (Luke tells us that the Sadducees don’t believe in angels). Earthly life is temporary; therefore, children need to be brought into this world for repopulation. God has established marriage as the context, between a man and woman, to raise that child. But in heaven, this will not be the case.

This question focuses on a current controversy on which the dominant groups in Jerusalem were sharply divided. So, again if he chooses one side over the other, then Jesus becomes alienated from the opposing side of the argument.

But, Jesus seeks to respond not only to the surface level question, but also to the foundational belief underneath. He says they are wrong for a couple of reasons, “because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God

(v. 26) “‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?” – Jesus is referencing the scene of Moses at the burning bush in Exodus 3:6. God has been the guide, the protector, the sustainer, helper, etc. of the fathers, and God promises salvation and deliverance to His people. “If God has assumed the task of protecting the patriarchs from misfortune during the course of their life, but fails to deliver them from the supreme misfortune which marks the definitive and absolute check upon their hopes, his protection is of little value.”[9]

If the death of these men (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) is the last word of their history, there has been a serious breach of the promises God guaranteed by the covenant.

(v. 27) “He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.” – If a person thinks that this is all that there is, there is nothing waiting for them but for them to cease to exist, then Jesus says, “you are quite wrong.” If you believe that your decisions and actions on this earth, mean noting after you draw your last breath, then “you are quite wrong.”

Jesus has told the disciples that He will die, but will be raised again three days later, and if you think that his death burial and resurrection mean nothing to you, except how you live now, “you are quite wrong.” God is the God of the living, Jesus is alive, everyone who has every been born in this world is alive – if you know Christ, you have life (eternal), and if you are not saved, then you still have life eternal, but you are eternally separated from God, which is what the Bible calls hell.

Jesus is not cute in his response to the Sadducees, he says, (v. 25) “For when they rise from the dead” – where we spend eternity is not a question of if, but when. We are not talking about how many angels can fit on the head of a needle (who cares), but where you spend eternity is incredibly important to know and understand. God keeps His promises in this life, and in the life to come.

Who Are the Sadducees of Today? They brought certain presuppositions to the Scripture (anti-supernatural, no afterlife, no angels, etc.) so that when they opened up the Scriptures, they ignored what was right in front of them, because of the false beliefs they brought with them.

They deceive themselves by drawing a false conclusion from Duet. 25:5, and Jesus replies, “because you did not know the Scriptures.” When one does not believe the Word of God, or so mishandles it, one will not have “the power of God.”

Remember Satan appealed the Scriptures when he tempted Jesus – “the Saduccees are appealing to the Scriptures falsely; Jesus crushed their argument by appealing to the Scriptures truly.”[10]

Where Should I Focus My Life? (vv. 28-34)

28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

32 And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. 33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices[11].” 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Mark now gives us, yet another religious leader (a scribe) but their interaction is quite different from the previous two. The scribe is moved by Jesus’ previous responses, which leads him to ask his own question, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” The Jewish law included 613 commandments, so it is understandable that someone may want to group them and organize them in some way, and “He seems to be asking Jesus what he understood to be the fundamental purpose and character of the law.”[12]

The rabbis often discussed which commandments were “heavy” and which ones were “lite,” and sometimes ranked certain categories of the law as more essential than others.[13]

(v. 33) “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’” – all is repeated four times, we are to be completely, wholly devoted to God. Everything that makes a person is to be fully devoted to the relationship with God. “The four following phrases are not condensed: ‘out of thy whole heart, soul, mind, and strength,’ but are spread out so as to put emphasis on each one.”[14] Also, heart is first, then soul, then mind, and last strength.

The scribe, in spite of all the plotting and scheming to trap with words, and seeking to kill Jesus (that he is more than likely aware of) – this scribe is able to see past all out that hear Jesus’ words, see his reaction to the hate, and begins to open his heart to the Savior. The scribe is able to cut through the politics, the doctrinal differences, the hateful statements – all of it. Jesus’ response to this man is not the same as the others – He does not lump all religious leaders together. He is gentle, conversational, and complementary.

(v. 34) “when Jesus saw that he answered wisely” – the original language uses the word “nounechos, from nous (intellect) and echo (to have). Using the mind to good effect is what the adverb means.”[15] “When Jesus saw that he had used his brain . . .”

“You are not far from the kingdom of God.”— The scribe is so close, what is his next step? He needed to realize that he had not loved God nor his neighbor in the way God commands, he would realize that he has sinned against God. He needed a Savior – he was there right in front of him, “not far.”

_____________________

[1] R. C. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. Mark’s Gospel (Minneapolis, Minnesota; Augsburg Publishing House, 1964) 517.

[2] Larry W. Hurtado, New International Biblical Commentary, Mark (Peabody, Massachusetts; Hendrickson Publishing, 1989) 192.

