---

Mark | 1 -7 | 8-12 | 13:1-13 | 13:14-27 | 13:28-37 | 14:1-9 | 14:10-21 | 14:22-31 | 14:32-52 | 14:53-72 | 15:1-20 | 15:21-41 | 15:42-47 | 16 | PDF |

---

Mark 13 Bible Study – Signs of the End Times

Outline

I. The near-term signs of Jesus’ coming (Verses 1-8)
II. The need to be ready for the coming persecution (Verses 9-13)
III. The coming tribulation (Verses 14-23)

I. The near-term signs of Jesus’ coming (Verses 1-8)

Discussion Questions

• How did His disciples feel about this temple?
• What was the temple actually like?
• How did Jesus feel about this temple? Why did He highlight its coming destruction?
• What were the “these things” the disciples mentioned in verse 4?
• When would the signs in verses 5-8 take place? What would they be a sign of? Have they happened yet? Are they still happening?
• What do you think is the main point Jesus wants His disciples to get by sharing these signs?

Cross-References

Matthew 24:1 – Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple.

Verse by Verse Commentary

1. Jesus was going out of the temple –

Mark 13:1 – And as he came out of the temple…

In chapter 12, Jesus gave a lot of public teaching. Most of it was focused on the hypocrisy of the religious leaders and therefore by extension, the problems with their religion. The religion had become ritualistic and external, a system of good works motivated by corrupted hearts. It had no power to regenerate or transform hearts.

Now Jesus was leaving the temple for the last time. This marked the end of Jesus’ public teaching ministry. He had given the leaders and the crowds everything they needed to place their faith in Him. Sadly, most still rejected Him.

All the rest of His teaching would be done in private to His disciples.

Reflect – How fruitful was Jesus’ public teaching? Which aspect of His ministry was the most productive? Since He knew most people would reject Him, why did He still preach to them? What lessons can we learn from Jesus’ public teaching ministry that we can apply to our own teaching in the modern world?

2. What wonderful stones and buildings –

The disciples were enthralled with the imposing magnificence of this building. It was magnificent. Josephus records that some stones were as large as 13 meters long and 6 meters tall, weighing as much as 628 tons, while most were about 28 tons.

Mark 13:1-2 – One of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” 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.”

In the book of Haggai, a prophecy alludes to the temple and Jesus’ presence in it.

Haggai 2:9 – “The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts.”

The builders of the temple in Haggai’s time were discouraged as they compared it to Solomon’s temple. Its meager size and beauty were a drag on morale. But God tells them that the temple they were building would be even more glorious than Solomon’s temple. Physically speaking, this was true. Herod remodeled and revamped the temple built in Haggai’s day to make it truly splendid, greater even than Solomon’s temple.

The disciples commented on the amazing beauty of the temple in their time. Herod had largely finished renovations. It was an amazing work that drew the admiration of Jesus’ disciples, who were astounded by its magnificence. People would have come from far abroad to the temple as pilgrims to worship the Lord there, but also as tourists.

When God says that the temple is going to be more glorious, is this what He is referring to? While this is a factually true statement, Jesus’ reply to the disciples should make us reconsider the “easy answer.” Did Jesus consider the temple in the time of Herod to be glorious?

Here, His answer shows that He didn’t have high regard for the physical beauty of the temple. It was going to be destroyed. Jesus was angered by the corruption of the leaders of the temple and all of the sellers who used it only as a means of profit (John 2:13-16). So it begs the question, would God encourage the temple builders by telling them in essence, “Don’t worry, Herod will make it even more beautiful?” Probably not.

The glory then referred to is something deeper than the physical beauty, which God did not care about and which Jesus almost shows disdain for (and why shouldn’t he show disdain for a beautiful building where people did not truly honor Him, but only sought to profit?) This is much like the state of many lovely churches, especially in Europe. The buildings are marvelous, but the church itself is dead there.

I believe that the glory referred to in these verses is Jesus Himself. Jesus would go to the temple. He would worship there. He would teach there. He would purify it. And at His death, the veil in the temple would be torn in two. Jesus Himself was the Son of the Temple (Matthew 17:24-27).

Isaiah 60:1-2 – Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you.

Jesus is the glory of the temple. He was in it and preaching to the people there. The Messiah shone from the temple like a star. He walked on the stones that were laid. His voice washed over them. His forgiveness would flow freely to those who believed in Him there. Salvation would be offered there and validated with the torn veil, reminding us that we can all have access to God through the blood of Jesus.

But most people missed the glory of Jesus and focused on the temple. The temple was like a sign of the current state of Judaism. Outwardly, it was beautiful, spectacular. People who saw it would be struck by its grandeur and sheer size.

Yet inwardly, it had become a place of business. People used it to make money. Leaders who ran it cared more about getting their clothes straight than they did about the needy sinners Jesus ministered to.

Instead of believing in the Messiah, they schemed and plotted to kill Him and any who stood as evidence of His miracles (such as Lazarus). This is what happens when people try to make their own bridge to God.

Reflect – Would Jesus condemn your church like He did the temple?

3. Not one stone will be left upon another – This temple, which the people so revered, would be completely destroyed in A.D. 70. The destruction was one of the most catastrophic in all of Jewish history.

Zealots had become more and more powerful. A vile, horrific governor named Florus had taken over. He did everything in his power to stir up discontent, perhaps hoping a rebellion would cover the shortcomings of his own rule.

The Jews revolted and won a few victories until three legions were sent by Rome. These marched through the country, taking down strongholds.

Titus took over for his Vespasian, who became the new emperor. He built siege walls around Jerusalem and waited for starvation to set in. Within months, all food was exhausted, and city dwellers shelled out huge sums for the most disgusting “food” such as bird dung. Josephus even records a horrific story of a mother who cannibalized her own child. Others gnawed on leather to try to subdue their hunger.

Finally, the city was broken into and reduced to rubble. Virtually everything inside the walls was ripped down, including the temple.

Jesus’ prophecy was fulfilled.

4. The signs –

Mark 13:4 – “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?”

The disciples asked Jesus for the signs that this would be fulfilled. It seems that their question about when “all these things” are going to be fulfilled refers to Jesus’ second coming, which would be the culmination of all these things. Jesus lists out many signs.

While many of them were fulfilled at least partially in A.D. 70, it is clear from Mark 13:24-27 that the ultimate fulfillment would be Jesus’ second coming. Because Jesus describes the first of these signs as the beginning of birth pangs, we can conclude that the “birth pangs” period of turmoil in world history started all the way back in A.D. 70 and will continue to increase until Jesus’ second coming.

A woman might experience birth pangs weeks before her baby is born. Sometimes they grow more serious and sometimes they lessen again. Finally, the last day before the birth, they grow steadily more painful until the pain is almost impossible to bear. Finally, the baby is born. That is very much what these signs are like.

They last from the beginning of the church age until the end of it. Sometimes these signs are more evident and sometimes they are less evident, but in general, they will increase, especially towards the end, right before Jesus’ second coming. Let’s take a look at some of the signs.

A. Many will come in My name, saying “I am He.” –

Ever since Jesus’ ascension, this has been true.

In A.D. 132, there was a revolt called the “Bar-Kokhba Revolt.” Its head was the leading rabbi of his day. They actually put him on a white horse and paraded him through the city, saying, “Son of a Star,” which was a Messianic reference.

Many false prophets and have come and made claims and tried to get a following. It is still happening today in cults across the world, which claim that the Messiah has returned.

B. Wars and rumors of wars – These point to the instability of this world. The world is not going to be a paradise prior to Christ’s return. Satan and sin still reign. Unlike some people believe, the world is not going to keep getting better and better until Christ’s return. There has never been a time in world history when there were zero wars or conflicts.

Because of the fall, human history is marked by war and violence. Jesus told us this would continue until His second coming.

C. Nation against nation and kingdom against kingdom – This has happened throughout the history of the world. In the 1900s, nationalism was in a fever pitch. Wars occurred on a global scale never seen before.

D. Earthquakes and famines – From Genesis, we see that God’s curse because of sin includes separation from God, conflict with other people, and an earth that is under the curse. These things show instability and the need for divine intervention.

No matter how smart people get, they have not learned how to control nature. No matter how advanced technology is, people have not figured out how to eliminate hunger. Floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, and wildfires still have not been solved by human technology. The pride of man is ill-placed. God is the only solution.

Application – Acknowledge that God is sovereign. Entrust your life and future to Him because He is on the throne and sovereign over the future.

A. See to it that no one misleads you – We must be wary. The world is filled with false teachers seeking to lead people astray for their own benefit. Do not believe them. Always look to the Bible and ask, “What does the Bible say?” Do not fall for smooth-sounding speech that is contrary to the Word of God.

Application – Be alert. Expect these things to happen. War, instability, and natural disasters should not surprise us. Neither should we see these things as evidence that God is not there or doesn’t care. Rather, these things were prophesied by Jesus and show us that God, in fact, knows the future. Because we know that Jesus will return and fix all of this, we should place our full faith in Him, not in people.

B. These are but the beginning of the birth pangs –When we see these types of things in the world, they remind us that the world is unstable and Jesus will return. Yet one specific war, earthquake, or famine does not mean that Jesus’ return is going to happen within a specific timeframe. Remember that in A.D. 70, many of these signs were happening. And yet we know that Jesus still hasn’t returned almost 2000 years later.

The birth pangs are a warning that the main event is on the way.