[3] William L. Lane, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, The Gospel of Mark (Grand Rapids, Michigan; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1993) 423.

[4] Hurtado, 192.

[5] R.T. France, The New International Greek Testament Commentary, The Gospel of Mark (Grand Rapids, Michigan; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2002) 465.

[6] France, 465.

[7] Romans 13:1-17; 1 Peter 2:13-17; 1 Tim. 2:1-6; Titus 3:1f.

[8] The Sadducees are attempting to use reductio ad absurdum to prove their side of the argument.

[9]

[10] Lenski, 530.

[11] 1 Sam. 15:22

[12] Larry W. Hurtado, New International Biblical Commentary, Mark (Peabody, Massachusetts; Hendrickson Publishers, 2001) 200.

[13] France, 477. One method was to judge by the severity of the penalty attached. Thus some teachers magnified the commandments about the sacrifices, other Sabbath laws, others the law and regulations about circumcision.” (Lenski, 535).

[14] Lenski, 538.

[15] Archibald Thomas Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, Volume 1 (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1930) 369.

“Questions” Mark 12:13-34

Drew Boswell Ministries

"Questions" Mark 12:13-34

00:00 / 00:42:58

“How Does It All End?” Mark 13

Drew Boswell Ministries

"How Does It All End?" Mark 13

00:00 / 00:42:50

“How Will It All End?” Mark 13

Christ’s Power Over Every Need

The Gospel of Mark Sermon Series

“How Will It All End?”

Mark 13

Introduction

Acts 1: 1-8 “So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, the was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Prayer

Something Better Has Arrived (vv. 1-2)

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.”

Jesus is now leaving the temple and in Mark’s gospel and won’t return. In the previous arguments with the religious leaders from various groups, he has declared the whole system morally bankrupt (He called the leaders brood of vipers, white washed sepulchers, etc.). Conversation after conversation, Jesus was clear that what was happening at the temple, the religious leaders, all of it was ending. But the disciples are focused on the “wonderful stones, and what wonderful buildings!”

“They were astonished at the magnificence of the construction and adornment of the sanctuary and its complex of courts, porches, balconies, and buildings. They particularly marveled at the massive size of the stones which were used in the structure and substructure of the temple.” It was an architectural wonder and was one of the most impressive sights in the ancient world.[1]

Gathering for worship, in Jesus’ eyes, is not about the grandeur of the location, but the heart of those who worship. The idea, that Jesus is conveying is that there is something better, that it has arrived, and it is also a promise of judgment. It is Jesus’ pronouncement here regarding the temple that will be used against Him in the days to come at His trial.

The Disciple’s Question (vv. 3-4)

3 And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew[2] 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?”[3]

This pattern is now very familiar on the gospel of Mark, where Jesus will make a public statement (the Parable of the Sower; 4:10), and then have the disciples ask him privately what the statement of teaching meant?[4]

It’s still Tuesday, but we are days from the Passover, where Jesus will die. He knows it’s coming, and He is seeking to prepare the disciples for the days to come where they will be left to lead the church. Jesus is preparing his disciples for the difficult days ahead. There are five things that he wants the disciples to know and remember so they can know how to react to the world around them and Jesus’ eventual return (Parousia).

(1) Just Because Bad Things Happen, Doesn’t Mean It’s the End of the World (vv. 5-8)

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 (right at hand) and rumors of wars (rumors of wars in distant places), 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.

Jesus wants to “warn the disciples not to be disturbed by the preliminary signs nor to confuse them with the end itself.”[5] Later in verse 37 Jesus says, “And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake” – So they must stay diligent through difficult times, and even when these things seemed to have passed, to remain diligent. “in verses 5-13 the repeated warnings (watch out, v. 5; do not be alarmed, v. 7; be on your guard, v. 9; do not worry, v. 11) have to do first with general troubles such as wars, earthquakes, and famines vv. 5-8)”[6]

In times of crisis, there will be people wish to take advantage and manipulate people, “saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray,” but the leading astray will be a call to stop being vigilant in their following after Christ, and waiting for His return, because “the end is not yet.”

These false teachers, false prophets, and false claims to be God – represented a false hope and would lead to deception and further disaster. Not only would the people go through war, famine, natural disasters, but these false messiahs would then use the heart ache and destruction to lead the people into a spiritual catastrophe.

“Already there were outbreaks against the Jews in Alexandria, at Seleucia with the slaughter of more than fifty thousand, at Jamnia and elsewhere. Caligula, Claudius, and Nero will threaten war before it finally comes with the destruction of the city and temple by Titus in AD 70. Vincent notes that between this prophecy by Jesus in AD 29 and the destruction of Jerusalem there was an earthquake in Crete (AD 46), at Rome (AD 51), at Apamaia in Phrygia (AD 60), at Campania (AD 63). He also notes four famines during the reign of Claudius AD 41-54. One of them was in Judea in AD 44 and is alluded to in Acts 11:28. Tacticus describes the hurricanes and storms in Campania in AD 65.”[7]

(2) You Will Be Persecuted, But It Doesn’t Mean It’s the End of the World. (vv. 9-13)

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.

Jesus then gives his second warning, where there will be three areas where followers of Christ will be “delivered over” – to councils, at trials, and when family members betray family members. In all three of these groups, there is persecution.

(v. 9) “Persecution does not mean that the end has come, nor is it an occasion for the loss of hope. It is rather an occasion for witness to the nations, for this must take place before the end comes.”[8] Before the end comes, the gospel “must first be proclaimed to all nations.” Jesus is sitting on the Mount of Olives hillside overlooking the Temple, explaining it’s destruction, on Tuesday before He will go on trial on Friday, and how the gospel must go around the world. In spite of persecution, governments that try to impede it, the gospel will make its’ way over the entire world, to the utter most parts of the earth.

And as you are being witnesses for Christ, and carrying the gospel to the world you will be “For they will deliver you over . . . for my sake” You will be delivered over to all these different groups, persecution will come, beatings will come, for Jesus’ sake. As Jesus’ ambassador, disciple, follower, preacher, teacher, witness, proclaimer – everything we do, we do it for Jesus.

(v. 11) “And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say,” – Believers who will endure this persecution don’t have to be anxious about what to say, Roman law, court procedures, etc., The Holy Spirit is there with them, and will give them truth to share in their defense. God will not leave them, the Holy Spirit will be with them. During these times, we are to rely completely upon God, who will even give us the words to say. And as we lean on God, speak what He tells us to say, there is a result.

You will be handed over, and you will be hated.

(v. 13) “you will be hated by all for my name’s sake,” They hate Jesus, they will hate you because you represent Him.

(3) Listen to Jesus’ Words (vv. 14-23)

14 “But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15 Let the one who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything out, 16 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 17 And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 18 Pray that it may not happen in winter. 19 For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be. 20 And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days. 21 And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. 22 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. 23 But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand.

(v. 14) “But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be,” – There will something that is so abominable, that takes place in the temple, that leaves it desolate (empty of worshippers), then believers should head for the hills.

Jesus is using the phrase “abomination of desolation” from the book of Daniel (chs. 9:27; 11:31; 12:11) and the offense to God is so great that followers of Jesus are warned to escape to the mountains, to leave the temple and surrounding areas. This whole section is focused on flight – leaving before the situations gets so bad (either by weather, or the political situation, famine, etc.) that there is no means of escape.

There will be a time when you shouldn’t go back for your cloak at the other side of the field, don’t go in the house to get stuff, just go, and if you happen to be pregnant at that time – it is going to be very difficult.

(v. 21) “And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it.” This warning of a false Christ, is given in the context of the time to flee. Christians are fleeing from the city of Jerusalem, and then when it is time to flee, this false messiah pops up. Jesus says, don’t be fooled – keep on fleeing. But he is doing “signs and wonders,” keep on going.

There was a Jewish revolt in 66AD and “when the Jewish revolt did break out it became apparent that the Roman army would sweep away Jewish resistance from the main part of Palestine, many Jews fled into Jerusalem for safety, probably assuming that God would not allow the holy city to be sacked again by the heathen.

Josephus, the ancient Jewish historian, tells us that during the siege of Jerusalem several rival groups of leaders claiming to be sent by God to deliver the people struggled with one another for control within the city. . . Jesus is warning not to be involved with this war,”[9] and that God is allowing the Jewish people to be experience judgment.

So what does this have to do with me, today? Jesus warned the people of what was going to happen, and when it did happen of what to do. Those that followed His instructions survived, and those that didn’t experienced a horrific death. This is not the only warning that Jesus gives us about the future and our need to listen to His words.

Also, for the readers of Mark’s gospel to really understand “who he really is, the disciples must look beyond Jesus’ death to his glorious return. The Son of Man had to suffer and die, but after that he would be vindicated and glorified.”[10]

There is also another reason why our study of God’s Word is important – it helps us to understand the world around us (one that sometimes appears to be close to an end), This group of believers aren’t going to look at natural disasters and see them as the end of the word; they aren’t going to listen to religious fanatics that pop up claiming to be the Messiah, they are going to keep watch and consistently share the gospel – and they aren’t going to be overwhelmed when they are persecuted, hated, or betrayed. They have weighed these things already, as part of Jesus’ teaching, and chose to become a disciple anyway.