II. The need to be ready for the coming persecution (Verses 9-13)

Discussion Questions

• What should we be on guard for?
• Who is the “they” in verse 9?
• Have these things happened? Are they still happening?
• Explain verse 10.
• What principle do we learn in verse 11? How can you prepare for that time of persecution without planning what you will say?
• How serious will this persecution get?
• How would unbelievers view believers?
• What does it mean that the one who endures to the end will be saved?

Cross-References

Isaiah 49:6 – He says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

Habakkuk 2:14 – For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

2 Timothy 3:12 – Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

John 15:18-19 – If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

Verse by Verse Commentary

1. Be on your guard –

Mark 13:9 – But be on your guard.

I believe that this is the most important principle Jesus wants us to get from this. The world is not going to be an easy place. There will be insecurity, turmoil, unrest, wars, natural disasters, and famines. Beyond those things, believers are going to face persecution. Jesus wants us to be prepared.

Reflect – Have you faced persecution? If you knew persecution was coming, how could you prepare for it ahead of time?

2. Persecution – The church is going to face persecution, and lots of it.

Mark 13:9 – 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.

Ephesians 2:2 – In which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.

This verse tells us that Satan is the prince of the power of the air. He is currently ruling the world and we know his stance on Christ and the church. He is diametrically opposed to both. Like the signs listed through verse 8, these too are cyclical, sometimes increasing and sometimes decreasing. Sometimes persecution is heavy in one country and light in another.

But it is always there, and in general, it will increase until Christ returns and the battle of good versus evil, God versus Satan, reaches its climax. This persecution will include being taken in by powerful people.

While persecution is light in Western countries, let us remember our brothers and sisters around the world who face more opposition for their faith. Many have been martyred and many more are in prison.

One app you can use to know more about how to pray for the persecuted is the Voice of the Martyrs app.

Matthew 10:28 – And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Application – Firstly, pray for the persecuted. Secondly, the best way to prepare for it is to develop a close relationship with Jesus. He is the one who will give us the strength to stand up for Him in times of fierce opposition.

We should remember to fear God, who has power over the soul rather than man.

3. Be a good testimony –

Jesus said that one reason believers would be taken before powerful people is to bear witness for His sake to those people. In the book of Acts, Paul and Peter did just that.

Believers should take persecution as an opportunity to let the light of Christ shine in the dark. We should not fight fire with fire. We should not fight hate with hate. We should not trade insults or return evil for evil.

1 Peter 3:9 – Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.

Rather, persecution is an opportunity to show the love, patience, gentleness, and forgiveness of Christ. We should remember Stephen, who forgave his murderers. Paul too, sought every chance while in court to share the gospel with the rulers who seemingly had the power to set him free or declare him guilty.

Reflect – Have you ever been persecuted as a follower of Christ? How did you respond? Did you argue and fight back or did you give a blessing instead?

4. The gospel must first be preached to all the nations –

Mark 13:10 – And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations.

What can we do about all of this persecution, turmoil, and unrest? The only thing we can do is to help see this verse fulfilled and, in essence, speed the return of Christ.

Jesus declared that God wanted the gospel to go out around the whole world. Only then would He return (Matthew 24:14).

Currently, many researchers say that around twenty-eight percent of the people groups in the world are still unreached.

Reflect – What are you doing to make this verse become a reality?

5. The Holy Spirit will lead you –

Mark 13:11 – 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.

The religious leaders probably would have meticulously planned out how to scheme their way out of such persecution. But this is not what Jesus wants for believers.

It’s not so much about saying the exact right words as it is about relying on Christ and having a close relationship with Him.

We prepare not by planning ahead about how we will defend ourselves to the authorities, but by building up our relationship with Christ, by building up our faith and confidence in Him.

Psalms 46:1 – God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

The Holy Spirit will give you the strength when you need it. He will also give you the words to say.

6. Brother will betray brother –

Mark 13:12 – 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.

Persecution will come even from the most surprising places. Even family members will turn against their own. Our ties to Christ are stronger than our ties to blood.

7. You will be hated by all –

Mark 13:13 – And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

This verse shows the depth of emotion against believers. It is not a casual dislike, but an intense and deep hatred (2 Corinthians 6:14-18).

8. The one who endures to the end will be saved – This could refer to physical salvation from tribulations of some believers in the last day who will still be alive (and hence saved during the tribulation period) when Christ returns. Or it could refer to spiritual salvation whereby one’s persistence to follow Christ until the end proves the sincerity of His belief and therefore the reality of His salvation.

The perseverance of the saints is a biblical concept taught throughout Scripture, which tells us that real believers will follow Christ to the end no matter what trials they face.

Many who seem to start the Christian walk well end up falling away.

Application – What can you do today to help you finish the good fight and endure to the end?

Mark E-book study: If this is helpful, you can download our full Mark study in PDF or other formats.

Mark Paperback Book: You can also order a paperback version of the complete Study and Obey Mark study from Amazon.