(4) You Must Know What to Watch For, and What You Can’t Watch For (vv. 24-31)

24 “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. 28 “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 30 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

(v. 24) After these things have happened, “the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.” – All of the following will happen at the same time, “All that holds the heavenly bodies in their orbits and enables sun, moon, and stars to light the earth, shall give way.”[11]

Then the angels will be dispatched to gather all followers of Christ from around the world, “from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.”

(v. 28) “From the fig tree learn its lesson:” When the fig tree shows its green leaves, summer is coming very soon. This parable of the fig tree invites the reader of the Gospel to see in the misfortunes which will overtake Jerusalem the evidence that its devastation and ruin are near. Jesus is saying that “before the passing of a generation, Jerusalem and the Temple will lie in ruins.”[12] Then after the tribulation, there will be a time where followers must continue to stay awake and watch.

(5) You Do Not Know, No One Knows, When the End Will Come (vv. 32-37)

32 “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. 34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. 35 Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— 36 lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”

Jesus moves from the destruction of Jerusalem, the Temple, which marks the end, of one way, and with the disciples beginning a new way, and this new way will draw to an end when the gospel has been preached to all nations (v.10).

(let’s review all of time)

Creation – Fall – Redemption – Restoration

(v. 32) “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows,” Jesus then moves to his return, but unlike the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem, where like leaves on a fig tree one could anticipate when it will happen and flee; When Jesus returns no one will know (not the angels in heaven, not even Jesus Himself).

Acts 1:6-7 “So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.” God the Father has not delegated that authority, when the earth will be judged, and Jesus will return, to anyone.

The disciples had asked, “when will this take place?” (referring to the destruction of the temple), and Jesus says, (v. 37) “Stay awake until the Lord comes.” We do not know when Jesus will return, so His followers must remain vigilant, awake, and ready for His return. “The four watches of the night are named here: evening, midnight, rooster crowing, morning.”[13]

Closing

In the 19th century, there was a wave of enthusiasm for prophecies predicting the actual date for the Second Coming of Christ. One such prophecy was an Adventist leader name William Miller. After studying Daniel 8, Miller predicted that Christ would return on March 21, 1842, but then revised the date to April 3, 1843. Over 3,500 of his followers jammed the Boston Advent Temple, only to be disappointed. You might have thought that the movement would have died. But it didn’t. Rather it continued to grow. Miller decided to recalculate his date for the Second Coming and soon publicized a new date – April 18, 1844. When the messiah did not show up on that date, there was again frustration and some followers left the Adventist ranks. Undeterred, Miller came up with a third date – October 22. 1844. And, surprisingly, this third date rallied his followers. They began to spread the news of the new date of the Second Coming with an enthusiasm that had not seen before. Churches that did not accept this message were denounced as agents of “Babylon.” and the devil. And – despite opposition from established, mainline religious groups, thousands of people – including many clergy – began to prepare. One account notes that “Fields were left unharvested, shops were closed, people quit their jobs, paid their debts, and freely gave away their possessions with no thought of repayment.” Huge press runs of Advent publications like The Midnight Cry warned the public that “The Time Is Short”. “Prepare to Meet Thy God!” and “The Lord is Coming!” William Miller himself began peddling white “ascension robes” to the faithful, many of whom waited for the miraculous event in freshly dug graves. But as we all know, the Second Coming did not occur. A few weeks later after the Great Disappointment, William Miller wrote, “Although surrounded by enemies and scoffers, my mind is perfectly calm and my hope in the coming Christ is as sure as ever… I have fixed in my mind upon another time and here I mean to stand until God gives me more’ light. And that is Today, Today Today. Until He comes and I see Him, my soul yearns for him.”[14]

For more information regarding William Miller, https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/denominationalfounders/william-miller.html

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[1] William L. Lane, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, The Gospel According to Mark (Grand Rapids, Michigan; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1994) 451.

[2] These four disciples had been with Jesus the longest, Mark 1:16-20.

[3] Bruce says that Jesus gave this to “forewarn and forearm.” If Jesus gave this teaching to prepare his followers of the soon-to-be destroyed temple, wouldn’t this point to having pre-70 AD copies of the gospel. Otherwise, the forewarning would be mute.

[4] R. T. France, The New International Greek Testament, The Gospel of Mark (Grand Rapids, Michigan; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2002) 505.

[5] Lane, 448.

[6] Larry W. Hurtado, New International Biblical Commentary, Mark (Peabody, Massachusetts; Hendrickson Publishers, 2001) 214.

[7] Archibald Thomas Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, Volume 1 (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1930) 375.

[8] Lane, 445.

[9] Hurtado, 217.

[10] James A. Brooks, The New American Commentary, Mark (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1991) 205.

[11] R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. Mark’s Gospel (Minneapolis, Minnesota; Augsburg Publishing House, 1964) 584.

[12] Lane, 478.

[13] Robertson, 378.

[14] https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon-illustrations/84346/second-coming-of-jesus-by-tim-smith